In the Winter 2009 (Number 63) issue of The Main Central Jin Shin Jyutsu Newsletter, Gail Okray tells us about Katara, a “silly Boston Terrier” in her article An Urgent Request:

“When we apply Mary’s words from Self-Help Book 1, we all know change happens. Katara, one of the pups I wrote about in a past Main Central article, was entered in a dog show in De Kalb, Illinois. Katara had only a few more wins to complete her American Kennel Club Championship, but being a silly Boston Terrier she jumped in the car on the morning of the show and leaped before she looked. She hurt her leg. At the show she seemed a little stiff and I applied a 1 flow to limber her up. As I was about to take her into the ring, she suddenly would not place her foot on the floor. “No showing today,” I told the ring steward as I handed in my armband and headed for home.

I gave a 15 flow when I returned home. When she still didn’t walk on her leg the next day, I called the veterinarian to get an x-ray. My vet felt the knee was inflamed and looked like she might have torn a cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee. The veterinarian asked if I would go to an orthopedic vet for a consult. I have a very good relationship with my vet and replied, “Well, if the ligament isn’t completely torn and she is not in pain, I would like to treat her for two weeks with Jin Shin Jyutsu sessions and see how the knee heals.”

If surgery is performed, the rehab time is 9 months. Katara is also training in her favorite sport of agility. She is about half-way through her training, and the plan is to begin competing after January 2009. The surgery would be a major setback and there is a possibility she may not be able to continue training or competition.

I gave the 15 flow and the Kidney flow twice per day. The leg trembled as I gave treatments, but she was able to begin to place more and more weight on the leg as time went on. I made an appointment with the orthopedic vet 2 weeks after the injury. The vet wiggled the knee, twisted the knee in different directions, and watched her walk back and forth. The conclusion was that there must have been a strained tendon in the knee because she is fine now. Generally there is about a 4 to 6 week rest period with tendon strains. Katara is jumping and weaving again. She will continue to receive Kidney flows and 15 flows until the knee is harmonized.”

Thank you, Gail.

Thank you, Mary.

Thank you, David.

Gassho, Namaste, Blessings