12/29/2025
Poppi has CEREBELLAR HYPOPLASIA which is similar to cerebral palsy in a human. The messages from her brain 🧠 don’t translate to her body in a deliberate way. The severity of this condition varies. Some animals that have this condition are able to walk & run. Poppi has a very severe case, that doesn’t allow her to even stand on her own. She does have a 4-wheel wheelchair but she’s not a fan of being in it. She much prefers to lay freely in a dog bed or most often on the couch. Her movements often look very frustrating but at over 4 years old now, she has far more muscle control than when she was a pup 🐶 She’s able to get where she wants to go, she just moves differently to accomplish it. Animals are very resilient & they don’t seem to know they’re different… and especially don’t let it stop them. She doesn’t stay put and just look 👀 around. If she wants to be on the other end of the couch, she will focus & take one big leap like a burst of energy. She can jump 3 feet in one burst 💥 when she wants to. If she’s in a dog bed on the floor and wants up on the couch, she tosses herself out of the bed & onto the floor, knowing we will pick her up immediately… since we know it means she wants on the couch. When she gets very excited about anything, she has far less control of her movements, for example, when it’s time to eat. Her head, neck & limps will flail all over the place because she is anticipating food & it takes over the concentration she usually has to control her movements. Poppi learned a long time ago that being the loudest girl, will ensure she gets what she needs. She barks the loudest of all the kids in the house 🏠 & has worked out ways to communicate her needs. She is really very good about her potty schedule & rarely has accidents. She p*es within 3 minutes of waking up in the morning. She will keep a diaper on for a few hours mid day until she p*es & gets a diaper again at dinner time because she’ll usually p*e & p**p 💩 within 5 mins of finishing her dinner 🍽️ She eats on her own, laying on her side in a dog bed, propped up against the raised edge and while messy, she makes it work. This helps her use & maintain important muscle strength 💕
