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An occupational therapist rehabilitates a paralyzed athlete – her dog.

By Cari Noga

Just over a year ago, Cindy Creighton stood in a veterinary neurologist’s office in Fort Lauderdale, gazing at radiographs that showed an incomplete spinal cord injury suffered by her 18-month-old Whippet, Gideon. Two days earlier, the slender young dog had collided with a larger dog while warming up for a flyball competition.

Before his accident, Gideon enjoyed a short but brilliant career in flyball. In this exciting sport, a dog runs down a lane jumping hurdles, then steps on a spring-loaded box that shoots out a ball. After catching the ball, the dog runs back down the course. Each team has four dogs that run the course, one after the other in rapid succession.

As Creighton listened to the veterinarian, she heard the words “downer dog.” She saw Gideon himself, a champion flyball dog, immobilized in the animal hospital, though he could squeak the toy she brought him. …

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