Our Dog has Tetanus - Sick Puppy Halgrim

Tetanus is rather rare in dogs, but when they get it they (and their family) really suffer. Halgrim, our 2 year-old German Shepherd had an infection from an injured tooth and picked up Clostridium tetani, that causes tetanus or "Lockjaw." The Tetanus spores produce a toxin that affects the brain and motor nerves so muscles become stiff. Few dogs survive the infection as it is often mis-diagnosed and the treatment is very extensive and expensive.
Halgrim was in the university veterinary intensive care unit for 8 days and is now at home where he must stay in a quiet, darkened room and we have to feed him through a tube in his abdomen 4 times a day and night. Each feeding takes at least 90 minutes and involves taking great care not to damage the feeding tube or infect the opening in his abdomen. It is not known how long this will take, but since the muscles in his throat and neck were involved in the disease it is important to make certain he will not choke if he tries to eat. He has been home for 1 week now and is definitely improving, so that we are hoping he will soon be able to eat normally. He is expected to recover without lasting effects (aside from possible psychological effects from solitary confinement).
Halgrim is a very unusual, rambunctious, intelligent and stubborn 88 lb puppy, so we think he will likely come out of this with less problems than my wife, Karin and I will! Hallelujah.