Routine Hip Surgery, vet cut her sciatic nerve!

by **MyTinyPomBella** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:12 pm

My 3 year old tiny pom Bella just went in for routine hip surgery and the vet accidentally cut her scatic nerve that is responsible for her lower leg and paw movement and she has no feeling in her leg at all!!!!!!!!

The nerve was sewn together, but the surgeon said there are no guarantees. He is a good vet and is doing his best to remedy the situation and do best by her.

Has anyone have leg when there was nerve damage?

What did you do? How is your dog getting along now?

I looked at two of the hind limb orthodic braces and think one of them may work, my concern is her leg getting caught on the doggie door ( I am blessed with several poms) or other things and get injured worse.

Do they hop along happily ever after or have trouble ~~please share!

I am so scared for her, she was fine 9 days ago, slipped her hip out 8 days ago while playing and now she is paralyzed instead of recovering from a minor surgery.

I want to see her tail wag and her smiling on the green summer grass :cry:

I want my sparkly Bella back.

by **GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 5:43 pm

Yes, I found a dog in my yard who had been shot and starved and later on, we found he had been crushed. Long story short, his lower torso was a mess of tangled sharp shards of broken bones, scar tissue wound round sciatic nerves, tissues. Doc did the best he could on a charity case. Said Jude would never walk, never survive the assault on his lower body, never a lot oif things. Jude was scheduled to be PTS five days after I found him, a fate he could not accept. And because he couldn't neither could I. Jude not only survived, but after months of dragging him on a sheet and carrying him until he got too heavyto drag, he would watch my other dogs play with the human in the yard. He wanted to be a part of that life. He eventually walked, did stairs, climbed (never jumped) onto the bed or couch (sometmes with help from me, he had no lower body strength to speak of) but he had SEVEN great years until the three legs that were injured beyond repair took its toll on him. Here are his before and afters. He had SEVEN great years, with a whole lot worse than your baby, so I am optimistic. Soft massage, keep blood flowing to the tissues & cells, prevent atrophy, visit Dianne's therapy links in the paralysis forum which are EXCELLENT for any incapacitated pup, and if it won't hurt, (check with doc first) try bicycling the leg to keep mobility. If it might undo any surgical repairs, DON'T DO IT til you get an all clear. Soft massage now, though. It will make you both feel better. Jude's recover took many many months. Don't rush but do be proactive. WELCOME and I am so very sorry!

St.JudeMiracleDog's Legacy is NEVER GIVE UP HOPE! NEVER GIVE UP HOPE! EVER!

: Jude as I found him in 2002

: My precious Judey Pooty Scooty; jude_being_jude_888.jpg (22.02 KiB) Viewed 745 times

by **MyTinyPomBella** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:56 pm

Thank you so much for your kind reply and sharing your story.
And what an amazing story it is! Jude truly was a magnificent dog.

I will massage her limb as you suggest and see what kind of motion is safe for her - I am going to take her to my old vet in another city from before we moved. Whatever it takes, I will never ever give up on my tiny Bella.

Thanks for the Hope and great suggestions.

She is a very special kind, sweet, special little dog. I will keep you posted on how she does. The limb is curling up under her now whereas a few days ago it was stretched out fairly normal and altho she cannot feel it she is carrying it in all new manner.

I am so glad I found this site.

by **GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:10 am

One of the things I had to do with Jude was flex and bicycle his legs to keep them from atrophy. He fought me because he was in so much pain. I found his tickle spot and let him do his own bicycling. I'm thinking Bella's leg needs to be gently straightened as a part of PT. Once you get an all clear from doc, I would get very involved in that. I think it's Dianne who has therapy posted that includes a ball type exercise, where you place pup on ball and rock it backand forth, like humans do.

She is beautiful, little Bella. I have a mini eskie who is a Pom's twin. He's a beautiful little tiger who adores his mama.

Let us know what you find out and now I'm off to find the PT links... Give Bella a hug from crittersville.

by **GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:26 am

Okay, here's massage PT for a parapup, with thanks to Dianne. If you go to the paralysis forum, the second stickie, scroll about 1/3 way down, there are 3 links that I think you will find helpful. Here's one of them with a video embedded to "how-to":

http://www.dodgerslist.com/literature/m ... rcises.htm

by **critters** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:46 am

Having had a sciatic injury myself, I'm really surprised that her tail's involved, although I'm NO expert on pupper sciatics. I'd be REALLY careful to avoid too much movement in the limb, because too much movement can irritate the healing nerve. I'd also consider an anti inflammatory (but probably not pred) to help healing. Peripheral nerves can very well heal, but it takes a very long time. By putting the ends of the cut nerve together, the vet has done much of what he can to help with that; even when the nerve dies back, the growing, regenerating nerve can use the sheath of the old nerve to direct growth back together. I would also use a splint, although a custom splint might be required, at least for now, since I expect her knee to be involved. There are several splint companies, and it'll require a good bit of research to find the "right" one, and it might even require a good bit of trial and error (see my post in neuro about trying to find a splint for my Koi).

by **CarolC** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:04 am

I agree with both gabriel and critters. You will probably need to do some kind of physical therapy when the surgeon gives the OK...but I'd be scared to try to manipulate it without specific instructions from the surgeon or a professional animal physical therapist of exactly what kind of exercise to do. The exercises on Dodger's List will be for a dog with a back injury, a hip surgery is probably going to need different therapy, the surgeon can tell you.

I agree on being concerned about the doggie door. You may have to lock it while you are home (just let them out) and put her in the bedroom or laundryroom or something while you are gone if you want to leave it unlocked for the others.

by **MyTinyPomBella** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 11:19 am

Thank you everyone - awesome Link!

I am so excited - just heard back from a canine rehab therapist in the city who wants to see her Monday to discuss electo stimulation and perhaps a special boot.

I am keeping her in away from the other pups and away from doggie door for now and just paper tained her.

I have an area for her in my office, an area for her beside my bed and area for her in my kitchen so she is not alone or unsupervised and I can keep her enclosed when I am out with the horses or go into town.

The kind folks at comfycone.com got her a XSmall soft cone and she slept comfortably beside my bed for the first time since this happended.

Here is a pic of her swollen immobile leg/hip area, in her new confy cone where she has the whole office behind puppy gate which keeps the other punks out and in the kitchen so I can let her be safe and around us at meal time.

Thanks so much everyone - I have been so devestated and you all have made me feel hopeful and not alone xoxox

The good news - she seems happy today when I took her comfy cone picture xoxox

by **MyTinyPomBella** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 11:38 am

The rest of the crew really want into the office/bedroom area as that is their favorite thing ot do - help me work... they do not understand why they are not getting attention anymore.

Bella was trying ot play with her toy for those few days she was trying to use her leg, she doesn't even try anymore

Here is Bella before all this happened, it breaks my heart to know she will never run through the grass again.

by **critters** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:06 am

There's no evidence at all that she'll never run through the grass again; in fact, it's highly likely that, at least as far as the nerve goes, she'll eventually be like she was, or almost so. Whether the hip, the cause of the original surgery, will disable her any is something I have no way of knowing. Nerves, however, DO heal, albeit slowly.

by **MyTinyPomBella** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:51 am

THANK YOU so much for saying that Critters!

I went to a vet for a second opinion last week and he said "amputate at the hip, it is the best way to fix this and it should be done soon; nerves do not regenerate, they grow so slow that they die before they can repair" I cried but knew it did not feel right - there had to be a better answer.

Then I found this site and read all kinds of amazing stories and saw dogs in boots and dogs playing.

I got an email back from that rehab specialist who talked about boots and nerve stimualtion treatments and said she could see her in the city on Monday.

And all you wonderful people give me hope so I will keep moving forward with that hope and faith she will get better

by **GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 1:14 pm

You certainly did the right thing by researching all of your options! Thank goodness! So many of us, before there was a www.handicappedpets.net, took the first words as gospel and didn't know or trust ourselves enough to question. The REASON there is a www.Handicappedpets.com & dot net is because the founder's pup, Mercedes died too early from a treatable disease, and the answers weren't available back then. Mark Robinson discovered after Mercedes' death that there were options out there, and out of his love for Mercedes and his passion for pups, this wondrous site was borne.

And we are allllllll so thankful for our 'e-family' here.

Welcome to you and your brood! They are simply adorable! As critters says, never say never. My foot was cut in half in the 50s There was no microsurgery back then and everything was severed. Nerves bones connective tissue. They sewed my foot back together too tight (with paint still inside, don't ask

) and whatever dire prognosis they told my parents, I don't know. BUT! My nerves grew back. MAN it hurt for several years, but my foot was saved. All nerves grew back (as far as I know, because it hurts still from severed bones coming out the bottom of my foot). I do have several 'dead' spots on my body from other injuries, but they aren't the problem a limb is. So, like critters, nerve damage can repair itself. It doesn't have to, it might not. But it can, sometimes.

by **MyTinyPomBella** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:07 pm

Thank you Gabriel, so true there is always hope.

Vets seem to forget there is a spiritual energy attached to that numb, useless leg and a mom who will stop at NOTHING to make things right for her baby.

Pets DO HEAL and they do so miraculously; out of the unconditional Love they give and the never ending faith, love and effort they receive from those who adore them xoxox

Thank you all so much for kind words and encouragement

Vikki , blessed mom of the poms at http://www.tinydogsrule.com

by **GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:16 pm

There are meds now for 'phantom pain' for nerve regeneration. My own exp. was burning, electric shocks, not 100% of the tiem, but from time-to-time. My dad would try to cut my toenails while I was asleep because I screamed when I was awake. Of course he always woke me up, but I love him for doing the needful. Talk to your rehab person about this, and find out what your girl's symptoms may be and be proactive in alleviating them. There was nothing available when I went through it 50 years ago, but times they have changed and we are now seeing treatments available to our pups that were not available to human beans many years ago. Do your nerve regeneration research now and be prepared for anything. Pain is actually a GOOD thing in regeneration because it means feeling is coming back. But you do want to be prepared to deal with it. Pups don't know from pain. They need us now more than ever to alleviate it.

by **MyTinyPomBella** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:43 pm

Thank You. I have dedicated my home and money and life to caring for these amazing pom kids (some rescued, some puppy mill pup suriviors, some just needed a good fur-ever home xoxox) and find myself at a loss now as to what to do. Your help is greatly appreciated.

I will NEVER give up on baby Bella.

She will be living with me her entire long life, of course!!! so I WILL find a way to keep her happy and comfortable for many , many years to come

Such angelic beings they are; teaching us unconditional love and expecting nothing in return for all they give xooxx