*PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

by **Dianne** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:36 pm

by **connie** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:16 pm

great post dianne,
just pray everyone with disk injury pet listens. crate rest is hard do for some .but so darn important.
hugs connie

by **connie** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:58 pm

thanks dianne fior posting the videos site. that will be so much easier for people who ask what to look for. the ones who watched them have told me it gave them hope. he does it so much better now, but my camera is down. i saw a vet today that treated him the night he first got down at midnight. she kept him medicated till my vet send me to TN. for surgery next day. she was amazed at his recovery. she said it was me, but it was cricket, he won't give up. lol.
anyways, thanks pal, cricket sent you a big wet doggie slurp right on the face. lol.
back still hurting, but going back to work monday. dr. told me i had to be careful, so i am.
take care
hugs, connie

by **Andrew and Togie-Boy** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:44 am

HI, am posting this reply in hopes that all who are in the same situation my dog and I were in WILL NOT PUT DOWN THERE DOG! DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT HAVE YOUR DOG EUTHANIZED IF IT SUDDENLY BECOMES PARALZYED LIKE MINE DID (IN THE BACKLEGS). I was literally told that my dog would not walk again, and that it would be a hard road with all of the lack of bladder control problems, etc., so if you read no further, I am writing this because I too was in despair and found a person (Julie Mendenhal and her dog Champ) :angel:

whose dog was in a similar situation and eventually got much better. If you read no further, please do not give up hope, as I too felt like the situation was hopeless, and eventually my dog got well.

If you do want the full details, continue reading, in case your dog's situation sounds familiar, and you are wondering what to do like I was wondering.

I came home on a Thursday, April 24th, and my dog looked depressed. He tried to hop down from the ledge where he used to sit, and did come over for his regular hug, but I noticed on the way back up toward the ledge, his back legs were wobbly, and he didn't seem able to walk right.

About an hour or two later, he was pretty much limp in the back-end. I already called the vet before that happened, and he said it was probably arthritis (?!!) and to give him an aspirin (apparently, one of the worst things to do in this situation?) -- it was maybe 10 at night, so I felt bad about disturbing the vet that was on call, but if this happens to you, FIND ANOTHER VET, PAY THEIR FEE, EVEN IF IT IS ALOT, AND GET YOUR DOG TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY!!! THE SOONER YOU CAN GET PREDNISONE SHOTS TO BRING DOWN SWELLING, THE BETTER!

By the time the morning had rolled around (I was up all night with him outside, as he had lost bowel/bladder control), he couldn't even keep his head down to sleep, which is consistent with a broken neck (there is a name for this, like Huntington-Scheffington, I can't remember right now).

When he got the vet's, basically, I was initially told that within 24 hours, his best chance for recovery would be surgery, but the nearest place to do that was 2 hours away, and it wouldn't necessarily work (Ithink I read that), and he had to stay there for several days for shots and observation, but by the time I picked him up, the prognosis was not good: he couldn't move his hind legs and had to be walked with a towel sling for support, he had no lower motor neuron sensitivity (that they could find), and he had no bladder control, that I should ignore the web-site info I had gathered (you have to learn ALOT in a very short amount of time), and that all that stuff about confinement wouldn't matter, that this dog (my dog) was a downer probably forever, that I would have to squeeze his bladder every eight hours, and that this would be a hard road, oh, and not to give up after the third week.

Friends were already preparing themselves to help me after two months to get him eunthanized (they at least were caring). Anyway, I realize that most vets would have probably said the same thing, but I found another vet who got me a baby-gate she wasn't using, and every morning, in his confinement, I went out and cleaned him off, did his bathroom routine which was a noose for his back-end hanging from a ceiling-beam post (he was too heavy to hold and squeeze, and me with tendonitis!), and then again two more time for about three weeks.

This vet told me, although this sounds mean, to squeeze his toes with pliers to see if there was ANY LMN sensation, and sure enough after a squeeze or two (about two or three weeks into the situation), he did move his head to question what the heck was going on, so that was the first sign of encouragement.

Gradually, everyday, he showed more and more signs of improvement, until about 4 weeks, he was starting to urinate on his own without my having to squeeze :trophy:

, and he could prop himself up standing by leaning on the gate with this hind-quarters, and he had reflexes by itching his toes, which the vet explained to me maybe wouldn't have mattered in terms of meaning he was getting better since this happens anyway, but still..., since then, after 6 weeks total confinement, he could come back in the house to sleep, and could stumble to the door to go to the bathroom.

It took a lot of patience, prayer, and TLC, and you have to keep your dog VERY QUIET AND CONFINED, it is his best chance of recovery. He is now, after about 8 months, about 95% better, and the only thing he can't yet do is itch his ear, and he does seem to tire a little bit sometimes when on longer walks (although this is because he is maybe out of shape), and even that has improved as I noticed about two weeks ago him trying to itch his front leg with his back, which he couldn't do up until now, and has desparately wanted to do! All this after being told that he would need a wheel-chair, and physical therapy in the pool, which he hates!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BEAR WITH THE TROUBLE OF PEE EVERYWHERE AND THE DIFFICULTIES, YOU WON'T REGRET IT, MY DOG RECOVERED, AND I HOPE WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF MY DOG'S STORY, THAT YOU WON'T GIVE UP LIKE YOU OTHERWISE MIGHT BE ENCOURAGED TO DO. I CAN'T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT MY DEAR TOGIE-BOY! THANK YOU JULIE AND CHAMP -- PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE AND CONTACT ME IF YOU JUST NEED AN EAR AND SOME SUPPORT, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP! :ecstatic:

agordon143@yahoo.com :sleepingdog:

Thanks from me and Togie-Boy. (who looks like an adult version of Connie's pup you see above) :angel:

I think I am now much closer to my dog, and him to me, had this not happened! :wub:

by **Christine** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:05 am

Hi Andrew,

:confetti:

and thank you for sharing your story! We'll never know how many pets and owners this will give hope. If just one family receives hope to save their pet, you have done a wonderful thing. We would love to see a picture of Togi - if he is anything like Cricket, you've got a real character there!

by **CarolC** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:14 pm

This is a great story, and Julie and Champ have a great story, too. You are talking about the Schiff-Sherrington reflex which is a serious sign. Thanks for the encouragement!

http://www.dachshund-dca.org/discbook.html wrote:Occasionally injury to the thoracolumbar spinal cord can cause clinical signs in the forelimbs. Almost invariably the injury is extremely acute and severe, such as a spinal fracture or profound type I disk herniation. There are motor fibers in the upper lumbar spinal cord segments that run forward to the cervicothoracic area to influence the nerves exiting to the muscles of the forelimbs and neck. When these motor fibers are damaged, the forelimbs become rigidly extended and the dog holds its head back. Also, deep pain perception is often not recognizable. This is called Schiff-Sherrington syndrome and, in the past, was said to always be an indication of irreversible spinal cord malacia. Unfortunately that is not true because many dogs that display this syndrome can recover if immediate aggressive medical and surgical therapy is instigated. Unfortunately, many dogs have been needlessly euthanized due to failure to understand that this syndrome can be reversible. However, if signs of Schiff-Sherrington syndrome persist after aggressive therapy has been administered, or persist when therapy has been delayed for whatever reason, then the prognosis is grave.

by **shellymcc** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:21 pm

I have a 3 yr old Weimaraner with Muscular Dystrophy. The best thing that we did for her when she was a puppy was buy her a kiddie pool and swam her everyday until she was too tall for the pool . Now she is a happy, active dog that hops on her back legs like a rabbit, and when she runs you can`t even tell she had MD. Hope this helps someone else because it saved our youngest gray girl!

by **CarolC** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:10 am

shellymcc!

by **tinanharley** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:59 pm

Hello everyone,

I have a 7 year old labrador named Harley who was run over by a truck. Miraculously he sustained no broken bones but he cannot move his rear legs or support his weight. He is able to wag his tail and does have some sensory movement when the pads of his feet are tickled. What I am wanting to know is if anyone else has had this happpen? My husband says he is going to give him a month and if no improvement is shown he will put him down. I can't bear the thought of this! Any help is greatly appreciated. I am desperate. The vet is saying that he should be attempting to move his legs by now(4 days later). I don't know what to do! Please help...

Thanks,
Tina and Harley

by **critters** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:38 am

tinanharley!

4 days would be unusually early, in my experience, to start moving after being hit. Is Harley home? Can he poop and pee on his own? My Buddy took at least a couple of months to get going. Walking came back first, then poop, then pee.

by **Shaz** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:25 am

Hello Dianne

May I add a big thank you from me and Duchess for collecting together the information you have Posted.

You will never know how much the Links have helped us to go from a Euthanasia issue through to having a contented and well cared for Handicapped Pet. I had absolutely no idea when Duchess was first diagnosed how to cope. Now I do. I have been working through the Links and got onto PT yesterday, which has been started. Duchess will not improve, that I accept, but She will have a much better quality of Life thanks to the information you provided.

It's such a learning curve!

Thanks again.
Sharon and Duchess x

by **Dianne** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 5:59 am

Shaz,

Your post brings tears to my eyes. It's wonderful to hear that someone would find the information helpful and could use it to save a life.

The moderators on this bb are very helpful should you need additional information. I first found Handicapped Pets almost 6 years ago when my dachshund suddenly became rear leg paralyzed and a vet recommended euthanasia. Schnitzel is alive and well today because of the helpful advice and links posted above. He is 11 1/2 years old.

Thanks for posting. Wishing good health to you and Duchess.

Dianne

by **Shaz** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:08 am

Hi Dianne

Good health to you and yours too! The other Ladies here have been so helpful too, they know who they are :angel:

I must say on doing the PT and in particular the tickling in the toes etc had Duch. reacting like a firework had been placed there. I hasten to add, I was very gentle.

I love your Avater!

Take care and thank you for being there.

Sharon and Duch. x

by **minpinmom** » Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:36 pm

Hi,
I have a 11 year old Min Pin who most likely contracted Lyme's last year and wasn't treated (stupidity on my part). A year later, symptoms have returned even worse and now my dog is paralyzed. No front leg movement. Back legs have no control and toes buckle. He goes potty when we take him outside in time (he has control over his urinary/bowel movements). He can barely move his head to eat. Appetite is very good.

Tests came back somewhat positive for Lyme but not conclusive. Vet also thinks he might have had a stroke d/t the sudden onset of symptoms. Plus, he is an old dog.

It has been two weeks since he has been on strong antibiotics (doxy).

My concern is his quality of life. Will he recover? He cries occasionally - loneliness? pain? hungry? thirsty? Panting is more than usual - a sign of distress? He is also very thirsty. I move him so he's not in one position for long periods of time but when I go to work, he can't move until I come home 7 hours later. It breaks my heart to look into his eyes and he can't tell me if he's hurting. Can he recover after having the Lyme bacteria in his body for so long without treatment? Another site I visited said dogs don't recover (if the Lyme is not treated quickly) and it's cruel to keep him alive in the state that he's in now.

Any information (quickly) would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

by **Christine** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:31 am

Glad you found us. Welcome to you and your little one. I am contacting another member who has paralyzed dogs and adopted a dog with Lyme's disease who may have some information to share with you.

What is your vet saying? Panting usually means discomfort and pain, but the good appetite is encouraging. Are you sure that he is fully emptying his bladder and bowel movements are good? The fact that you ended up on this page makes me think you have been reading all the good information in the first part. Really go over the part about expressing and ask your vet to make sure his bladder is emptied.

Is he able to drink water while you are gone? Do you find that he has urinated or deficated during that 7 hours you are gone? Do you have anyone who could possibly check on him at least once during the day?

I know this is tough for you. I am wondering if working with him and doing PT might bring back some motion...this would be something to ask your vet and maybe someone with experience can answer this too. You mentioned that his neck seems to be affected so special care in moving him should also be taken until you know something, for sure.

As I am writing and brainstorming, I wonder if coon hound paralysis was considered since you said that the test for Lyme's was inconclusinve? I wish I could offer more help...just wanted to let you know that others will.