URGENT help, dog hit by car cant move back end

[lashawtae]

When I first got my pet he was 2months old he is ten months old
I haf him gor ten months now
I have been thinking about getting him a wheel chair I want him to play and run around like he use too

[Sherynr]

So can he use the bathroom like normal, does he have any internal injurys? Does he seem to be suffering any. Maybe time will heal him some I just would hate to have him suffering. But there are dogs out there that get around in a wheel chair, that was our next option if Auburn wouldnt have been able to fix our baby. How is his spirits?

[Apricot]

Hi there

Our dog Labrador Belki was hit by a car last Sunday. We rushed him to the vet and he was x-rayed. He was hit on the back end and the car ran over his feet. He was extremely fortunate in that his legs weren't broken and he doesn't have major spinal damage. The x-ray showed that he has some minor damage to his pelvis and spine but we were told it would knit together and heal in time. He is badly bruised and had some stitches on his leg and feet. One leg is more damaged than the other but he can put some weight on it. My husband has been able to pick him up yesterday and take him outside to pee. He can stand on his legs but is very wobbly. We are keeping him indoors in the warm and he is resting a lot. He eats, drinks and pees outside but hasn't been able to poo yet. I just wondered if that was normal after this kind of accident. He isn't on any pain medication. He was given three injections at the vets and spent all of Sunday asleep and had a little to drink in the evening. The fact that he is alert, wagging his tail and communicating with us is fantastic. I really thought he'd be in far worse a condition. I guess I'm just looking for a bit of support and advice re toileting for him. Belki is a great dog and all we want is for him to recover and be able to run with his brothers again. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[LoveMakesTheWorld]

Hi Apricot and welcome to the group!

Based on your description, the fact that your pooch is alert, eating, drinking and peeing are all fantastic signs and indicate healing. When my pooch was struck by a car, he could not walk the first few days, so I had to wrap a towel around his belly and hold it from the top like a sling to take him outside to do his business. It took him 3 days before he could poop, most likely because he was eating very little, was highly medicated, and could not walk on his back legs due to the impact of the hit. The individuals of this forum, whom I call my angels and helped me get through my ordeal, will chime in soon and give you much better advice on what foods to feed him to get his system moving or how to express his anal glands. For now, continue to keep him on crate rest, give him plenty of attention, and make him feel as comfortable as possible. You will get through this and your pooch will be good as new. We're are here for you, honey.

[critters]

Apricot. If he doesn't poop on his own, you might want to read the Wiki page from the incontinence board about getting critters to poop. He might need a poop softener if it goes on too long, but, chances are, LoveMakesTheWorld is right about why he's not pooping. Not using pain meds lessens the chance of constipation, but it seems to me that he'd need some for a little while... So it's been over a week since he was hit?

[Apricot]

Thanks very much for your replies. It's great to be able to share my woes!

Belki was hit by a car on Sunday, so only three days ago. He is doing a whole lot better today. We put him in the garden and helped him to stand so he could pee and he actually walked over to the wall and stood unsupported and peed on his own. We were really impressed! He is still in pain but can do short moments on all four legs before he has to lie down again. I rang the vet today and he said give it time. He said doing a poo is especially hard because he has an injured pelvis. He won't give me pain medication as he is coping without and said it would impede going to the loo. So I think it's true to say it's all about giving him time to heal. He sat out in the sun all day today and we brought him in before it got cold. He also likes being with our other dogs. We have a Siberian shepherd dog and an eight week old puppy. Of course we don't let the puppy jump on him as he is very energetic.

I will read the information about getting a dog to poo. Thanks for that. Hopefully he will try to go sometime this week. He ate his dinner again just now so God willing he'll go!

Anyway, thanks to everyone for your help. I look forward to hearing your replies.

[critters]

That all sounds promising, especially to be so early on. I had a little girl who was run over and whose pelvis was crushed pretty much beyond recognition, and there was a danger that there wasn't room enough for the colon to exit the wreckage. Just be aware...

[Apricot]

Good news! This morning we put Belki in the field opposite our house to do his business and he lay down. The next thing we knew he'd got up walked on his own to a different place and did a poo! So all his faculties are working now. He can put weight on his back legs but it's just going to take time for him to heal. He is still very wobbly but he does have some strength there. We're so happy that everything thing else is okay. He really is a lucky dog! I look forward to hearing from you guys. Thanks Critter for coming back to me. How is your dog(s)?

[critters]

That sounds GREAT!

Actually, Beauty was a cat, and she was fine for a couple of years or so. It turned out that she had a hernia in her diaphragm from being hit, though, and she didn't survive that.

[Apricot]

Hi Critters

I'm really sorry to hear about your cat. Do you have other animals too?

[critters]

No dogs at the moment, if that's what you mean, but I have a small herd of wonky cats.

[Apricot]

Today is not a good day. We were concerned because Belki is in pain and the emergency vet we took him to would not prescribe painkillers despite me ringing him and asking him. So we have just taken Belki to our regular vet and he has had another x-ray which shows he has a broken pelvis, dislocated leg and some other injury to his back end. Our vet says his condition is very serious. The other vet said he didn't have anything broken!!! We are heart-broken because he is now having surgery he should have had ten days ago. Our vet recommended a hospital he should go to but decided he would operate himself now. So we have left him having an op and feel terrible that he has suffered this long. The outcome doesn't look good and we're terrified we're going to lose him. We will know this afternoon how the surgery went. I feel so sad. Will keep you posted.

[critters]

It's terrible, but, sadly, not uncommon. My Ares saw 3 vets and had at least 2 sets of xrays before somebody noticed he has a broken shoulder blade. He's also brain damaged and a behavioral mess, so I've left him a tripod (he does use that arm as a kickstand sometimes). Here's his first book. His fan club demanded a sequel as he grew up.
http://www.amazon.com/Ares-Easy-Reader- ... uslow+ares

I know you'll be having a long day...

[Apricot]

Well unbelievably Belki is alive and well! We got a 'phone call to come into the vets at the end of the day. We fully expected him to say he couldn't do anymore for him. There was a storm like you wouldn't believe and we got soaked through just getting there! When we arrived Belki was sitting in a crate with a full length bandage on one of his legs and his pelvis had been strapped up. He had a drip feed place in one of his front legs and had one of those plastic cones over his head! He was very dopey and the vet said keep him inside, feed him by hand and bring him back tomorrow for a painkiller injection and antibiotic injection. He is doing okay and the vet saw him again this morning and he said in five days time his bandage can come off and then in about two weeks we can start to rehab him with gentle walks in the garden. I was amazed and so happy with our vet that he did so much for him. He told me today they operated for three and a half hours. Anyway, all is well and I'll keep you posted on his progress.

[critters]

Sounds VERY promising!! I know y'all are all glad to have him home, and that he's glad to be there!