dog suddenly almost paralysed - need help!

[troy123]

hi again I ve managed to upload 2 clips of troy. he is not usually this active, and sleeps most of his time away. I also discoura ge excessive movement.. however I think an improvement can be seen. I remember writing that he would lie o his side all day long, and with great effort turn around twice, maybe three times a day.. he never swings before getting up anymore, and does it with one go.. thought I would share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRd_tf5m ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faLeUZFo ... e=youtu.be

taken as my girl came back from work.

[critters]

Yeah, it's common, in my experience, for them to get testy about expressing as they get better. Early on, they don't usually have enough strength or control to mount such a physical protest. Buddy would tighten his belly muscles so I couldn't express him.

[troy123]

Yeah, it's common, in my experience, for them to get testy about expressing as they get better. Early on, they don't usually have enough strength or control to mount such a physical protest. Buddy would tighten his belly muscles so I couldn't express him.

thanks, he s being fine when it comes to urinate.. at times even stretches as if in a yawn, or I get to feel he almost takes position to make my job easier.
its the bowel movement that s really hard to help him with when I m alone with him. and if I don't help him he gets real jumpy, keeps turning around///

thanks for your post

[CarolC]

Look at him wag his tail and shake his head! Woohoo!!!!!
Amazing! He is doing so good!!! He sure looks happy. That is excellent!

I was thinking about your situation with the ramp, but am unsure what is best. If you don't have room to put a long ramp, I wondered how adding another step would work. Like if the step in your house is 8" high, you add another one that is only 4" high or something? That way he only steps down 4" instead of 8". One problem is, that might be hard for a human to walk on. I never like a step down that isn't the normal height, it kind of throws you off...but maybe you get used to it. I guess it's too soon to know how well he will be able to lift his front feet when he begins walking. Probably your idea of a short ramp with more of an incline is better. The only thing I am trying to picture is whether that would cause any problem with him turning his foot under when he goes down, and I have no idea. One thing that may not be obvious on the ramp outside our back door is, the top of the ramp is not level with the doorway. There is actually a small step down from the doorway to the ramp. (It was just made that way, don't know why, don't think it was on purpose.) So for example, if he can step up 2" without tripping, and down 2" without jarring his neck, then maybe you could have the ramp not come up all the way to the next level. That would mean a less steep incline, but a small step for him to take, but it might work...?

[troy123]

hi carol. thanks again for your post. I apologise if I could not find the time to post updates these past four days. my girl left today. and I had been fighting against time, trying to get as much work done as I could before shutting down for the Christmas period.

little by little, taking care of troy has become a routine.

what you say about the ramp makes sense. basically, if he gets better, he may have to go up an approximately 3.5 inch step to the kitchen, and then a 6 inch one leading to the corridor and yard. upstairs will be closed for him, and so another room downstairs which has another 6 inch step leading to it.
I am not sure if the 3.5 inch one is shallow enough for him to take without a ramp, but being in an easy enough to accommodate area, I will build him one anyway.
i am still trying to figure out the best way to go on about the 6 inch ramp. space for it is limited, and it also comes in an 'L' shape, as he enters the kitchen, it is on his right. trying to make sure that, if the steps ,- no matter how shallow - will protrude he will not try, or find it more practical to climb from the side of them. i think your idea is the best so far, but will also check if i could make a long, curved ramp instead. it will not be easy to and a not sure if it would work though.. it would have to start going steep and upwards from the first entrance, and then curve to the right... but the width will be very little..

as i find myself getting used to taking care of him, also troy having less pain, and seemingly move around with more ease (although he still cant walk or stand up well)..
i realize that there are other issues that i may have neglected, back then not seeing them as a priority.

starting with the good news. i still have to collect the blood test, but the vet told me on the phone that his liver was getting better, and showing improvement. he s been taking 3 'cynepathic chiens' pills every day, this past month or so. and that was his only issue since i took his first test.

a thing that i have noticed from the first day that troy was adopted was the state of his teeth. i am attaching a photo, and wonder if they may hurt, or if i could do anything about them. i realize how careless it is easy to be, i have been countless times to the vet, but always keeping everything focused spine / neck / ears (he had innumerable warts closing his ear canal, and was going to be operated before all this happened - they look better now, since i m treating them, and do not bother him. so i have put that worry aside till he gets better)...
as regards his teeth - they are brown / blackened towards the top, and at times the gum looks reddish where it meets the tooth, as if it s bleeding. we never brought this up with the vet, and I feel guity for that. as things are, i am not leaving troy alone, and neither moving him back in the car or driving him anywhere unless it s urgent. however i will see if i can get another house call anytime soon, and have a vet look at this.

another thing that i have noticed, for around the past week or so, that he has been getting small roundish pimples, leaving a little hairless spot... maybe 3 to 5 mm in diameter. at first i dismissed them as a couple of pimples perhaps brought about by stress or some medication that he was on. however a now suspecting that he may now have ringworm. i am attaching some photos. i does not see to bother him, and although he may have a good dozen spots by now, they are very hard to notice. however i have read that it may be pretty persistent, and would ideally take care of it before it gets worse.

the vet has prescribed a medicated shampoo, however told me not to wash troy, just to rinse affected areas with a damp warm cloth. but by the time i got home i realize that my girl had arranged with the homeopathic healer to get something else, and told her not to use any other remedy with it. which i m still waiting for..
i have also heard that apple cider vinegar and rock salt may help, still looking this up though)
i think i would prefer to use the shampoo, and perhaps rock salt solution, or apple cider vinegar every so often.

having unloaded all the not so good news.. ust end by saying that overall, he definitely seems to be doing better. it is still very hard to say where this will go, as he is still not walking after a month. today he was playing - is turning around with a lot more ease, but mainly seeping the day off.. which i think is ok.

i am not letting the physiotherapist work on him yet (and she agrees to that, although still believes that he should work his good limbs without stressing, or challenging his pain zone). however (and i think you will frown on me for doing so ) I am still in regular correspondence with her. she is only allowed to pet and cuddle him, and i have made it crystal clear that i want him to rest, not move - but i find that it is healthy to talk to her, and stay in touch. i have shown her video clips of troy moving, the youtube clips.. the photos and links of the wrist supports, the different harnesses that may come in handy.. and she suggested which ones may soon be useful for him.
since everytime troy gets up, it is his back legs that support him best, and his front right paw the one giving in, she suggested that there is also a chance that this may not necessarily be a disc problem, that a disc may shrink but not necessarily rupture. apparently can only know for sure by doing an MRI, but i was told that usually a disc issue would weaken the hind legs considerably a lot more. contrastingly his weakest spot is his front ones, mainly the right one. (does this make sense?)

so a month or more later, i realize that i m still guessing. i do not take anything as fact but feel it is good for me to keep an open mind to all possibilities, and act accordingly.. I wish someone could just test, and tell me for sure - this is what troy has, these are his chances, or this is where you have to go, and what to do to get him tested. instead, at times I feel there are too many assumptions.. to many ifs / perhaps..

the physio suggested that he may have fibro cartiligenous embolism (which Bobbie had already mentioned in our first posts). I had looked up but neglected that idea after talking to my vet and the x rays, but am now open to it once again..

basically this is it so far... i am still reading, looking up information. i have two weeks to spend with troy, and am only leaving the house if i manage to get someone to stay with him, not for long periods of time, since it takes getting used to his needs...

i wished to update you, and to thank you again for all the help. not only you, but also bobbie and critters - the slightest if insights is a great help to me. i look forward to hear from you. am also attaching the photos i took, showing his teeth, and what I suspect may be ringworm,. i hope they come out clear enough.

once again, thank you for everything, and wish you a good weekend.

[CarolC]

hi carol. thanks again for your post. I apologise if I could not find the time to post updates these past four days. my girl left today. and I had been fighting against time, trying to get as much work done as I could before shutting down for the Christmas period.

little by little, taking care of troy has become a routine.

what you say about the ramp makes sense. basically, if he gets better, he may have to go up an approximately 3.5 inch step to the kitchen, and then a 6 inch one leading to the corridor and yard. upstairs will be closed for him, and so another room downstairs which has another 6 inch step leading to it.
I am not sure if the 3.5 inch one is shallow enough for him to take without a ramp, but being in an easy enough to accommodate area, I will build him one anyway.
i am still trying to figure out the best way to go on about the 6 inch ramp. space for it is limited, and it also comes in an 'L' shape, as he enters the kitchen, it is on his right. trying to make sure that, if the steps ,- no matter how shallow - will protrude he will not try, or find it more practical to climb from the side of them. i think your idea is the best so far, but will also check if i could make a long, curved ramp instead. it will not be easy to and a not sure if it would work though.. it would have to start going steep and upwards from the first entrance, and then curve to the right... but the width will be very little..

as i find myself getting used to taking care of him, also troy having less pain, and seemingly move around with more ease (although he still cant walk or stand up well)..
i realize that there are other issues that i may have neglected, back then not seeing them as a priority.

starting with the good news. i still have to collect the blood test, but the vet told me on the phone that his liver was getting better, and showing improvement. he s been taking 3 'cynepathic chiens' pills every day, this past month or so. and that was his only issue since i took his first test.

You've mentioned several homeopathic remedies, and I never comment because I have not used them. I am glad his liver is doing well.

a thing that i have noticed from the first day that troy was adopted was the state of his teeth. i am attaching a photo, and wonder if they may hurt, or if i could do anything about them. i realize how careless it is easy to be, i have been countless times to the vet, but always keeping everything focused spine / neck / ears (he had innumerable warts closing his ear canal, and was going to be operated before all this happened - they look better now, since i m treating them, and do not bother him. so i have put that worry aside till he gets better)...
as regards his teeth - they are brown / blackened towards the top, and at times the gum looks reddish where it meets the tooth, as if it s bleeding. we never brought this up with the vet, and I feel guity for that. as things are, i am not leaving troy alone, and neither moving him back in the car or driving him anywhere unless it s urgent. however i will see if i can get another house call anytime soon, and have a vet look at this.

I agree with your approach (of waiting) on the teeth, and you should not feel bad, I think you are making the right choice. As long as he is eating, I would try not to worry about them. You just can't afford to make it a priority right now. You are doing something much more important. It looks like he has some tartar that is irritating his gumline, like so many dogs, and has probably had it for several years, if not longer. It would be nice if he could have it scaled, but I don't see how he can have a dental cleaning anytime soon. That would involve manipulation of his head/neck/jaw. Perhaps you can get him some tartar control dog biscuits to help keep it at bay...but I am so cautious about his neck, I would not even want to give him anything that is too overly strenuous to chew. If it was my dog, I would not even have them examined right now. Because it is going to make him move his head or strain away from the vet handling him and opening his mouth, and what can be done anyway? Are you willing to put him under anaesthesia right now and have them cleaned, considering what that would do to his neck? I don't think so...

another thing that i have noticed, for around the past week or so, that he has been getting small roundish pimples, leaving a little hairless spot... maybe 3 to 5 mm in diameter. at first i dismissed them as a couple of pimples perhaps brought about by stress or some medication that he was on. however a now suspecting that he may now have ringworm. i am attaching some photos. i does not see to bother him, and although he may have a good dozen spots by now, they are very hard to notice. however i have read that it may be pretty persistent, and would ideally take care of it before it gets worse.

the vet has prescribed a medicated shampoo, however told me not to wash troy, just to rinse affected areas with a damp warm cloth. but by the time i got home i realize that my girl had arranged with the homeopathic healer to get something else, and told her not to use any other remedy with it. which i m still waiting for..
i have also heard that apple cider vinegar and rock salt may help, still looking this up though)
i think i would prefer to use the shampoo, and perhaps rock salt solution, or apple cider vinegar every so often.

It is hard to tell from the pictures, but the spots don't look very red? My experience with ringworm is it is always red and wet and oozy. You might try shining a black light on his spots. About half the time, ringworm will show up under a black light, but half the time it does not. I don't know about pet stores where you live, but here they sell black lights in pet stores next to urine stain carpet cleaners. That's because a black light can help you find urine spots on the carpet you could not see otherwise. A small black light is inexpensive, the bigger ones are medium expensive.

having unloaded all the not so good news.. ust end by saying that overall, he definitely seems to be doing better. it is still very hard to say where this will go, as he is still not walking after a month. today he was playing - is turning around with a lot more ease, but mainly seeping the day off.. which i think is ok.

i am not letting the physiotherapist work on him yet (and she agrees to that, although still believes that he should work his good limbs without stressing, or challenging his pain zone). however (and i think you will frown on me for doing so ) I am still in regular correspondence with her. she is only allowed to pet and cuddle him, and i have made it crystal clear that i want him to rest, not move - but i find that it is healthy to talk to her, and stay in touch. i have shown her video clips of troy moving, the youtube clips.. the photos and links of the wrist supports, the different harnesses that may come in handy.. and she suggested which ones may soon be useful for him.
since everytime troy gets up, it is his back legs that support him best, and his front right paw the one giving in, she suggested that there is also a chance that this may not necessarily be a disc problem, that a disc may shrink but not necessarily rupture. apparently can only know for sure by doing an MRI, but i was told that usually a disc issue would weaken the hind legs considerably a lot more. contrastingly his weakest spot is his front ones, mainly the right one. (does this make sense?)

Usually, yes, but not always. Cervical disks can present exactly like you are seeing. (Highlighting added)

One of the cardinal signs of cervical disk disease is neck pain. Dogs display this pain by tightened neck muscles, reluctance to move the neck, inability to lower the head to eat or drink, and painful cries when the neck is manipulated or touched. Their posture reminds you of a turtle with its head partially pulled into its shell. They may also walk with the back in an arched position to try to straighten and lower the neck to avoid pain. Unfortunately this posture is often misinterpreted as a sign of back pain. Probably all three types of pain (diskogenic, meningeal and radicular) are involved. Nagging neck pain that responds to appropriate medications and then recurs when medications are withdrawn is a very typical history. Large quantities of herniated disk material can lie on the floor of the spinal canal without proprioceptive or motor deficits ever being observed because there simply isn't enough pressure on the spinal cord. However the irritation causing the pain remains and surgical removal of the herniated material is the only solution. If enough disk material herniates, ataxia and perhaps motor deficits may be seen. Classically all four limbs will be affect but this can be highly variable. If disk material herniates mainly to one side, only the limbs on that side of the body may be affected. Low cervical disk herniations may cause only forelimb or only hind limb involvement. Luckily there is seldom enough pressure on the spinal cord in cervical disk herniation to cause a loss of deep pain sensation.

so a month or more later, i realize that i m still guessing. i do not take anything as fact but feel it is good for me to keep an open mind to all possibilities, and act accordingly.. I wish someone could just test, and tell me for sure - this is what troy has, these are his chances, or this is where you have to go, and what to do to get him tested. instead, at times I feel there are too many assumptions.. to many ifs / perhaps..

True, but what can you do. You seem to be getting there by observation and logic and intuition. This is where he is fortunate, because a lot of his benefit is coming from having someone just really focus on him and pay attention and notice things and figure things out. I feel strongly about that.

the physio suggested that he may have fibro cartiligenous embolism (which Bobbie had already mentioned in our first posts). I had looked up but neglected that idea after talking to my vet and the x rays, but am now open to it once again..

At this point I would rule out FCE and feel safe in doing so. Yes, FCE might have been something to consider in the beginning, I agree. But the thing about FCE is, sometimes it doesn't hurt at all, and in the cases where it does, the pain does not last long. Certainly, with FCE the pain does not return when the dog "moves wrong" a couple of weeks later.

Although an FCE may be painful initially, it is not usually a painful disease after the first few hours.

basically this is it so far... i am still reading, looking up information. i have two weeks to spend with troy, and am only leaving the house if i manage to get someone to stay with him, not for long periods of time, since it takes getting used to his needs...

Well, the attentive care is paying off. Recently you mentioned making a sort of enclosure for him, to keep him on the bed while you go out and do errands. That sounded like a good idea, because it seems like you do need to get out somtimes. I suppose he might sleep while you were gone? I totally and completely know how it is to feel tied to a pet. That is something that occurs with us as caregivers. But at the same time, you have to take care of "you", too. You could compare it to the instructions they give you on an airplane: put the oxygen mask on yourself first, then on your child. You have to use your own judgment, you know the situation best, but it is good for you to get out a little. I hate to think of you staying in the house for 2 weeks all through the holiday, and to feel you can't go out without a sitter. I hope you will go out to eat, or go do whatever activities you enjoy. Go running, swim, see a movie, walk on the beach, take a look at the latest in laptops or cameras, something that will refresh you and give you energy to keep going. If you are worried, perhaps you could time it. Go for 90 minutes, or an hour and 15 minutes. The thing that I found helped me the most was to go out to eat, because during those 30 or 45 minutes, someone else was "waiting on me". That helped, because all the rest of the day every day, I was "waiting on" someone else. I was waiting on people at work, and on pets at home, especially when my big dog was down. So I really encourage you to go out and find a way to have someone else wait on you, even just for a short while. It may be as simple as sitting in a cafe and eating a sweet roll, and letting the waitress refill your cup of coffee two or three times. It's such a morale booster. You deserve it! If anybody deserves it, you do.

i wished to update you, and to thank you again for all the help. not only you, but also bobbie and critters - the slightest if insights is a great help to me. i look forward to hear from you. am also attaching the photos i took, showing his teeth, and what I suspect may be ringworm,. i hope they come out clear enough.

once again, thank you for everything, and wish you a good weekend.

[critters]

When we had RW, the rings were red and sometimes raised. You could try an OTC antifungal cream and see what happens. Our rings weren't that small. It also wouldn't hurt to use bleach where you can on bedding, etc. to kill any potential spores.

[troy123]

[quote="CarolC"][quote="troy123"]

You've mentioned several homeopathic remedies, and I never comment because I have not used them. I am glad his liver is doing well.
thanks


I agree with your approach (of waiting) on the teeth, and you should not feel bad, I think you are making the right choice. As long as he is eating, I would try not to worry about them. You just can't afford to make it a priority right now. You are doing something much more important. It looks like he has some tartar that is irritating his gumline, like so many dogs, and has probably had it for several years, if not longer. It would be nice if he could have it scaled, but I don't see how he can have a dental cleaning anytime soon. That would involve manipulation of his head/neck/jaw. Perhaps you can get him some tartar control dog biscuits to help keep it at bay...but I am so cautious about his neck, I would not even want to give him anything that is too overly strenuous to chew. If it was my dog, I would not even have them examined right now. Because it is going to make him move his head or strain away from the vet handling him and opening his mouth, and what can be done anyway? Are you willing to put him under anaesthesia right now and have them cleaned, considering what that would do to his neck? I don't think so...o

yeah, I don't wish to have him chewing as yet. I think that what his teeth have took long years to develop, and can afford to wait a couple more months before being taken care of. same with his ears - I am keeping them clean with regular drops, but am not going to interfere much with them for the moment.


It is hard to tell from the pictures, but the spots don't look very red? My experience with ringworm is it is always red and wet and oozy. You might try shining a black light on his spots. About half the time, ringworm will show up under a black light, but half the time it does not. I don't know about pet stores where you live, but here they sell black lights in pet stores next to urine stain carpet cleaners. That's because a black light can help you find urine spots on the carpet you could not see otherwise. A small black light is inexpensive, the bigger ones are medium expensive.

when you say ringworm will show up under a blacklight... do you mean that, the fungus will show on the hair, where otherwise I would not see it? I ask because sometimes, in places, I have to move the hair aside to see whats underneath. in fewer places, the hair is gone. it is not very red, or does it seem to ooze a lot. forms a hairless 5m circle on his coat.


Usually, yes, but not always. Cervical disks can present exactly like you are seeing. (Highlighting added)

after seeing your link, I am inclined to agree. he is in a lot less pain than three or four weeks ago, but it is still there.

Large quantities of herniated disk material can lie on the floor of the spinal canal without proprioceptive or motor deficits ever being observed because there simply isn't enough pressure on the spinal cord. However the irritation causing the pain remains and surgical removal of the herniated material is the only solution.

doesn't the body absorb the ruptured disc fragments in time? I think it s called resorption. i ask because I am relying on this, and also the fact that a disc may take up to 8 weeks to heal itself (I know it doesn't actually heal,, but a form of cushioning of the vertebrae is created again (?). or can troy remain in permanent acute pain if he moves in certain postures which are no longer good for him to?


Well, the attentive care is paying off. Recently you mentioned making a sort of enclosure for him, to keep him on the bed while you go out and do errands. That sounded like a good idea, because it seems like you do need to get out somtimes. I suppose he might sleep while you were gone? I totally and completely know how it is to feel tied to a pet. That is something that occurs with us as caregivers. But at the same time, you have to take care of "you", too. You could compare it to the instructions they give you on an airplane: put the oxygen mask on yourself first, then on your child. You have to use your own judgment, you know the situation best, but it is good for you to get out a little. I hate to think of you staying in the house for 2 weeks all through the holiday, and to feel you can't go out without a sitter. I hope you will go out to eat, or go do whatever activities you enjoy. Go running, swim, see a movie, walk on the beach, take a look at the latest in laptops or cameras, something that will refresh you and give you energy to keep going. If you are worried, perhaps you could time it. Go for 90 minutes, or an hour and 15 minutes. The thing that I found helped me the most was to go out to eat, because during those 30 or 45 minutes, someone else was "waiting on me". That helped, because all the rest of the day every day, I was "waiting on" someone else. I was waiting on people at work, and on pets at home, especially when my big dog was down. So I really encourage you to go out and find a way to have someone else wait on you, even just for a short while. It may be as simple as sitting in a cafe and eating a sweet roll, and letting the waitress refill your cup of coffee two or three times. It's such a morale booster. You deserve it! If anybody deserves it, you do.

i leave him alone as i walk the other two dogs. today my girl watched him on Skype, and was ready to call for me to come running back should anything go wrong. i guess that it is easy to be over protective in such cases. my fear is that, since there is an element of frustration, always wanting to come out with the other two, he might try follow, or walk to the door. since the mattress is around 6 inches high, i worry a bit that he may stumble on something, get himself hurt. however he has not hurt himself moving, and i guess that this thought has remained in my head as weeks passed. maybe it is no longer practical to think this way though, and i need to be a bit more trusting. i think when improvement is uncertain, and when it comes extremely slowly and with a lot of hard work - one becomes very cautious.. perhaps more than is needed. i also think that, although he may whine a bit at first, he will probably just sleep it off.

i am still working on the enclosure.. but need to buy some more material tomorrow morning . again, the ironmonger is only a minute s walk away.

he is looking better, but at times truly bored. today he enjoyed barking, and intimidating some passers by, who could hear walking behind the door, in the street. as if he was proud to do what the other dogs were doing. i m putting links to 2 videos. one of him playing (with an annoying mobile ringing in the background:P bad timing)
the other of him looking extremely bored and frustrated. i m often tempted to try and see if i can slide his mattress, move him to the garden or something. but there are steps and obstructions in the way, and i think that he will have to deal with the boredom. as long as he s getting better, and not in pain... i think it s a fair price to pay, and i hope that he s getting his life back in the process. if I could do something would be happy to, but not at the cost of risking what he has gained these past weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IldBdTT ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KLMqLobFvY

[troy123]

When we had RW, the rings were red and sometimes raised. You could try an OTC antifungal cream and see what happens. Our rings weren't that small. It also wouldn't hurt to use bleach where you can on bedding, etc. to kill any potential spores.

thanks critters. it still does not look as bad, and I am not sure if the worse is yet to come out, or whether I am panicking over nothing. it does not see to bother him, and I have also read that there a re different kinds of ringworm.. some more aggressive than others. maybe he has a mild form of it, or perhaps it is not even ringworm. we only noticed it after the vet came on a house call, and I will have to wait for another one since I do not wish to take troy out as yet. however I think it s wise to treat anyway, and it wont harm doing so.

I will try get the cream fro a pet pharmacy. thanks for bringing it up.
I just hope that it will not get worse,

will keep you posted on any improvement, and thanks again for your help.

[CarolC]

when you say ringworm will show up under a blacklight... do you mean that, the fungus will show on the hair, where otherwise I would not see it? I ask because sometimes, in places, I have to move the hair aside to see whats underneath. in fewer places, the hair is gone. it is not very red, or does it seem to ooze a lot. forms a hairless 5m circle on his coat.

Yes, it would show as a green glow. But apparently only half the cases will glow, sometimes it does not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOqCIlrRSuk
If it is ringworm then you could possibly catch it, too. I still don't think it sounds like ringworm from the description or photos. Wrong color, but I'm not a vet. The housecall vet could probably do a skin scraping for you and check further.

he is in a lot less pain than three or four weeks ago, but it is still there.

I'm glad he's more comfortable. If you go the full time, that would be going till mid-January to see how much better he can get. There was a cervical dog here named Dukie who was on a low dose steroid for a number of months, I believe.

doesn't the body absorb the ruptured disc fragments in time? I think it s called resorption. i ask because I am relying on this, and also the fact that a disc may take up to 8 weeks to heal itself (I know it doesn't actually heal,, but a form of cushioning of the vertebrae is created again (?). or can troy remain in permanent acute pain if he moves in certain postures which are no longer good for him to?

Yes, it is supposed to heal and seal closed. I am not sure anything actually ruptured out of it, it may just have been bulging. The best article I have seen recently on this is the one quoted earlier. If you have time, you might want to review the whole thing again, it's really excellent. My understanding is, if after you do proper crate rest he continues to have more pain than you consider acceptable, then you would consider surgery. However, if you read the article, it gives more information on how useful surgery is, in different cases. This is an article you can go back to again and again.

http://vetspecialistsofrochester.com/pd ... InDogs.pdf

i leave him alone as i walk the other two dogs. today my girl watched him on Skype, and was ready to call for me to come running back should anything go wrong. i guess that it is easy to be over protective in such cases. my fear is that, since there is an element of frustration, always wanting to come out with the other two, he might try follow, or walk to the door. since the mattress is around 6 inches high, i worry a bit that he may stumble on something, get himself hurt. however he has not hurt himself moving, and i guess that this thought has remained in my head as weeks passed. maybe it is no longer practical to think this way though, and i need to be a bit more trusting. i think when improvement is uncertain, and when it comes extremely slowly and with a lot of hard work - one becomes very cautious.. perhaps more than is needed. i also think that, although he may whine a bit at first, he will probably just sleep it off.

i am still working on the enclosure.. but need to buy some more material tomorrow morning . again, the ironmonger is only a minute s walk away.

That is such a great idea about the Skype.

i think that he will have to deal with the boredom. as long as he s getting better, and not in pain... i think it s a fair price to pay, and i hope that he s getting his life back in the process. if I could do something would be happy to, but not at the cost of risking what he has gained these past weeks.

I totally agree. A couple of months of boredom is a small price to pay for a lifetime of walking. You will always know you gave him the best chance. And even if he is bored, he still seems pretty happy.

By the way, this new post by Jarvis mentions expressing a large dog lying down into a peanut jar. It includes a link so you can see what the peanut jar looks like.

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=18249#p94147

[troy123]

so it s Christmas eve, early morning, and I m ready to do some more work on troy s enclosure. not sure how it s gonna turn out as yet. I have a crate upstairs, but this may give him a little bit or space, being the size of a single bed mattress - which is what I m building it around.

I'm glad he's more comfortable. If you go the full time, that would be going till mid-January to see how much better he can get. There was a cervical dog here named Dukie who was on a low dose steroid for a number of months, I believe.

yes, we are giving him till th 15th of January, perhaps even till February before we try and get him walk again. i know that it takes 6-8 weeks for the healing process, perhaps even longer than that for the nerves (knuckling etc). however those weeks may be too little, considering that this is a place that sees a lot of movement, being the neck region. and i also know that giving him more time may avoid a relapse, once the healing is done. I have an almost finished wheel chair which I have built for him.. but thought it could wait. I wish to see that he is pain free before I lift / move etc. he does not see to get hurt when I lift him from the rib cage, right under his front legs. and I found this out, to my surprise, when I lifted him into the car as we went for the x rays, weeks back. he is moving his neck around a lot more that he used to. however I know that he is still not there yet, and a big part of me does not even wish to 'make him walk', as i believe that he wil do so on his own when the time comes.
I have halved the painkiller, as a daily dose. his liver is improving, as seen from the second blood test, but still.. he looks fine enough with half the dose.

Yes, it is supposed to heal and seal closed. I am not sure anything actually ruptured out of it, it may just have been bulging. The best article I have seen recently on this is the one quoted earlier. If you have time, you might want to review the whole thing again, it's really excellent. My understanding is, if after you do proper crate rest he continues to have more pain than you consider acceptable, then you would consider surgery. However, if you read the article, it gives more information on how useful surgery is, in different cases. This is an article you can go back to again and again.

http://vetspecialistsofrochester.com/pd ... InDogs.pdf

I will read that again, so is there a possibility that the disc may have just bulged out, as in ..a slip disc, rather than ruptured? also, would the x ray vertebrae spacing be just as thin, even if it s a bulge? (apologies if I come with too many questions)



I totally agree. A couple of months of boredom is a small price to pay for a lifetime of walking. You will always know you gave him the best chance. And even if he is bored, he still seems pretty happy.

yes he is happy, we play, he s got two other dogs to keep him company. he s just dying to go out again, whenever the door opens etc..

By the way, this new post by Jarvis mentions expressing a large dog lying down into a peanut jar. It includes a link so you can see what the peanut jar looks like.

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=18249#p94147[/quote]

I will check that link out too. however am pretty fine for now doing this, even by myself. never a mess, so far (anymore).
I m using a flat container, something that is wide enough to catch everything in without being messy. as I press with my palms, I can usually arrange it with the middle part of my right forearm (top one as he lies down), to keep it level and prevent spilling. I keep a larger ice cream container near in case I need to empty the smaller one, and a pad underneath. this would only take e a second to do, and would only cause a small drop or two on the pad till the change. however since I am expressing him more often ( 3 times daily), most times, the smaller container by itself is fine.

once again, thank you for everything. I really hope to walk troy again someday. we have only had him for around 2 weeks when all this happened. I feel that he has never, or at least in years... lived a proper, happy life. his nails were curled under his paws, showing that he was rarely walked.. and i remember he was so extremely happy to go to nice places etc... i would love to have him do that again.

someday...

[critters]

You shouldn't need to get an antifungal from a critter pharmacy; the human stuff works just fine!

I think building an enclosure around a mattress is a GREAT idea!

[troy123]

You shouldn't need to get an antifungal from a critter pharmacy; the human stuff works just fine!

I think building an enclosure around a mattress is a GREAT idea!

yes, in fact I have asked about it at the pet pharmacy, and I was prescribed 3 antifungals ( I don't remember the name), but the girl told me I could buy from a normal pharmacy.
I gave him the homeopathic stuff, so far. was also advised not to use any other remedy with this. I don't know why, as it was my girl present when she spoke to the homeopath. however I m giving it a shot..
I have seen no difference, but it doesn't look bad, and hasn't been growing since I first wrote about it.. if it gets worse I will buy him the cream. as is, I think it is not something to worry about, just to keep an eye on.

today I was working on the enclosure. had a break to eat, and as soon as he sniffed my food, troy started moaning, and literally got up and walked / hopped, knuckled towards me. he came off his mattress, over the other dog s cushions, onto the floor. I freaked out, but he looked completely fine. I threw some meat back on his mattress... and hop.. back he went.

he s getting spoilt, more than I like to spoil my dogs. but I understand his frustration, his having been confined on a cushion since id November.. I understand that he may get more easily excited than the other two, when food is around. its one of the few distractions, fun things to do for him. and I m actually trying to make him lose weight...
I feel I have to close an eye and humor him when I see that he s interested in something that may keep him busy, occupied, entertained. if the other two moan, beg and come running at my food, I would probably tell them off, till I m finished... hope I m not spoiling him silly..

he s definitely getting better, and I m a bit worried that he may hurt himself, as he just plunges forward to go here and there ... hops, jumps... seems to be adapting to getting around on three paws and a knuckle without minding. however, still getting used to this, sometimes he falls on his side... and I m even worried that he may get hurt hitting his neck, even against the enclosure, as this happens. there is one particular piece of wood that I may have to do something about (check the photo of the open cage). however, I still think his chances of getting hurt would be wider without the enclosure. so I m gonna go with this.

I was working real easy, good work... nice and steady. but when I saw him get out, I rushed it a bit, and finished everything off within a half hour. because I know that I will soon have to walk the other dogs. as is, it should be fine for now. but I have to get back to this when I have time. make the work better.

as things are, realizing how fast he is getting better, and how easily and without effort he can move around, off his mattress... I think I need to be able to confine him. especially since he s still so wobbly, clumsy, and off balance. and he doesn't seem to care about this, or be aware of the dangers of falling and hitting his neck.

hope things keep getting better... soon I will see if I can use a splint on his wrist, maybe it will help him walk. as things are, I don't want him to.. he is too enthusiastic, and still so fragile, in my opinion. three more weeks...

[CarolC]

That is exciting that he is walking. I agree he needs to rest, but it is great that maybe you won't have to "get" him walking, he will just do it. It is super progress for him to need an enclosure!

I am attaching 2 pictures. One is just putting diagonal braces in the corners instead the the center support you are concerned about. Hopefully since the plastic net is pretty visible, just seeing it will keep him back.

The other pictures is a 4" galvanized corner brace. That would be nice because I always have trouble making diagonal cuts even with a miter box, and then nailing diagonals is awkward, too.

[troy123]

hi carol, thanks. as I read this I m smiling, because the enclosure already has one diagonal support which I did yesterday. it s a good idea and works great. I have removed the central piece of wood. this morning was going to work on the left support. I ve also added support from the top. so far two pieces of wood going from the front to the back, against the wall. at night rocco, my bigger dog keeps sleeping in the enclosure, next to troy, as I think he finds the mattress real comfortable. this way perhaps troy doesn't feel like he s locked in, or confined... but maybe stoked to have it as his..

we re still getting up, troy woke up playing... he often does, and I wonder if it s like... forgetting where you are, then opening up your eyes and seeing a different life to what you were used to.. and being happy about it..

thanks again, have a good day.