The vet wants to put my dog down

[Morrison]

My dog Lucy an Australian shepherd mix was fine one day and the next morning dragging her back legs. I immediately took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with invertebre disc disease. They couldn't perform the surgery there and referred me to a different vet. It took 4 days to get her in due to the vet being out of town. He took a look at her and checked her back legs there was minimal feeling in one leg and the other nothing. He said that surgery would be less than 10% effective but he thought she had a clot and medication might help. Long story short he keeps in very little contact, calls her a boy, talks about what a nursing nightmare she is and said I should just put her down because she's been chewing on her back legs despite the collar they have been putting on her.
She went from fine one day to paralyzed the next. She's not that old and her father and two brothers are here with me and fine. I think she still has a lot of life in her and is only acting the way she is because she is in a strange place. I am willing to get her a cart and even amputate her back legs if she keeps chewing on them. I have heard there's a medication Neurontin that will stop a dog from chewing on it's legs. I think if I bring her home, take care of her and give her this medication I can get her well enough to put her in a cart. She was my mom's dog and my mother passed two years ago, I love Lucy too of course and have lost a lot of sleep trying to make a decision. I really want to try and make her well again, even if she doesn't gain use of her back legs again I'm hoping a cart will work. If anyone could please give me any advice it would be much appreciated. Thank you all.
Edit: I put this in the emergency section because I only have until the morning to decide, I don't want to leave her in that place a day longer and the vet wants to put her down. If it's that bad I will put her down so she won't suffer but if there's a chance I will do anything.

[Bobbie]

Do what you want to do. You have various options to protect her feet- Neurontin (gabapentin) often works, boots can be used, etc. Dogs that are paraplegic can live happy, healthy lives. My Candy was in a cart for more than nine years. He did not get UTIs. He only once got a pressure sore (due to nine hours at a time in the cart, after that, I got him out every few hours.) My Oliver now hikes, swims, chases his ball, etc, in his cart, he's into his fourth year in it.

There is a learning curve for you in caring for her but once you get it and the cart and other care becomes routine it doesn't take long. Is she incontinent? That makes it a bit harder but you can learn to express her and keep her cleaner that way. Females do tend to get more UTIs so you have to be careful.

Long story short- you can always choose to euthanize later if she or you or both are miserable. Odds are you are going to be fine. If you can find a rehab facility, get her going on rehab; she may get more back than you or the vet anticipates now.

[CarolC]

I agree, I'd try the Neurontin, it's been a godsend for dogs that chew. It sounds like she would do better at home than at the vet, and she needs a vet with a better attitude, dogs pick up on attitude. Also, if it is clot (fibrocartilaginous embolism, FCE), there is a strong chance of improvement. Your post made me realize and I just did a search, as far as I can tell we've never had an Australian Shepherd here with a blown disk. Many other breeds but not an aussie, it must be relatively uncommon. I do see some posts about an aussie with an FCE. I agree with Bobbie, I would bring her home and try caring for her. People here have lots of experience caring for down dogs, if you have any questions. If it is an FCE, my dog's physical therapist said 85% of dogs with FCE will recover.

[FYI]

[critters]

Gabapentin is a godsend for nerve pain. I have/have had 2 taking it, and it makes a WORLD of difference!

Frankly, I'd find another vet. Plenty of vets (I'd even call it a majority) don't want to be bothered with disabled critters, but some DO. THOSE are the vets you need to find, and you'll probably have to kiss a lot of frogs to do it. Throw the frogs back and keep going.

[Morrison]

Thank you all for your kind replys and help, Lucy is home now and just starting the medication today. She stood up on her front legs earlier something the vet said she wasn't doing. She also ate and drank water. She's not moving around much or anything, but I know the medication has a sedative effect. She was very interested in food though so I know that's a good sign!

I just hope she keeps getting better! Any suggestions on what I should be feeding her that might help speed up the road to recovery a little? Or even something to pick her spirits up a bit?

Thank you all again so much!

[critters]

Just being home should help a lot, and many critters (and humans, too) get home from the hospital exhausted.