I took her back to the neurologist for a follow up visit and he recommended continuing the physical therapy and said that some dogs don't show improvement for up to a year. He couldn't really say why it appeared she was getting weaker as with FCE usually the worst they will get is evident within the first 24-48 hours. This whole ordeal has left me heartbroken but I try to keep my spirits up for her. Ella is still happy, loves to eat and her gentle spirit remains the same so it never even crossed my mind to put her to sleep. I am committed to caring for her for as long as she wants to keep going. When she first got her wheelchair, she was pee and poop from it just fine however, currently she seems to have lost some bowel control and has moments of incontinence. The vet has her on a low dose of Prednizone which I know increases thirst/urination but I can't explain the loss of bowel control. I really don't want to diaper her so I just try to keep her clean and dry as much as possible. I feel as though my life has been put on hold in order to care for her and at times feel completely overwhelmed/saddened by her condition. I decided to join this group for some support and to share similar experiences. I've had Ella since she was 7 weeks old and she's now 11, I love her to pieces and am hoping/praying she will show some progress....My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
About a month ago, I came home from work to find my precious pitbull coming to greet me with her backlegs/end dragging. I took her to the ER..after a catscan and myleogram, she was diagnosed with an FCE. I was advised to start intense physical therapy which I did but she really wasn't showing any progress. I then ordered her a custom wheelchair, she is 65 lbs and the wheelchiar has really helped with getting her around. After a few weeks of physical therapy, I was told it seemed her legs/hips were getting weaker I took her back to the neurologist for a follow up visit and he recommended continuing the physical therapy and said that some dogs don't show improvement for up to a year. He couldn't really say why it appeared she was getting weaker as with FCE usually the worst they will get is evident within the first 24-48 hours. This whole ordeal has left me heartbroken but I try to keep my spirits up for her. Ella is still happy, loves to eat and her gentle spirit remains the same so it never even crossed my mind to put her to sleep. I am committed to caring for her for as long as she wants to keep going. When she first got her wheelchair, she was pee and poop from it just fine however, currently she seems to have lost some bowel control and has moments of incontinence. The vet has her on a low dose of Prednizone which I know increases thirst/urination but I can't explain the loss of bowel control. I really don't want to diaper her so I just try to keep her clean and dry as much as possible. I feel as though my life has been put on hold in order to care for her and at times feel completely overwhelmed/saddened by her condition. I decided to join this group for some support and to share similar experiences. I've had Ella since she was 7 weeks old and she's now 11, I love her to pieces and am hoping/praying she will show some progress....
I took her back to the neurologist for a follow up visit and he recommended continuing the physical therapy and said that some dogs don't show improvement for up to a year. He couldn't really say why it appeared she was getting weaker as with FCE usually the worst they will get is evident within the first 24-48 hours. This whole ordeal has left me heartbroken but I try to keep my spirits up for her. Ella is still happy, loves to eat and her gentle spirit remains the same so it never even crossed my mind to put her to sleep. I am committed to caring for her for as long as she wants to keep going. When she first got her wheelchair, she was pee and poop from it just fine however, currently she seems to have lost some bowel control and has moments of incontinence. The vet has her on a low dose of Prednizone which I know increases thirst/urination but I can't explain the loss of bowel control. I really don't want to diaper her so I just try to keep her clean and dry as much as possible. I feel as though my life has been put on hold in order to care for her and at times feel completely overwhelmed/saddened by her condition. I decided to join this group for some support and to share similar experiences. I've had Ella since she was 7 weeks old and she's now 11, I love her to pieces and am hoping/praying she will show some progress....Samantha
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
Hi LuvElla,
I had a down dog that size so I have an idea of what your daily life is like now. Hopefully it is only temporary. I'm glad you got the cart!
I have heard the same thing, that all the damage that was going to be done occurred in the first day or two after the FCE and that the neurological status should not get any worse but only improve. My dog's physical therapist said 85% of dogs with FCE will improve, the lowest I've ever heard is 69%, improvement is the norm. It does not really surprise me if she is weaker now than a couple of weeks ago. Even aggressive PT is not going to equal the amount of exercise a dog gets during ordinary activity every day, running around the yard, up and down stairs, etc. It's not surprising if she's lost some muscle mass, but it is "only" muscle, it will build back up again when her neurological status improves. I'm not sure about the incontinence, but predisone can affect the GI tract and they often recommend giving a stomach protectant like Pepcid a/c with steroids. I don't know if that would help the bowel situation. Now that you are a month after the FCE, have you had her urine checked? You said she could potty on her own, but it is still possible she may not have been emptying completely for a while, and it doesn't hurt to check for a urinary infection when you don't know why a dog is suddenly doing a little less well than before. The start of a UTI will really throw my dog off her game, I can often tell it in her behavior before I can see or smell anything in her urine.
I don't think I can offer much help with the FCE, you are already doing intensive PT, which is what they recommend. If I can help with anything else, such as the little trials and difficulties of daily life (even something as simple as having the dog land off-center on the bed) don't hesitate to ask. If it was my dog, I would diaper her for urine but make the tail hole so any solids fall out and do not stay in the diaper. That is how I do it with my one incontinent dog. She wears a denim diaper with an absorbent pad, and the tail hole is big enough that her stools fall out and I pick them up with TP and flush them. It isn't bad when the stools are firm.
Have you had a chance to read some of the articles on caring for down dogs? They contain a lot of helpful tips.
http://www.handicappedpets.info
I had a down dog that size so I have an idea of what your daily life is like now. Hopefully it is only temporary. I'm glad you got the cart!
I have heard the same thing, that all the damage that was going to be done occurred in the first day or two after the FCE and that the neurological status should not get any worse but only improve. My dog's physical therapist said 85% of dogs with FCE will improve, the lowest I've ever heard is 69%, improvement is the norm. It does not really surprise me if she is weaker now than a couple of weeks ago. Even aggressive PT is not going to equal the amount of exercise a dog gets during ordinary activity every day, running around the yard, up and down stairs, etc. It's not surprising if she's lost some muscle mass, but it is "only" muscle, it will build back up again when her neurological status improves. I'm not sure about the incontinence, but predisone can affect the GI tract and they often recommend giving a stomach protectant like Pepcid a/c with steroids. I don't know if that would help the bowel situation. Now that you are a month after the FCE, have you had her urine checked? You said she could potty on her own, but it is still possible she may not have been emptying completely for a while, and it doesn't hurt to check for a urinary infection when you don't know why a dog is suddenly doing a little less well than before. The start of a UTI will really throw my dog off her game, I can often tell it in her behavior before I can see or smell anything in her urine.
I don't think I can offer much help with the FCE, you are already doing intensive PT, which is what they recommend. If I can help with anything else, such as the little trials and difficulties of daily life (even something as simple as having the dog land off-center on the bed) don't hesitate to ask. If it was my dog, I would diaper her for urine but make the tail hole so any solids fall out and do not stay in the diaper. That is how I do it with my one incontinent dog. She wears a denim diaper with an absorbent pad, and the tail hole is big enough that her stools fall out and I pick them up with TP and flush them. It isn't bad when the stools are firm.
Have you had a chance to read some of the articles on caring for down dogs? They contain a lot of helpful tips.
http://www.handicappedpets.info
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
Thanks so much for your reply Carolc....the diaper idea is great because her stools are firm since I have her on a strict feeding regimen, I'd much rather clean that up than the urine 
...although she's been peeing on her own, I was advised to express her bladder to make sure it's emptying...I've gotten the hang of it and make sure to express her at least three times a day when I take her out in her cart. I will go ahead and have her urine checked just to be sure she's ok because I also worry that I may be irritating her bladder by expressing it 3 times a day/everyday. I really appreciate your reply, I wanted to post a picture of her but I'm not sure how
...although she's been peeing on her own, I was advised to express her bladder to make sure it's emptying...I've gotten the hang of it and make sure to express her at least three times a day when I take her out in her cart. I will go ahead and have her urine checked just to be sure she's ok because I also worry that I may be irritating her bladder by expressing it 3 times a day/everyday. I really appreciate your reply, I wanted to post a picture of her but I'm not sure how Samantha
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
p.s. I don't even let her on the bed/couch anymore the first few nights, she whined and circled/slid around the bed...it was HEARTbreaking! I got on the floor with her, laid with her and after a few nights, she just stopped trying. Now I think it's harder for ME to deal with missing her being in the bed with me lol...I'm too afraid she'll try to jump off in the middle of the night which would be catastrophic and I'm doing everything to avoid her injuring herself... 
the first few nights, she whined and circled/slid around the bed...it was HEARTbreaking! I got on the floor with her, laid with her and after a few nights, she just stopped trying. Now I think it's harder for ME to deal with missing her being in the bed with me lol...I'm too afraid she'll try to jump off in the middle of the night which would be catastrophic and I'm doing everything to avoid her injuring herself... Samantha
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6764LuvElla wrote:I wanted to post a picture of her but I'm not sure how
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
I think it's great that you're expressing just to be on the safe side. I doubt you are irritating her bladder by expressing it 3 times a day. I have been expressing my dog 4 times a day (it works better with my work schedule) since 2003 and her bladder is fine, and it used to take a lot of pressure, so if anybody's bladder was going to be irritated, it would have been hers. They say sometimes dogs with partial control can feel that they need to go, they just can't empty, so if you think about it, you may be making her bladder feel better to her, by getting it empty. I bet even if this may seem strange to her right now, she understands what you are doing and she will work with you on it as soon as she is able. My dog had no deep pain sensation at all (it sounds like your dog is better than that) but after about 5 months she became able to help when I expressed her--made things so much easier! 
You are not the first person who slept on the floor with their dog. Futons are a wonderful invention!
Here is a great video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1-Of2jVLm0
I think you would also enjoy reading some of the other stories of FCE on the message board. There is a bull mastiff (over 100 lbs) who was a quadriplegic for 6 weeks from FCE, then slowly got his ability back so he could walk again. You can read about him by searching all messages by karkorny. Here are two:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13405
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=15087&p=80220#p80220
The thing is, having faith that what you are doing is not a waste of time. It isn''t a waste, it is helping. Your dog will be healing "in the background" even though she may look much the same. Every little improvement, however small, counts, because all those little improvements add up to real progress. A slow recovery is still a recovery! You know, professional PT isn't cheap, but if you can afford to take her once in a while (if it is available where you live) it is not only good for her, but helps the owner a lot too. It is great to have a pro making suggestions on exercises, and helping you deal with the timeframe better. If you could take her for hydrotherapy a couple of times a week that would be great, once a week would be helpful, even every other week, whatever you can manage. Swimming or walking on an underwater treadmill are really helpful. Right now while your dog can't walk, I would like to suggest, you do not have to do all the heavy lifting of carrying your dog into the vet or into the PT place. If you can get your dog into the car at home, you can go in and ask for assistance when you arrive at the vet. They can send out someone young and strong, or 2 people with a gurney, to bring her in. Any chance you have to save yourself some effort...take advantage of it! You have to take care of yourself so you can care for her.
You are not the first person who slept on the floor with their dog. Futons are a wonderful invention!
Here is a great video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1-Of2jVLm0
I think you would also enjoy reading some of the other stories of FCE on the message board. There is a bull mastiff (over 100 lbs) who was a quadriplegic for 6 weeks from FCE, then slowly got his ability back so he could walk again. You can read about him by searching all messages by karkorny. Here are two:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13405
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=15087&p=80220#p80220
The thing is, having faith that what you are doing is not a waste of time. It isn''t a waste, it is helping. Your dog will be healing "in the background" even though she may look much the same. Every little improvement, however small, counts, because all those little improvements add up to real progress. A slow recovery is still a recovery! You know, professional PT isn't cheap, but if you can afford to take her once in a while (if it is available where you live) it is not only good for her, but helps the owner a lot too. It is great to have a pro making suggestions on exercises, and helping you deal with the timeframe better. If you could take her for hydrotherapy a couple of times a week that would be great, once a week would be helpful, even every other week, whatever you can manage. Swimming or walking on an underwater treadmill are really helpful. Right now while your dog can't walk, I would like to suggest, you do not have to do all the heavy lifting of carrying your dog into the vet or into the PT place. If you can get your dog into the car at home, you can go in and ask for assistance when you arrive at the vet. They can send out someone young and strong, or 2 people with a gurney, to bring her in. Any chance you have to save yourself some effort...take advantage of it!
You have to take care of yourself so you can care for her.Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
Wow Carol, you are like an angel to me! I feel more relieved about the issue with expressing her bladder, she still has deep pain so she does help me and also goes from her cart but like you said, the vet told me to express her because she's probably not emptying her whole bladder. I really am staying hopeful I swear she was about to stand on her left rear leg the other day
She had been going to p.t. several times a week up until last week when they told me to take her back to the neurologist because her rear legs were appearing weaker...she went for three weeks straight since she went down and then I just really couldn't afford it everyday like that so she was going twice a week and I somehow managed to work it out...I'm starting her again next Monday, twice a week...when they tried her in the hydrotherapy, her little report card said she was "unsuccessful" but they do really amazing things there (acupuncture/electric stim/exercises) and she loves going there and seeing all the doggies and at least it'll keep her active for a couple of days out of the week. I work for the schools so I'm not sure if I'll be working over the summer and be able to afford it so I'm going to keep her going now in the early stages as much as I can....it's funny, this all started a month ago and it seems like years makes me feel better because I realize not that much time has gone by and keeps my hope alive ....I do exercises/massage with her at home and put her in her wheelchair to move around and stand but for the most part, she's layin around/relaxin when at home.
Right now I am wondering about the Prednizone they prescribed her which she's been on for several weeks, not a very high dosage and she's on the ending/weening off stage. I just don't think they are helping and wondered if possibly they were making her regress...I'm waiting for the vet to call me back tomorrow, I am going to keep giving them to her as instructed cause I've read Prednizone isn't something you just stop so...I don't know, the neurologist didn't seem to think the Prednizone had anything to do with her regression but I know they are not the greatest thing but I don't want to go against the doctor's orders either...
I feel more relieved about the issue with expressing her bladder, she still has deep pain so she does help me and also goes from her cart but like you said, the vet told me to express her because she's probably not emptying her whole bladder. I really am staying hopeful I swear she was about to stand on her left rear leg the other day She had been going to p.t. several times a week up until last week when they told me to take her back to the neurologist because her rear legs were appearing weaker...she went for three weeks straight since she went down and then I just really couldn't afford it everyday like that so she was going twice a week and I somehow managed to work it out...I'm starting her again next Monday, twice a week...when they tried her in the hydrotherapy, her little report card said she was "unsuccessful"
but they do really amazing things there (acupuncture/electric stim/exercises) and she loves going there and seeing all the doggies and at least it'll keep her active for a couple of days out of the week. I work for the schools so I'm not sure if I'll be working over the summer and be able to afford it so I'm going to keep her going now in the early stages as much as I can....it's funny, this all started a month ago and it seems like years makes me feel better because I realize not that much time has gone by and keeps my hope alive ....I do exercises/massage with her at home and put her in her wheelchair to move around and stand but for the most part, she's layin around/relaxin when at home. Right now I am wondering about the Prednizone they prescribed her which she's been on for several weeks, not a very high dosage and she's on the ending/weening off stage. I just don't think they are helping and wondered if possibly they were making her regress...I'm waiting for the vet to call me back tomorrow, I am going to keep giving them to her as instructed cause I've read Prednizone isn't something you just stop so...I don't know, the neurologist didn't seem to think the Prednizone had anything to do with her regression but I know they are not the greatest thing but I don't want to go against the doctor's orders either...
Samantha
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
So sorry, I haven't even asked about YOUR dog??! How is she??
Samantha
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
I appreciate your advice about the heavy lifting in/out of the car I've somehow been managing, I'm 5'2 110 lbs in pretty good shape (I say this as I'm sitting with a heating pad on my back because I have chronic neck/back pain..lol....I've had bad back pain for some time...well before this happened to Ella but I've definitely been straining my back..) I find myself hesitant to ask anyone to help me because I'm so scared of someone hurting her... which is silly, I think I'll start taking advantage of the more strapping techs at the p.t. vet that would be happy to help...
I've somehow been managing, I'm 5'2 110 lbs in pretty good shape (I say this as I'm sitting with a heating pad on my back because I have chronic neck/back pain..lol....I've had bad back pain for some time...well before this happened to Ella but I've definitely been straining my back..) I find myself hesitant to ask anyone to help me because I'm so scared of someone hurting her... which is silly, I think I'll start taking advantage of the more strapping techs at the p.t. vet that would be happy to help... Samantha
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
You know, we kind of have a saying here on the message board, "put the oxygen mask on yourself first". It comes from the pre-flight instructions you hear from the flight attendant when you are taking off. In case of an emergency, if the oxygen masks drop, put yours on first, then put them on your children. It's the same taking care of a handicapped pet, and especially for someone like you with a pet more than half your weight. I know your instinct is to give priority to the pet, but you just can't...or you can, but only to a certain point. You can't let anything happen to yourself because then who is going to take care of your dog. When a pet's life is basically depending on us, we can't let anything happen to us or this whole house of cards will tumble down. My big down dog was a senior dog and he passed away 2 years ago, and I am still dealing with the back problems. Like you I had back problems before, but I have additional back problems now, and I was about as careful as it is possible to be. I'm hoping your dog will start to show signs of improvement soon. That is extremely cool if she was trying to use her leg. And the whole fact that she has bladder control is huge. I have to think that even though she is down, she is not one of the really bad cases. And if your dog is assisting with the expressing, that sounds very good.
But you may still have a number of weeks of lifting ahead of you, so you'd better take it as easy as possible. One thing that really really helped me on the lifting...let me try to describe this. Your dog is lying on her bed. She has a harness aroung her waist or hips. Assume you are right handed. You kneel down on one knee (like Prince Charming). If you are right handed you are kneeling on your left knee and your right elbow is braced on your right thigh. You grab the handles of your dog's harness and do a "curl" like you a weightlifter lifting a weight. This allows you to help your dog to her feet while putting almost no strain on your back. Be careful, you could rip something in your elbow if you lift too much that way. If you think you are going to hurt your elbow, then I don't recommend it.
Something that helped me, was to consider how much I was actually lifting. Heaven knows the dog is heavy, but I had to remind myself I was not lifting the whole dog. A dog carries about 60% of their weight on the front feet and 40% on the back, so if you are boosting the dog's hindquarters, it would be about 26 lbs. 26 lbs sounds a whole lot better than thinking, "I am lifting a 65-lb dog all day". The trouble is, it is a little more complicated than that. It would be 26 lbs if it was a "dead lift" straight up with no other motion, but I found that I was also having to compensate for other movements from my dog. I'd be lifting and he'd lurch to the side or lose his balance and suddenly I was supporting his weight plus the added weight of him pulling in a certain direction and me trying to steady him. It is not so much the controlled lift that is hard but the compensating for all the "chaotic" movements that can occur trying to get him off his bed, or up from a different position, or up in cramped quarters because he fell down in a awkward location...under a rose bush, between the table and the wall, etc. You probably know what I'm talking about. Sometimes I think you just have to stand back and look at the situation and think, "Now what's the best way to do this without straining anything?" That's what you have to do. Stop. Stand back. Look at it. Think. I know one thing, I should have started taking Alleve sooner! You just have to take care of yourself. She's depending on you!
P.S. They said she didn't do well in the underwater treadmill? I have a chihuahua who is paralyzed, and the first half dozen times she went on the underwater treadmill, the PT had to be inside the tank in the water with her, holding her ankles and making her hind legs do stepping motions. Finally after a number of sessions, something "kicked in" and she began taking steps herself. That was a great day! (She was also scared of the water at first and had to get used to it.) Yes, PT is expensive, I am glad you have it available. Even once a week is good, but she can improve with PT at home, or even swimming in the lake this summer. If your back is up to doing some bending over, you could try having her in her wheelchair and putting her hind feet down (not in stirrups) and helping her place her hind correctly in a stepping motion as she walks. You might ask the therapist about that.
But you may still have a number of weeks of lifting ahead of you, so you'd better take it as easy as possible. One thing that really really helped me on the lifting...let me try to describe this. Your dog is lying on her bed. She has a harness aroung her waist or hips. Assume you are right handed. You kneel down on one knee (like Prince Charming). If you are right handed you are kneeling on your left knee and your right elbow is braced on your right thigh. You grab the handles of your dog's harness and do a "curl" like you a weightlifter lifting a weight. This allows you to help your dog to her feet while putting almost no strain on your back. Be careful, you could rip something in your elbow if you lift too much that way. If you think you are going to hurt your elbow, then I don't recommend it.
P.S. They said she didn't do well in the underwater treadmill? I have a chihuahua who is paralyzed, and the first half dozen times she went on the underwater treadmill, the PT had to be inside the tank in the water with her, holding her ankles and making her hind legs do stepping motions. Finally after a number of sessions, something "kicked in" and she began taking steps herself. That was a great day! (She was also scared of the water at first and had to get used to it.) Yes, PT is expensive, I am glad you have it available. Even once a week is good, but she can improve with PT at home, or even swimming in the lake this summer. If your back is up to doing some bending over, you could try having her in her wheelchair and putting her hind feet down (not in stirrups) and helping her place her hind correctly in a stepping motion as she walks. You might ask the therapist about that.
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
Thanks again for the words of encouragement and I will definitely be more concious of taking care of myself so that I can care for Ella I'm sorry about your dog, he/she was lucky to have such a caring owner Ella's starting p.t. again next week and I will definitely make sure they keep trying with the underwater treadmill, hopefully she'll have some success like your baby did ...they did advise me to try and stand her up as much as possible, usually when I'm getting her food ready, I put her in the wheelchair and do exactly what you suggested...place her hind legs down (out of stirrups) and let her feel the carpet, rubbing her hind paws on the carpet from that position is one of her p.t. home exercises....I've noticed now when I do that her legs start shaking but perhaps that's a good sign....I actually don't have one of those harnesses, I'm thinking of getting one for those quick, right out the patio door trips to pee rather than strapping her into wheelchair...I'm going to look into getting one and will definitely try out your suggested technique for lifting her with the harness...I did have a chance to read about the bull mastiff, what an incredible story! After reading other people's stories, I am truly grateful and will start focusing on all that she CAN do instead of her current limitations...thanks again for all of your kind words and wisdom! 
I'm sorry about your dog, he/she was lucky to have such a caring owner Ella's starting p.t. again next week and I will definitely make sure they keep trying with the underwater treadmill, hopefully she'll have some success like your baby did ...they did advise me to try and stand her up as much as possible, usually when I'm getting her food ready, I put her in the wheelchair and do exactly what you suggested...place her hind legs down (out of stirrups) and let her feel the carpet, rubbing her hind paws on the carpet from that position is one of her p.t. home exercises....I've noticed now when I do that her legs start shaking but perhaps that's a good sign....I actually don't have one of those harnesses, I'm thinking of getting one for those quick, right out the patio door trips to pee rather than strapping her into wheelchair...I'm going to look into getting one and will definitely try out your suggested technique for lifting her with the harness...I did have a chance to read about the bull mastiff, what an incredible story! After reading other people's stories, I am truly grateful and will start focusing on all that she CAN do instead of her current limitations...thanks again for all of your kind words and wisdom! Samantha
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debcud3318
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:31 am
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
Please remain hopeful . . . my yellow lab Sadie suffered an FCE in August 2010 and she is walking and going potty again all by herself! She continues to make small improvements every day. . . she actually played in 22 inches of snow that we had earlier this month!
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
Thanks so much : ) glad to hear your Sadie is doing better!! I'm curious, how much does she weigh? Sometimes I feel maybe Ella's sheer size is keeping her from healing...but I am DEFinitely remaining hopeful!! I'm waiting for thyroid test results because her hair isn't growing back from where they did a myleogram on her...if her thyroid levels are low, this could be hindering her healing...either way, she is a big luvbug and I'm committed to caring for her hind legs or no hind legs ....her spirit has remained as sweet as ever and she loves to eat and play with her toys 
thanks so much for the encouragement !
....her spirit has remained as sweet as ever and she loves to eat and play with her toys thanks so much for the encouragement !Samantha
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debcud3318
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:31 am
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
Hi,
My Sadie is 7 years old and weighs 60 pounds. When she was first diagnosed, our vet recommended a "Help 'em Up Harness" and it was a lifesaver for my back! The harness has 2 handles that help you assist your dog with rising and walking. I don't know what I would have done without it. Sadie's hair also took a very long time to grow back . . . I think it was finally around the end of December when it was back to normal.
I hope you get good results with her thyroid test. I'm also glad to hear that your dog's spirits haven't change . . . Sadie was the same. She especially loved all the extra attention! Take care.
My Sadie is 7 years old and weighs 60 pounds. When she was first diagnosed, our vet recommended a "Help 'em Up Harness" and it was a lifesaver for my back! The harness has 2 handles that help you assist your dog with rising and walking. I don't know what I would have done without it. Sadie's hair also took a very long time to grow back . . . I think it was finally around the end of December when it was back to normal.
I hope you get good results with her thyroid test. I'm also glad to hear that your dog's spirits haven't change . . . Sadie was the same. She especially loved all the extra attention! Take care.
Re: My blue pitbull was diagnosed with an FCE
So, Ella's thyroid test came back normal..this is great news although I was kind of expecting them to come back as low since her hair isn't growing back from the myleogram...the vet also said that low thyroid levels could be keeping her from healing...anyways, I'm not giving up hope! I have a question about lifting her around when she's not using her wheelchair, I do have a lifting harness but I find that if she has to pee, as soon as I lift her and the harness pushes her bladder, of course she can't help it and will have an accident...any suggestions on how to use a lifting harness for those early morning pees? Otherwise, I just lift her hind legs without pushing on her bladder until we get outside....
I have a question about lifting her around when she's not using her wheelchair, I do have a lifting harness but I find that if she has to pee, as soon as I lift her and the harness pushes her bladder, of course she can't help it and will have an accident...any suggestions on how to use a lifting harness for those early morning pees? Otherwise, I just lift her hind legs without pushing on her bladder until we get outside....Samantha