Hi, new here, my dog is partially paralyzed

[Shooter]

Hi, my actual name is David. I have a 15 year old mixed breed dog who is probably a mix of terrier, possibly dacshund, not sure what all else...basically, she is kind of shorter, longer, about 22 lbs - her name is Casey. I have had her since she was 8 weeks old, adopting her from a shelter in St. Louis. She and I have been best buddies all along, she has been with me through a divorce, many moves, many other relationships, and now another marriage that brought another dog into the picture (no longer with us) and our son, who is now 4 years old.

Late last Friday night, she followed me down the basement stairs and, as I sat down in front of this computer, she went to jump up onto the sofa that is right next to the computer desk. I heard a yelp and turned to see her sliding off of the couch back to the floor. With this in mind, I am assuming her injury occurred in the act of jumping, or possibly she miscalculated her jump and she injured herself straining to hang on to the couch. At any rate, she came immediately stumbling back around the sofa and over by me. She was having a very difficult time controlling her hind legs and they were obviously very weak. I could not tell at the time if it was just one leg bothering her or both, and thoughts of her dislocating her hip came to mind. It was very late, so I decided to take her upstairs and lay her down by our bed where she normally sleeps, and see how she was in the morning. The next morning she was even weaker, attempted to stumble around a bit, and then just sat down. She has not used her hind legs since.

I was out to the vet Saturday morning with her and they did a physical exam of her along with xrays. They found that she still had some pain reflex in her foot/toe, she had virtually normal reflexes in both legs, she had maintained bowel and bladder control, and pinch tests along her back still elicited the skin movement reacting to it. X-ray did not show much, however, there was one very faint area just a couple of vertebrae below her ribs that had a hazy area above the intervertebral space that the doctor said "could" be a herniation or rupture of the disk. Looking at the overall spine, though, there was really no significant loss of space there when compared to her whole spine. Matter of fact, they said she was in pretty good shape for a dog of her years as she showed only mild signs of arthritis. Her hips were in place. She showed some mild enlargement of her heart and blood tests they drew came back as near normal on everything. Their diagnosis was a suspected herniated disc and prescribed a muscle relaxer and steroid anti-inflammatory. They said that any further evaluation and/or treatment would have to be deferred to a specialist though.

So, I have religiously been giving her her medicine. I have to carry her outside, but she has been very good in going to the bathroom while we're out there. We have had a couple of accidents in the past couple of days, though. She is eating and drinking, though not as much as before. I am not very good at testing for reflexes on her legs so I'm not sure what they are now. I know I can lightly touch the hair on her feet and she will clench them in response. She also seems to be able to pull her legs up from the hip area. However, when I hold her up by the belly area and she moves forward at all, her back feet just kind of roll under and drag. I'm not sure of her pain response on her feet.

So, right now I'm in this quandry of "what is best to do here"? I have a dog who is 15 years old and obviously has a neurological injury of some type. The vet encouraged me to seek a specialist's advice, however, we are not financially capable of pursuing that avenue right now...plus, it seems that the eventual end to pursuing that avenue would likely be surgery anyway, and I don't really want to put this old dog through that. My mother thinks I should have her put down...and this is a very sympathetic woman who has had two of her own dogs live to 16 and 17 respectfully, and had to have each put down herself due to illnesses. I look at my dog and still see a lot of my old, un-injured Casey still there. She just doesn't know what's going on. She has been an awesome dog and I just want to do right for her. I don't know if I should wait this out? If so, how long? If waiting it out is simply prolonging any misery my dog may be feeling? I knew this would probably be coming in the next year or two, and I was trying to prepare myself for it...I know I'm not ready yet, but does that really matter? I just looked at those xrays and labs and saw that she was still in such good shape for an old dog, and I don't get that look from her that would seem to me to say she's had enough. But maybe I'm just kidding myself? What do any of you think? I work in a medical field, so I have a pretty good understanding of things...you can be literal with me about stuff. Thanks.

David

[ilovemydog]

Hi David - at the same time you were submitting your message, I was too; I'm new to this forum also. Read my entry about my dog's FCE on Sept. 1st. Everything you said sounds what my Cody experienced...I just hope Casey doesn't get the pneumonia. Since it doesn't sound like a ruptured disk, our neurologist told us an FCE (fibrocartilaginous embolism) is self-healing; there's no surgery or anything they can do for it.

We've decided we're giving it the old college try, at least until it seems like Cody is uncomfortable (he isn't in pain now, although I'm sure he's bummed to not be running around).

Our neurologist and vet recommended making a slight/hoist system to get him off his feet a few hours a day. That should help him begin to heal. We're just starting that process, due to Cody having pneumonia and needing to shake that first. Oh, and STRICT crate rest for the next 4-6 weeks was our instructions - Cody only seems able to roll over anyway, which sometimes he does quite often.

Stay in touch and my best to Casey. Charlene & Cody

[vbittersweet]

Hi David!

I am writing in response to your posting about Casey. Your story sounds so similar to the story of me and my Pomeranian Bear that I had to chime in with my two cents regarding your beloved pup.

My Bear, at 11 years old, had the same experience you describe with Casey and, like you, I received little advice from my general vet. Also like you and Casey, I was not financially capable of affording the MRIs and myelogram they wanted to run nor was I willing to put an 11-year-old dog with a heart murmur through a major surgery. However, thanks to the wonderful support from the people on this list, Bear and I had quality time left together that we would never have had if I hadn't learned how to better cope with his paralysis.

In regards to the tickle reflex you see when you touch the hair on Casey's toes -- this can be an automatic reflex that causes the paw to draw up when lightly pinched or touched. Bear's chiropractor/acupuncturist explained to me that only a pinch test that illicits a vocal pain response can verify feeling in the limbs. Feeling and movement can return as the swelling subsides in the spine so it is critical that you keep her on STRICT crate rest and continue the prednisone as directed. DO NOT let her move -- crated inside and carried outside to potty.

In regards to pottying: when you mentioned that you've had a couple of accidents in the past few days, it made me wonder if Casey might be starting to lose continence. It will seem like accidents if you don't know what you're looking for because the bladder fills up completely and then starts spontaneously emptying itself in small amounts when the pressure gets too extreme. It is very important, if this is happening, that you learn how to express Casey's bladder because urine left in the bladder can quickly turn into infection. There are many people on here that I am sure will chime in to point you in the right direction for lessons on how to express urine/fecal matter. It sounded so scary to me at first but, after a few trial and error sessions, it was so easy and it gave me precious time with my baby that I was not willing to give up.

Consider seeking out a canine chiropractor/acupuncturist. Bear experienced dramatic improvements in feeling and mobility after only a few visits with our chiropractor/acupuncturist and I feel that he would have continued to improve if we hadn't had to face other medical challenges at the same time (heart failure).

You should also check out the "Bottoms-Up Harness" and wheelchairs available but not until Casey is finished with her prednisone and crate rest and you know that you will not damage her back further by letting her move.

There are many ways to assist your dog. If you are willing to take those extra steps, there is no reason that Casey's life has to end yet. Bear too had the gleam of life left in his eyes and he was happy and content without the use of his rear end because he still had his family.

I ended up losing Bear to heart failure due to the prednisone because he was already dealing with a heart murmur and enlarged heart prior to the onset of his IVDD. It was worth every minute of extra work and learning so that I could have those extra months of love and time with my best friend.

Please consider your options before deciding that it's time to say goodbye to your pup. And, rely on the advice of this wonderful group of people. They came to my rescue when I was terrified and broken hearted over Bear's situation. They gave me solutions and support that I will never be able to repay.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Casey!

Vicki

[Dianne]

Welcome David,

I am NOT a vet, but the owner of a paralyzed doxie.

You are describing classic IVDD symptoms (disk injury) in a long bodied dog. Jumping would be a way to injure the long spine.

The most accurate way to diagnose the injury would be an MRI. Dogs are typically sedated for this procedure. The cost is about $1000 for this diagnostic tool.

The surgery could cost from $2500 to about $4000 depending on your location. I understand if you don't have the money to invest in the surgery.

First a few questions:

(1) Did the vet prescribe any pain meds? Not eating could be a symptom of pain.

(2) Is Casey taking steroids to reduce the swelling in the disk area? If so, you MUST provide extra water for his thirst.

(3) Does Casey urinate as usual. Many spinal injuries cause incontinence- the inability to control urination. If he is NOT urinating as usual but having frequent accidents, dribbling, spouting urine, then you need to learn to express his bladder. I do it for my dog as do MANY others on this bb. You can learn from the vet, or from reading this site.

http://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Express_a_dog_or_cat

Did you read the section about CRATE REST?
IMMEDIATELY put Casey on strict crate rest. That means confinement in a small kennel where he can only turn around.

Someone else will come along soon and have more advice about Casey's care. We REALLY understand the emotional roller coaster of an ill pet. There are MANY pet owners that read this board who have experienced what you are now seeing with Casey.

Dianne

[Shooter]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses. No, the vet only prescribed the muscle relaxer and steroid. Interesting thing is that, outside of the initial injury, she has not exhibited any outright signs of pain. Her hunger seems to be ok..I will explain in a moment.

Yes, she's taking steroids.

I think her toileting issues have been more a problem with me than with her. Actually, I leave for work very early in the morning. She is used to going out when I leave, then when my stepson leaves for high school she was used to going out then, she would go out again when I got home from work at around 2pm, then again in the early evening at around 7pm, then again before bed at 9 - 9:30pm. Because she had gone so much earlier yesterday, and because it was really cold and rainy at 7 here (hence the cancellation of the world series game 4), I decided to try and get her out at the later time and be ok with that....she didn't make it.

She had another accident today while I was at work that my wife said she expressed a large amount of stool, which is unusual for her anyway, and I thought that it was maybe due to me not giving her enough time earlier and my stepson not doing his usual time with her when he was up. (my wife is disabled due to a nerve issue in her leg and could not carry casey outside. My stepson is very klutzy, so I don't trust him carrying her) I thought perhaps the drugs and the altered diet were messing with her system.

No, have not yet read the crate reading, however, up til tonight, she had not moved off the blanket I put her on wherever I place her in the house. Just a little while ago, apparently she liked the smell of the meat we were having for supper, so she scooted herself across the slick kitchen floor about 6 feet to get closer to us. First time she's done this. She has pivoted around before, but not gone any distance scooting.

[Shooter]

Oh, and now I'm a bit concerned because of the comment about the steroid and the heart condition. Casey was said to have a slightly enlarged heart and a murmur on exam. After her labs they did not prescribe any meds though. If anyone can tell me of particular symptoms I should look for if the steroid is causing problems in this area, please let me know.

[Dianne]

Good Morning David,

I cannot speak to the issue of congestive heart failure, enlarged heart and steroid use.

CINDI- I think you may have some experience here.

You can't go wrong with crate resting and it is a lot cheaper than the surgery, if surgery is out of your price range. BUT, you can't let Casey out for a little run when he whines.

Here is what CarolC says about taking Pepcid with steroids. Some dogs get an upset stomach from steroids.

Some people give Pepcid AC to protect the dog's stomach while on steroids (can cause ulcers). The dosage for dogs is 0.25 mg/lb once or twice a day according to the Pill Book Guide to Medication for Your Dog and Cat, but check with your vet. My dog was on several weeks of prednisone when he went down and we didn't have any tummy trouble with it.

I reread your letter and could sense that YOU are NOT ready to give up on your dog. There is NO reason to euthanize a paralyzed dog. He is still eating, still fairly happy, enjoys your company, and NOT otherwise ill. Paralysis is NOT usually a death sentence. A vet will suggest euthanasia because he thinks YOU are ready to give up. If YOU are ready to learn to care for your pup during recovery, we will try to help.

Ignore YOUR mother on this one. She doesn't know best.

By the way, and FCE is NOT the same as IVDD. An FCE is a spinal stroke where NO crate resting is required for recovery. IVDD DOES REQUIRE CRATE REST.

[ssg]

Hello David,

I am fairly new to this board (three weeks), too, and have learned so much from everyone here. I wanted to address the steroids usage with cardiac problems. My dog has a grade 4 murmer, which doesn't get much worse than that without the dog experiencing symptoms of cardiac compromise. In any event, my dog has been off and on steroids for much of his life due to major allergies. Because the steroids depress the immune system, the concern is that the steroids will mask possible infection that could damage the heart. Therefore placing the dog on prophylactic antibiotics will cover him while he's undergoing steroid therapy. You might want to ask your vet if he/she thinks this may be of benefit to your pup during this time.

Sandy

[Cindidoxiemom]

Hunter my 13 y/o dachshund who has had two IVDD surgeries AND has an enlarged heart and a grade III murmur was placed on prednisone at the time of his IVDD injuries.

As has been stated there are pluses and minuses to ALL drugs. Read and talk to your vet about the risks and benefits and then you can make a decision.

If this is IVDD CRATE REST is a must....100% of the time except to potty.

Most neuro compromised dogs DO have some degree of bladder/ bowel disfunction. You need to make sure your dog is emptying his bladder 100%

Xrays are pretty much useless in diagnosising IVDD... myelograms , CT's and MRI's are really necessary to make a determination of IVDD injury.

As some have said...FCE and IVDD are two COMPLETELY different diseases and are treated very differently.

If you can't have an MRI, CT or Myelogram done, then error on the side of this being IVDD and put your dog on strict crate rest for the next 6-8 weeks.
Cindi

[Shooter]

Did you read the section about CRATE REST?
IMMEDIATELY put Casey on strict crate rest. That means confinement in a small kennel where he can only turn around.

Dianne

No, I haven't read it and I am not finding it. Where is this section at? Have tried looking in several different areas on here.

And I guess I'll go ahead and ask the question now...my dog is not moving in an area any bigger than a crate now. I have basically set up a few "stations" around the house that I can move her around to during the day to give her different scenery and such. Outside of scooting about 6 feet across the kitchen floor last night to get closer to our dinner table, she does not move off of the blanket, which is folded to the size of a medium size crate. So do I really have to stick her in a crate if she's not moving anywhere? She'll sit up, pivot around, and maybe scoot a little to get a drink or bite to eat, but that's been it so far.

[Dianne]

I am still assuming that your vet is correct in his diagnosis of IVDD/disk injury.

See Dodger's List: http://www.dodgerslist.com/

Always crate your dog whenever you suspect a back problem. It is always better to be safe then sorry. Crating will help keep the dog from further injury. Crating should be in as small a carrier as possible with only room to turn around. The dog should stay in the crate 24 hours a day and only let out for potty breaks on a lead or another very small confined space.

Post surgical instructions on crate rest- works for non surgical pups too: http://www.dodgerslist.com/lit/After_Surgery.htm

You said:

...maybe scoot a little to get a drink or bite to eat, but that's been it so far.

The scooting *could* cause further damage. You may think that it can't get worse, but it can. Incontinence is worse than mere inablity to walk. Ask anyone who has done expressing for several years, and they will assure you that crate rest and some whining is better than risking permanent paralysis and incontinence.

I have a doxie that was paralyzed more than 1 1/2 years ago, and would do almost ANYTHING for him to recover. It is VERY unlikely he will recover. I wish I had known then what I know now. Poor vet advice, and no recommendation of crate rest, meant that my dog missed some opportunities that MAY have enabled him to recover.

You don't want to miss the window of opportunity. If you don't plan to have the surgery, then crate resting is your next best bet. AND, it's FREE. I can't promise that it will work, but NOT crate resting is almost an assurance of no recovery.

You could use a box with the sides cut down, or a kennel placed on a table top a la Carol C, but you don't want him to miss the chance to recover. You can't get that back later.

I still want to assure you that paralysis whether temporary or permanent is NOT a death sentence. Those of us with paralyzed pet that do not recover, consider a wheelchair after about 4 to 6 weeks of crating. We have some of the happiest paralyzed dogs here. You probably don't believe me.

Paul- Where are you and your doxie family? Get out your family album and show some pictures. Paul has 2 doxies in wheelchairs, and several more ambulatory pups.

Dianne

[Cindidoxiemom]

No shooter...You don't HAVE to crate your dog, but consider this:
The doorbell rings and she jerks herself up and scoots too fast blowing another disk...or...a loud noise like a dish crashing startles her and she scoots too fast causes further injury. These things HAVE happened to dogs that weren't crated.

You ultimately will make the judgement for your dog.

I can tell you of a dozen or more people that WISH they had crated and didn't.
I can tell you that I had to treat an oozing wound on my paralyzed dog's leg because I left him uncrated and unsupervised for about 5 minutes. He squeezed through an open door and scooted on the concrete. I can tell you I NEVER made that mistake again.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dodg ... sage/76117
Cindi

[Shooter]

Ok, understood....thanks for the replies.

I'm going to jump the gun a little now and ask about recovery. I am curious as to how I would become aware of there being a recovery occurring or not at all? Are there gradual signs or is it a matter of one day they suddenly can move their legs? I understand that due to non-use they would not be able to pop right up and run around. At what point would you consider that there is simply not going to be a spontaneous recovery? I'm assuming it's falling within this 6 week crate timeframe, so is there something special about that length of time that if something is going to get better on its own it would most likely occur during that time? I work in a medical field, so I understand that there aren't black and white answers here, I'm just looking to understand what I should be watching for, one way or the other. thanks

[Cindidoxiemom]

IF this is IVDD it is even more "grey" than you may have suspected.
Many see signs of recovery within days or weeks. The 6-8 week time frame is to allow the buldging disk material to reduce its swollen size and to allow the more liquid material to be absorbed back into the body. The hope is that the disc is not completely herniated and that time will allow a reduction in the swelling and return of function. Based on 100's of cases at Dodgers, my surgeons recommendation, 6-8 weeks seems to be the time frame.
If the disc is blown, and severe damage has been done to the cord, she may not recover function. That does NOT mean the dog can't live a happy life....my Oscar is spoiled ROTTEN, he lives a good life and he is paralyzed.

If your in the medical field you understand that neurological recover can take weeks, months or years. Oscar and our friend here Cricket (Connie's cricket) regaind deep pain sensation in their legs after 8-10 months. You also understand that neuro dogs can have involuntary reflex movement that appears to be purposeful and in response to stimulus. Time...time ...time....only time will tell
Cindi

[Paul Coover]

Well, I have to agree with everyone saying that crate rest is definitely needed. We have 6 dachshunds, 2 of which are paralyzed. One we adopted as paralyzed, but he recovered. His story can be read here :
www.handicappedpets.com/gallery/riley11/

We also have Johanna, a cart dog. Her story is here:

www.handicappedpets.com/johanna.

I hope that you find their stories helpful and inspiring. I will post more in the future, but right now I am in the middle of a move, so I am very busy.

Take care and good luck!