*PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Neurological Disorders Resources. Treatment and care for pets having pain or trouble walking or standing due to spinal injuries or neurological disorders like IVDD, FCE and DM.
Christine
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by Christine »

Is she on pain medication? Some of them will affect their appetites. What medications is she on? Can you tell us a little more about what happened to her and what the vet is telling you to do? Is she on crate rest right now? It is very important that she keeps hydrated - is she getting liquids? Can she urinate on her own...deficate on her own. did the vet talk to you about that?

We are glad you are here - ask all the questions you want.

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muzkltrtl
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by muzkltrtl »

Thanks for the quick response... she didn't want to come up the steps friday night and my dad rubbed her down and she didn't act like she hurt anywhere and she would still support her weight Saturday late at lunch when the puppies were let out she didn't come out of her kennel... it you could stand her up and she would drag her legs but would sit and hold her upper body up ... so we kept her in and gave her time because her mom had had problems with dragging her legs a few months before and within 24 hours she was fine ... Sunday she was still the same but im on disability and can't pay the extra after hourfees. We took her in Monday morning and the vet said she needed to see the specialist in the next town over bcuz he could operate on spinal injuries..the surgeon said that she had loss all bladder and anal control no tone left and no reflexes ... he said that her injury was between L4-L6 and that he would have hope if she had any reflexes but he said that even with surgery she had maybe a 5% chance of getting back any sensation but no control and that it would be about $3000a he said there was no reason to give her any mess or shots because she had no pain and steroids might perk her up but would be hard on her kidneys... he said her bowels would move on her own but she had her first small hard bowel movement tonight after 4 days and she has been urinating ... her bladder leaks.but he told us to drain her bladder two or three times a day to help prevent infections.and to keep her on something soft and rotate her to prevent bed sores and a wheel chair would help which we r working getting but the last two days she wont even hold up her upper body to eat or drink we have t o stabilize her and she will occasionally drink but food isnt an option anymore she wont try...
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CarolC
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by CarolC »

I think she needs to be rechecked by a vet, she shouldn't be losing her appetite if she still had it right after the injury, that seems unusual. Are you positive she's not in pain? It is common for a dog with a disk injury to receive pain medication such as tramadol, and it is common for them to receive either steroids or some kind of anti-inflammatory. Have you noticed any change in her ability to sit up or hold her head up? I feel concerned about the description of what is going on with your dog.

You may also want to join http://www.dodgerslist.com, they have an email list with many people experienced with dachshund back problems.

If you are not sure what vet to go to, you might consider either calling a breeder in town to see which vet they use, or calling a dachshund rescue organization in town to see what vet they use. Or just call some vets and talk to the receptionist and see how much experience they have with this. It really seems like your dog should be on medication if she isn't having surgery.

It is good if you keep giving her lots of love and TLC, but I'd be careful about moving her around, she needs to rest quietly.
muzkltrtl
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by muzkltrtl »

I spoke with the vet on call because she seems to be struggling to breath... her respiratory rate isn't high band she isntis hasseling but she is extending her neck... she hasn't wanted to sit up or hold her head up for the last two days ... she just lays there ... we asked about mess and he said she didn't have signs of pain and that any meds would be hard on her kidneys ... we just thought she was depressed but we noticed that she was stretching out and her breathing seems labored this evening when we got home ....the on call vet said the neurological problems maybe spreading upward... I asked if shots would help stop it and she said once it start traveling up there is nothing to stop it... she said to take her to vet and confirm it isn't a lung issue if not then its her spine.
dee234
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by dee234 »

My 13 year old boxer recently started to lose control of his back legs. He was able to walk but would wobble and sometimes fall. In the past two days he has gotten much worse and can not walk at all. He sleeps all day and seems very depressed. He is eating regularly but I can't get him to drink much water and I'm scared he is getting dehydrated. I've been massaging his legs 3 times a day and he seems able to stand better after I do. I don't know if he's given up the fight. What should I do next?
rockysecor
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by rockysecor »

I have a Basset Hound named Rocky. I let him out to go potty a week ago Sunday. It was only 5-7 seconds, and I heard him bellowing . I looked over and he was going around in circles and trying to reach his back end.After a while he stopped and he couldn't stand on his back legs. He didn't have any feeling whatsoever. I called my son and he his dad and I took Rocky to a vet hospital that is opened 24 hrs a day. They took x-rays and found that he had arthritis between the vertebraes, but it didn't show anything else. The Vet said that they could do surgery which would cost 4500.00 dollars. Give him medicine,put in a catheter and send him home. The last option was to put him down. We took the second option. The next day I talked to our vet and he gave us another option which was to do Laser Therapy. We took him in same day and he began the therapy. So far he has done 5 and Rocky hasn't regained any feeling in his back legs.During this time he had to be put on relaxants and 2 other meds on top of the ones from the hospital. He was in alot of pain on his right side when we took him in to our vet. Our vet did better for him than the hospital did and he was finally getting sleep and out of pain.

Well we took him home for the weekend so everyone could tell him bye and to love on him. We were going to have him put down on Monday. He had to have his catheter emptied along with putting a towel under him to take him out to do number 2. This was not easy. Well my husband came home with information about Accupuncture.We were told that it had been tried on other dogs and they were able to have the use of their legs again.Over the weekend our family decided to have the accupuncture done on Rocky. He will be going in tomorrow Wednesday at 8:15am. If this doesn't work we have decided to have him put to sleep. We didn't want him to spend the rest of his life being with a catheter stuck in him and not be able to get around. He gets upset because he can't meet people at the door anymore and he gets so upset that he starts panting. I don't want him to be unhappy that he can't do what a dog normally does. We love him very much and so far I have cried every day since all of this happened. This has been the 1st day that I haven't cried. I am anxious and scared about what the vet will tell us. Even if he gets his feeling back in his legs there is a chance that he may have to undergo this treatment up to abot 6 times. For the 1st day it is 160.00 dollars. which isn't bad considering how much the surgery would have cost. We don't know when it is time to say" no more". So far we have spent over 700.00 dollars and even if we could have afforded the surgery our Rocky is 12 yrs old and they did not think that he would make it. Please I need some advice.
Last edited by rockysecor on Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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CarolC
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by CarolC »

I'm sorry to hear about Rocky. Are you trying the medication? How is he doing?

Did they put in the catheter or are you expressing him? If he does not have a catheter, is he dribbling?

Is he a large Basset? How old is he?

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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by Bobbie »

Is it only his back legs? No reason to put him down. Get him a cart, express his bladder, and he can live a very active, near normal life.
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cocoa dog
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by cocoa dog »

I'm new to this forum and hope I found the right place to ask questions.
I came home from work to find Cocoa (a 4 year old Dachshund) paralyzed. The vet said if she didn't get feeling back in 24 hours then she needed spine surgery. I haven't crated her. Instead I put a dense pillow in a laundry basket for her. She isn't even trying to move around. She is sitting up (won't lay down), refusing water and food, can't sleep, and is incontinent. She is getting steroids and pain medicine. I'm forcing her to drink from a medicine dropper. I put her on my chest on her side and she was able to sleep for 4 hours. I change her position every two hours in the basket and give her a clean wee pad to sit on. Is there something that I'm missing? Will she start drinking again? What if she doesn't? How long do I let this go on? How do I help this dog?

The surgery is out of the question ($2,500.00 for the MRI and $8000.00 for the surgery with a 50/50 chance of working).
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CarolC
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by CarolC »

Does she still have deep pain sensation in her legs? Some dogs will recover with medication and 8 weeks of rest, but that is more likely if the signs are mild. If you cannot afford surgery, she can still live a happy life as a wheelchair dog. If she does not regain bladder control, you can express her bladder. Here is a nice video about a doxie without bladder control who is still living a happy life.



I would suggest you do not need to turn her every 2 hours...? That is to prevent pressure sores, but they are a bigger risk with a dog who is heavy or boney. The important thing is to keep her dry. (I speak from experience with 3 down dogs). She is at much more risk of a sore if she is wet, because urine will break down the skin, making it less resistant to pressure as well. I would probably turn her every 4 hours or even a little longer, but if she is wet she will need to be cleaned carefully and put on fresh bedding. If she is small enough you can rinse her off under the faucet, but if she is larger where you cannot hold her and support her back in alignment 100% then I would clean her with unscented baby wipes.

http://www.dodgerslist.com is a website dedicated to dachshunds with back problems, whether you do surgery or not. They have helpful literature on the subject. Here is their information on crate rest:

http://www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm

http://www.dodgerslist.com/literature/conservative.htm

In addition, if you feel you want to do surgery and would be willing to pay if off monthly, there is a site called Care Credit that provides loans for emergency veterinary care. The terms are good and in some cases you don't have to start paying immediately. Most veterinary hospitals accept it and your vet may have the application at the reception desk. Most people I know have been accepted, and they let you know right away. You can also go to http://www.carecredit.com.

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cocoa dog
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by cocoa dog »

Thank you for your inspiring video.
Care credit charges close to 30% interest.
I know because I have cancer and struggle with
excessive bills.
Anyway the dog in your video is peppy and trying.
My dog is refusing to eat and drink.
Did you have this issue with the initial injury?
Also this dog's urine leaks out constantly (same with stool)
I was moving her every two hours because I'm an RN and
That is what we do with humans who can't move on their own
She just sits there looking miserable. :(
What can I do to make her more comfortable? :(
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CarolC
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by CarolC »

cocoa dog wrote:Thank you for your inspiring video.
Care credit charges close to 30% interest.
I know because I have cancer and struggle with
excessive bills.
Anyway the dog in your video is peppy and trying.
My dog is refusing to eat and drink.
Did you have this issue with the initial injury?

It sounds like maybe your dog does not have adequate pain control. If that's the case, perhaps you could discuss it with the vet and maybe either get something stronger for the present, or adjust the dosage. Here is a list of medications commonly used in these situations. They recommend giving a stomach protectant such as Pepcid ac with prednisone, because it can be hard on the GI tract. Really the prednisone should be making her thirsty. Is the disk problem in her back or her neck?

http://www.dodgerslist.com/literature/drugs.htm


Also this dog's urine leaks out constantly (same with stool)

You can express the bladder (kind of like the Crede maneuver in nursing). We have tons of information on doing that, as well as a long list of videos at the end of this article. Her bladder should be fully expressed at least every 8 hours. She will be more comfortable. It is possible her restlessness is due to a full bladder. If she is dribbling or leaking from overflow, it does not mean she is voiding completely. I wouldn't be surprised if that is part of the problem. There are cases where the dog can feel she has to go, but even though she can feel it she lacks the control to urinate normally. In that case expressing makes her feel better.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... =5&t=16027

The bowel can also be expressed. There is an article explaining how to do that, as well. (I would start with the q-tip and vaseline technique, or the ice cube.)

https://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/?title=Bowel_management_in_incontinent_pets


I was moving her every two hours because I'm an RN and
That is what we do with humans who can't move on their own

That is wonderful that you are a nurse. I am sorry you are having your own health problems and billing issues. I'm sure you could have done without the added worry right now. :(

This is me on my soapbox, feel free to smile if you want. :wink: If you want to turn her every 2 hours...I know they use that as a guideline. When my big dog was down (63-lb golden retriever) I was working full time and I would come home at lunch and get him up and turn him, but he would go for 4 hours or a little more lying on one side, and we did that for something like 8 months without a pressure sore. Then he had to be admitted for acute renal failure and they had him on fluids and no one attending overnight and he wet his bed and got a nasty urine burn (raw weeping oozing sore) under his hip after being down for 8 months without a single sore. There are cases where the dog is more comfortable on one side, and how frequently you turn is a judgment call. If the bedding is soft and dry and supportive and not wrinkled, the body weight is distributed evenly, I've been able to go longer than 2 hours. I guess I should not assume that would work equally well for every dog. If your dog is skinny and has boney projections in the hip, for example, then she would have pressure points and be more likely to get a pressure sore. But usually a normal weight dachshund is a pretty smooth sleek animal without boney hips sticking out, unlike some larger or older dogs. However, no matter how sleek she is, she can still get a urine burn, and they can happen pretty fast. Then you have a dog who has a difficult time lying on one side because you are trying to heal it up. If you have a dog that can move the legs but not get up (this does not apply to your dog I don't think) then in some cases dogs will kick or paddle with their legs trying to get up and that is friction on the bedding, so that could be another problem, but my dogs have laid quietly.

The wee wee pads serve to keep the bedding dry, but they will not keep the patient dry, you've probably already found that out. A dog that is lying on a wet incontinence pad will be a wet dog. The quilted washable bed pads that are about 36" x 27" are better than the paper-plastic disposable ones. Another thing that works well is baby crib pads that are about 2 for $11 at Wal-Mart. They are a white synthetic fleecy felt with a waterproof lining inside. The thick fleecy outer layer kind of keeps the dog up out of the worst of it, unlike the paper-thin outer layer of the disposable pads. People have also cut up old mattress pads. Anything you can do to prevent a urine burn is effort well spent, such as cutting up an old mattress pad into pieces and hemming the edges, or whatever you can think of, it's worth the effort. An ounce of prevention really is worth a ton of cure in this case. I do believe turning to prevent a pressure sore comes second behind keeping them dry in my experience. (I am not a vet.)


She just sits there looking miserable. :(
What can I do to make her more comfortable? :(

I think maybe talk to the vet tomorrow morning if they are open 8-12 on Saturday (or whatever). Here is some information about pain from Dodger's List. :grouph:

http://www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm
cocoa dog
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by cocoa dog »

She has started drinking again. The vet told me I would damage her if I tried to express her bowels.
He said to keep her confined. And her tail wagged today for the first time. i tried to post a pic but the file was too big.
cocoa dog
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by cocoa dog »

Went to the animal hospital today. She had a massive UTI. Now she is taking five meds. And we are taking it one day at a time. Here's hoping she starts eating and drinking
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CarolC
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Re: *PARALYSIS INFORMATION*

Post by CarolC »

My dog got a UTI not long after she was injured, too. I was expressing her bladder conscientiously but I wasn't very good at it. The antibiotics cleared it up nicely, and during the time she was on them I got better at expressing her bladder.

There's a free super easy website for resizing photos if your photo is too big.

http://www.online-image-editor.com

I'm not sure why your vet said expressing the bowel might hurt her. I wonder if he was concerned about handling her too much when she is supposed to be on crate rest. Here is a link to a video I did showing expressing my dog's bowel (I have done this with 3 dogs).

:arrow: :arrow: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17891

I am using the pinch method in this video and you can see it does not hurt, however the way I am holding her in the video would not work for your dog while she is on crate rest. The two methods I mentioned earlier (q-tip or ice cube) can be done with your dog lying down in her crate (or basket) if you keep the puppy pad under her. Expressing the bowel will help prevent UTI by keeping her bedding cleaner so her female area is not in contact with fecal bacteria. It just makes life nicer in every way really. :D She has peace of mind because her bed is clean, and you do, too. It may also cut down on your :wash: :laundry:
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