Hi,
I am new to this board, but it looks like a great place. Having a little difficulty finding things. I have a 7 yr old Old English Sheepdog who came down with a severe spinal inflamation. Many $K later there is still no explanation as to why it happened, or a firm diagnosis.(The neurologist is suppose to be one of the best in the country). Steroid treatment seems to have helped.
When we initially found Zoe she was completely paralyzed from the waist down. Things were progressing somewhat along when she got an infection and could not have any PT at all for over a month. She now has feeling all the way down to the toes. We have her up and walking to a degree with a sling. (The kind that you put there legs through and gives them hip support). My biggest problem is her crossing her rear legs and getting "stuck". We have an inground pool and I make her swim every day, but once agan her legs get crossed and she gets stuck. Any advice on the best way to help her with this crossing over? Are there any good videos on doing PT on this site and how do I get there?
Because of the infection she got use to bein carried around with the sling and now has a tendency to "hop" with her rear legs, any good ways to help correct this.
She is also toe rolling, which I guess is something that will correct itself over time.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Karen
Need help with physical therapy
Re: Need help with physical therapy
when you get in the water, can you help her to stretch - flex and extend gently all joints - start with smallest ; ankle and work up to kneee - bend slowly to farthest point, hold couple seconds , release. afte rshe is limbered up, try to get her to walk, not swim. i think water walking would help her. Maybe even put on leash and walk with her in the pool? So she walks instead of swim? you should take a minute to coll down after also; if possiblew. redo the beginning stretches.
Re: Need help with physical therapy
https://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/?title=Physical_therapy_for_paralysis
Hello. My dog Copper, had an FCE 10 months ago. He was paralyzed in his rear legs but has mostly recovered. The above link is helpful for exercises on land. We did a lot of stretching and massaging in addition to the exercises. We also were lucky enough to have a water treadmill nearby that he went to 2 or 3 times a week. Is there a place in the pool that is shallow enough for her to just walk in and touch the bottom but still have the support of the water up to her belly? You might try that as an alternative. When Copper started water treadmill, the therapist had to move his legs for him under the water to make sure he moved them properly. You might be able to try this too in your pool.
Copper also knuckled over for awhile and then just suddenly quit doing it. It was kind of wierd that it instantly corrected itself but very good! You might consider boots to protect her feet when she is knuckled over to prevent sores. I also straightened his feet out for him when he did it.
I'm not sure about the hopping tendency but I think if she improves her gait through therapy that may improve too. I also laid down obstacles that were only a few inches high and fairly close together and made Copper walk over them. I had to use a leash to keep him in my obstacle course. As he got better at doing it, I made the objects taller. He learned to pick his feet up higher this way.
Good luck with the therapy!
Jenn, Copper and Red Dog.
Hello. My dog Copper, had an FCE 10 months ago. He was paralyzed in his rear legs but has mostly recovered. The above link is helpful for exercises on land. We did a lot of stretching and massaging in addition to the exercises. We also were lucky enough to have a water treadmill nearby that he went to 2 or 3 times a week. Is there a place in the pool that is shallow enough for her to just walk in and touch the bottom but still have the support of the water up to her belly? You might try that as an alternative. When Copper started water treadmill, the therapist had to move his legs for him under the water to make sure he moved them properly. You might be able to try this too in your pool.
Copper also knuckled over for awhile and then just suddenly quit doing it. It was kind of wierd that it instantly corrected itself but very good! You might consider boots to protect her feet when she is knuckled over to prevent sores. I also straightened his feet out for him when he did it.
I'm not sure about the hopping tendency but I think if she improves her gait through therapy that may improve too. I also laid down obstacles that were only a few inches high and fairly close together and made Copper walk over them. I had to use a leash to keep him in my obstacle course. As he got better at doing it, I made the objects taller. He learned to pick his feet up higher this way.
Good luck with the therapy!
Jenn, Copper and Red Dog.
Copper's Page
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/664427
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/664427
Re: Need help with physical therapy
I agree on the stretching, the underwater treadmill if you have it available, and the leaning over and manually correcting the feet. Beyond that I don't think there is a lot you can do, she is going to have to learn to uncross her legs herself. My dog learned this during hydrotherapy. I used to try to imagine some kind of pillow or brace to put between my dog's knees to prevent crossing, I wish they would invent such a thing.
The crossing is also called scissoring. I like to call the situation where they get locked "hock lock". My dog did that for such a long time--months. She was learning to walk again and would be walking and would not only cross but cross and lock and down she'd go, then she'd be dragging. She eventually learned to uncross by herself with a lot of practice. I spent months running after her calling "Uncross! Uncross!" I know someone else who has a dog with the same problem and she says, "Fix your feet, fix your feet". It's just something we deal with. Sounds like you are doing well, though. If you have a place that offers pet PT, it might help to sign your dog up for some sessions, and ask the therapist to suggest any exercises that would help your dog specifically.
The crossing is also called scissoring. I like to call the situation where they get locked "hock lock". My dog did that for such a long time--months. She was learning to walk again and would be walking and would not only cross but cross and lock and down she'd go, then she'd be dragging. She eventually learned to uncross by herself with a lot of practice. I spent months running after her calling "Uncross! Uncross!" I know someone else who has a dog with the same problem and she says, "Fix your feet, fix your feet". It's just something we deal with. Sounds like you are doing well, though. If you have a place that offers pet PT, it might help to sign your dog up for some sessions, and ask the therapist to suggest any exercises that would help your dog specifically.