Anything else we should be trying?

[Gnasher]

I am still struggling to get Gnasher back on his feet. He has the strength to lift himself from a sit to a stand (if we put his legs in the right place) and can hold his weight for a short time - although needs help with balancing or he will fall over - usually onto his left side as his left leg has less feeling and is weaker.

We had been using hydro treadmill but things went badly wrong and he ended up very scared of the water so we are now dry treadmilling him at home every day in the hope that will stimulate him to start using his back legs. He has some feeling in both of his feet and all the work has increased the strength of his legs so he is now reasonably strong - but just does not seem to realise he can use his legs and I find it very difficult to motivate him to try. He does not have a cart but I do take him out using a sling and all too often he just allows his legs to drag along behind him without making any effort to use them at all.

So - any other ideas or things we can try - he has tons of potential - but I need to make him realise that somehow??

[puremutt]

I guess we need more info: how old is he and did you go to the vet, is this a medical condition.
the sling was the first thing I thought of.
When my dog came out of paralysis his hind legs didn't work, it took months with help from a sling and step by step short walks.

[CarolC]

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

Well, I must say, you are very dedicated. I did this with a smaller dog, I am trying to picture doing this with a large dog. You are putting a LOT of effort into this. What I'd like to suggest...you yourself are going to need a break unless you are a tower of strength that can go and go and go. Even if you are not doing the underwater treadmill, do you hopefully trust the PT folks to do land exercises or other therapy? Perhaps you can still do that. I feel you need the support of a team, because this is a larger dog and he has a unique case where you can't necessarily predict how he will do. Their experience and feedback could be of value. It is harder for you to be 1) doing all this by yourself without feedback or moral support 2) doing it without any assurance of how much can be accomplished 3) doing it without a break for yourself physically. I would suggest that if you can afford it, you might want to still take him for PT sessions on a schedule you feel is appropriate, to help him and to help keep you going. It took 9 months for my dog to begin to walk, I did the first 5 months of PT by myself with no professional support. I couldn't believe what a psychological lift it was for me to be able to let someone else give her PT. With your treadmill and the therapy exercises you are doing, he is getting his excellent therapy at home, no question. But going someplace else refreshes you, and doing the PT a little differently ("mixing it up" as my dog's therapist says) by varying the routine may help keep him motivated. I hope I'm not saying the wrong thing for your situation, I'm only saying PT helps the owner as well as the dog.

The situation of being scared of the treadmill...I would ask for the details on what happened, and get it straight from the therapist, not secondhand. You need to be satisfied there wasn't some kind of error, but rather just an upset. If you are satisfied the PT facility is safe and professional, I would probably try to work through the current scaredness? For example, if you schedule him for several PT sessions, at each session he can be reintroduced to it a little more. Put him in and close the door and take him out and give him a treat, then do only land exercises. Next time same thing with a little water, then take him out. If he's OK, next time water plus start the motor...something like that? My own dog was scared of the treadmill. The first time or two she was in for 5 minutes, then 10, then 15, and they built her up gradually. One time when the water level was up, she was so scared she was panting and hyperventilating and we had to stop it and take her out and comfort her. However, once she became confident about it, she eventually begain squealing with anticipation when we drove over there. You know, the treadmill is really good therapy. The PT place probably values having paying clients and might be able to work with you, for example let you stay in the room during his session. Does any of this sound like it might help...?

[Gnasher]

Sorry should have given you a bit more info really!

Gnasher is a 10 (ish) yearl old collie terrier cross - fortunately he is not too big (weighs around 12kg) which I know makes life an awful lot easier than if he was a bigger dog. I have got decent muscles now from carrying him round a fair bit too

He was treated badly by his first owners and came to me at the age of three with some back pain which was treated with acupuncture and kept under control for a fair few years. Then he started to show signs of nerve damage and drag his feet which got worse and worse. MRI scans showed several damaged discs and he had surgery 12 months ago to remove the damaged discs and plate his spine to stabalise it. He recovered well from the surgery and built up his fitness levels until the start of this year when he stopped wanting to do much and stopped walking. Eventually diagnosed as thyroid problems which is now treated and he has his energy back but has lost his walking ability and we have been struggling ever since.

Thanks Carol we are still seeing a specialist rehab centre - but they are quite a distance so really only feasible to go there on a monthly basis. It is the local hydro place and physio who messed things up and made him so scared and I am afraid I no longer trust them at all which is why we have bought the treadmill and switched to doing everything at home. I did try to work through things with them when he started to get worried but I think they lacked the experience of dealing with a dog with his level of disability and just continued to compound the problems - looking back I am sure I would have been better to call a halt to the local hydro earlier than I did I know what you mean about someone else being like a breath of fresh air - and the distance place is exactly like that.

[CarolC]

Ahhh, that's good about the weight. When I hear "collie" I think Lassie! Glad you are still going to the other facility. I think massaging the legs and feet would probably help a little, but it sounds like your program is really good already. "Sticktoitiveness" may play a major role here... After a number of months with no obvious results, I had to tell myself, "Oh well, the PT is good for her whether she walks or not." But then later when I'd long since given up, she surprised both of us!

[Gnasher]

Thanks Carol - I think we may have very slight progress in the form of some attempts at stepping some of the time with his stronger leg when he is on his sling. A bit early for full celebration but hopefully a step in the right direction.

I think the collie thing must be a UK difference over here it is more likely to mean border collie (sheepdog) as they are far more numerous over here.

This is me and my lad

[CarolC]

Oh, he's cute! He's an armful for sure, but not so big that you can't manage, I'm glad of that. Very true about the progress. I like to celebrate the little signs, as they add up to bigger things.

[Gnasher]

We have now been dry treadmilling him for a month and have had out first review back at the specialists. They were really pleased with the stength he has gained and the progress he has made and say it is the progress they were really expecting but never got when we were going to the local hydro and physio places.

We have been treadmilling him twice a day and need to continue that and increase the time up to two four minute sessions each time. Our next review at the specialists is in a month.

Suddenly I am feeling a lot more optimistic that we will get there

[Christine]

What a great update....the fact that you are feeling so much more optimistic and happy rubs off on him - it's just this wonderful cycle of goodness. The patience it has taken to get him on that treadmill is paying off. So, so happy for you!

[CarolC]

That is fantastic! And you know what, it is encouraging for people who do not live close to an underwater treadmill facility. GOOD JOB! Thanks for sharing the good news!!!

[Gnasher]

I took Gnasher back to my local vets on Tuesday for an acupuncture session and he was impressed by the improvement in muscle tone since he last saw him a month ago so hopefully things are still moving in the right direction.

He is now stepping quite strongly with his right leg at least some of the time when on his sling (more often when we are crossing road for some reason? so we tend to cross more roads than we used to ) and a few times he has also started to step with his left leg which is the weaker one.

We have had a few days when he has not wanted to do his treadmill sessions and have had to back off slightly - but building up again and now starting to increase the times again.

We are back to see the distant specialist on 7th December to see what they think!

[Christine]

Good job, guys! Happy Thanksgiving!

[Gnasher]

Back to the specialists yesterday for another review. Again they felt that Gnasher was stronger and now has everything in place to be able to walk - but he needs to decide for himself that he can

We are continuing to treadmill him ourselves - usually twice a day, each time for two 4.5 minute sessions. We have got over the blip of a few weeks ago and he is now usually happy to go on the treadmill and do his work

[Bobbie]

Is there a possibility of getting a cart? When you always have to help with a sling, the dog may feel dependent on you and not realize he can try on his own. A cart in walking position lets him regain independence and start using those legs.

[Gnasher]

Thanks - a big part of the reason I have not got him a cart is the layout of both my garden and my mums garden, both of which have steps and don't really have big areas he would be able to wander round in with a cart so I am really not sure he would get much benefit from it?

As well as the treadmilling and sling walking we also do sit to stand practice and (with the help of carefully placed biscuits) we also do practice where he stands up and I support him underneath and move his legs forward towards the biscuit I sometime feel like my whole life is structured around his physio