Carl Update :-( Any spinal walkers out there??

[slshepherds]

Carl is enrolled in the 4-AP / TBOC study for paralyzed dogs at NC State vet school and has shown some improvement (wagging his tail and standing more), although we don't know if this is related to the trial drugs or just natural variation or a result of the rehab I am doing.

Yesterday, while at the vet school for the trial we did some conduction testing to see if any signals were making it from Carl's brain to his legs - there was nothing Now having said this, because Carl can wag his tail, the neurologist said there has to be some conduction.

Given Carl is trying to stand more (a lot is him weight shifting and dragging his legs under him, but the intent is there) I was wondering about spinal walking. I know some dogs do this spontaneously, but is there any way to help/encourage it?

Joanne

[Joan]

I am so impressed by all that Carol did to help her dog regain the walking ability.

I have 2 that are spinal walking, one attempts the run, and though a bit awkward, he stays up and he can outrun me.

With both of our dogs that have rehabbed, I did it quite differently, but it worked!! I put them in the carts till they had a lot of muscle on the front end to help them. Then with just their back toes touching the ground (in the cart) I hooked up a sort of hobble device, similar to that which trotters use in racing. I used a velcro strap from the front left hooked just below the elbow, to the back right just below the knee. The right front was hooked up to the left rear the same way. Every they took a step on the front, it automatically pulled the opposing rear leg forward. had a strap around the middle with a ring to hold up the straps.

Casper, one of our older, more sensible pugs caught on fairly quickly, and once he started moving his back legs on his own (about a month) we kept him in the cart, but took the straps off, and just started letting the saddle down gradually so his muslces would build up, and he would gain his balance. Within 6 months, he never used the cart again, and has been walking for 3 yrs. now

Louie, a 4 yr old rescue pug, took a lot longer to get the idea and capability of moving the back legs. His nickname is Looney-tunes, and for good reason. He just wanted to run so bad, that he would not slow down enough to get the concentration needed. He built up muscle quickly, but everytime we took the straps off, he would just lift the back legs and run as fast as he could. Finally after nearly 18 months, he could walk, but still would start scooting when he got excited, which was often. It took a full 2 yrs in the cart with his hobbles, and walking a bit here and there, to graduate from the cart entirely. He has not used the cart for almost 2 yrs now. A bit of a long haul, but when we rescued him, a neurologist told us he had no deep pain sensation, and would never even lift his tail. I have a video of him running, wagging his curled up tail, and sent it to that neurologist!

Solomon our first rescue moved his legs right from the first in the cart. Try as we did, we could not get him to regian his balance for more than 3 or 4 steps. So I kind of gave up and he is happy as any senior pugs could be in his cart. Maybe I should have perservered more, I dont know. When we rescued him, the vets thought he would live for weeks, maybe months. So maybe Had I known they were wrong, i would have tried harder. He is coming up to his 5th anniversary with us in a few months.

Sarah, a rescue pug that was hit by a car, has a severed spinal cord, and after nearly 2 yrs, still absolutely no movement on the back legs. She is happy in her cart, and will probably stay there for good. So it does not work with all.

Peanut our latest rescue pug, is also still in her cart, but after a yr she is moving her legs well with no help while in the cart. She can walk a few steps at a time, it is a process!

My advice is to never give up. You have a young dog, and if he has the will, you can supply him with the way!!

Good luck to you, Hugs Joan

[connie]

cricket spinal walks and runs. took me 3 months to get him not to knuckle back feet and drag, just stand, 5 months he was standing, 10 months he was running. i still do his p.t. after all these years. he has spinal walking video's on www.youtube.com
just type in conniecpu video's to see. my vets are amazed by him. he can do everything except pee and jump.
he is so healthy and happy. it took lots of time, hard work , lot of strong will on cricket's part, but he wanted to stand, so he did. when my vets told me abou it, i never thought he could do so well at it. i am truly blessed.
we send hugs and doggie kisses to you and your fur baby. tell him to keep up the good work.
connie and cricket

[Diana R.]

My dog Jack spinal walks. He was born with partial paralysis of his hind legs. He basically dragged himself around when I got him at age 7 months and could not pull himself up the stoop in the back yard to get on the porch. He would usually urinate all over himself because he had trouble standing up. I initially got him a wheelchair and then had him in physical therapy (underwater treadmill). He had no deep pain sensation per my vet and the PT. With time, in a couple months he was walking, then running and didn't need the wheelchair. I put boots on his back feet to protect his pads but he continues to walk and is very strong. The vet told me he will eventually lose his mobility since the sheath around his spine is wearing away but I'll deal with that when the time comes. When I saw his old PT at a shelter event she said just keep walking him which is what I do. Good luck with Carl. I am glad you have him. Diana

[Shaz]

I hadn't seen this thread so thanks Esie for bringing it to my attention and everyone who has told their experiences.

I have been doing PT with Duchess and she can now stand on all 4 legs to eat and drink:) I saw her yesterday and today get to a standing position on her own, just for a second though. Her tail now wags, woohooooo.

Could one of you experienced people give me an opinion, please?

Originally Duchess had no bladder control, I would lift her and she would just go with a whoosh wherever she might be. I have had success only once and that was at the beginning , with the conventional squeezing method of expressing her.

Now, she stand on her Pee Pad and I pat her in "the area" and then she goes by herself. She pees a few seconds on her own and then I pat her again and so on.....maybe 7/8 times/4 times a day.

Is this an improvement or just another type of loss of control?

Thank you for listening!

Sharon x

[critters]

Now, she stand on her Pee Pad and I pat her in "the area" and then she goes by herself. She pees a few seconds on her own and then I pat her again and so on.....maybe 7/8 times/4 times a day.

Is this an improvement or just another type of loss of control?

Thank you for listening!

Sharon x

Hmm. I really can't say, but it sounds like an improvement to me...

[Shaz]

Thanks Critters, Hmmmm from here too but let's go with an improvement!:D