Hi, My name is Cindi. I am new to this forum so please forgive me if I am not posting correctly.
I have a 12yr old Schnauzer Jessie. She has always been the most loving and playful dog in the world.
9 weeks ago, she stopped walking apparently because of a degenerative disc problem.
She was initially on Steroids, pain killer and muscle relaxer, but it was beginning to give her stomach problems, so we have stopped the medication.
I have been taking her to a specialist once a week. She gets spinal adjustments, accupuncture and is now starting underwater treadmill therapy.
It breaks my heart to see her this way. She doesnt have the strength to stand or even sit up. All she does is lay in her bed and stare into the sky, or sleep. I feel like she is starting to get depressed and bored.
Any suggestions on what I can do to play with her or lift her spirits at all?? Please help!
Schnauzer can no longer walk, seems depressed.
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cricketsmom
- Posts: 86
- Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:04 pm
- Location: Nebraska
Re: Schnauzer can no longer walk, seems depressed.
Hi Cindi! 
We're glad you found us!
Sounds like you are on the right track doing therapy. Not sure if it's what you're looking for, but these are my thoughts... If she can still move at least a pair of legs, there are carts to support back legs, front legs, or all four legs. If that's an option for her, I'm sure having some mobility would lift her spirits a bit. Other thoughts would be to just take her anywhere you can. Take her with you in the car if you have a short errand or go for a ride just because... carry her for walk around the neighborhood or the park, or maybe even get her a pet stroller to ride around in... sit outside with her for a while so she can enjoy the sunshine...watch animal planet together. lol. My own dogs don't have health problems (just my cat), but it makes them happy to be involved in whatever it is I'm doing, so I hope that sort of thing would appeal to her as well. And try not to be too depressed yourself. Dogs know when we're down... Hope this helps!
We're glad you found us!Sounds like you are on the right track doing therapy. Not sure if it's what you're looking for, but these are my thoughts... If she can still move at least a pair of legs, there are carts to support back legs, front legs, or all four legs. If that's an option for her, I'm sure having some mobility would lift her spirits a bit. Other thoughts would be to just take her anywhere you can. Take her with you in the car if you have a short errand or go for a ride just because... carry her for walk around the neighborhood or the park, or maybe even get her a pet stroller to ride around in... sit outside with her for a while so she can enjoy the sunshine...watch animal planet together. lol. My own dogs don't have health problems (just my cat), but it makes them happy to be involved in whatever it is I'm doing, so I hope that sort of thing would appeal to her as well. And try not to be too depressed yourself. Dogs know when we're down... Hope this helps!
vet tech and pet mom
Re: Schnauzer can no longer walk, seems depressed.
I definitely agree on the pet stroller. I'm sorry, I have a lot of questions, if you don't mind. Where is the disk problem, is it in her neck or her back? Are her front legs affected? How does she do on the treadmill? Which pain reliever was she on? And what kind of steroids?
Re: Schnauzer can no longer walk, seems depressed.
I would not suggest spinal adjustments with a disk problem.
Bobbie Mayer
"Corgis on Wheels: Understanding and Caring for the Special Needs of Corgis with Degenerative Myelopathy or DIsk Disease available now!
http://www.corgiaid.org/cart/corgisonwheels
"Corgis on Wheels: Understanding and Caring for the Special Needs of Corgis with Degenerative Myelopathy or DIsk Disease available now!
http://www.corgiaid.org/cart/corgisonwheels
Re: Schnauzer can no longer walk, seems depressed.
@cricketsmom, Thank you so much... I sit with her a lot outside, but I live in TX and it is triple digit hot here right now... I do take her to a friends pool as often as I can to let her move her legs around in the water. I think she is undecided on if she likes that or not... lol~ getting her a dog stroller might be a good idea, I will have to look into some. I am hesitant to get her using any of the carts though because the vet seems very optomistic that she can still have a full recovery, and does not want her to start relying on the help of the carts. She actually can move all of her legs now, she just cant support weight on them, and she knuckles still unless if I hold her up and correct her.
@CarolC, I beleive the disc problem is in the neck, I think her initial knuckling and falling may have effected her hip and maybe even lower back, (just my guess) so both the back and front legs cannot support her weight. She did excellent on the treadmill. She walked for a full minute the first try, and 30 seconds the second try. then the vet helped her with some stretches and core strengthening exercises. She was on Predinsone, Tramadol & Methocarbamol.
@Bobbie, Hmmmmm... Ok, thank you! I will ask the doc about that, but it was suggested first by her original vet and is now being done by the specialist.
Thanks everyone for your input, it is very much appreciated!
@CarolC, I beleive the disc problem is in the neck, I think her initial knuckling and falling may have effected her hip and maybe even lower back, (just my guess) so both the back and front legs cannot support her weight. She did excellent on the treadmill. She walked for a full minute the first try, and 30 seconds the second try. then the vet helped her with some stretches and core strengthening exercises. She was on Predinsone, Tramadol & Methocarbamol.
@Bobbie, Hmmmmm... Ok, thank you! I will ask the doc about that, but it was suggested first by her original vet and is now being done by the specialist.
Thanks everyone for your input, it is very much appreciated!
Re: Schnauzer can no longer walk, seems depressed.
Hi Cindi,
It is hard to know how to reply here. I was not surprised when you said all 4 legs were affected. There have been several quadriplegic Schnauzers here, to the point that I once began to wonder if it was something about Schnauzers, they just seemed over-represented.
I should have asked if your dog is a standard Schnauzer, or miniature...it seems like most of the quadriplegic schnauzers have been miniature, but then I imagine there are more miniature Schnauzers in the dog population in general. I cannot tell from what you say if this is a definite diagnosis, it sounds like maybe it is not? You mention her initial knuckling, did this come on gradually or did it just kind develop more suddenly? It is certainly reasonable to think there might be degenerative disks in a 12-year old dog. It's a shame you had to take her off the medication. They often recommend giving a stomach protectant like Pepcid a/c with prednisone. An older dog's stomach can be more delicate anyway. But going back to the diagnosis, is there also a chance this was an FCE (spinal stroke)? If your dog is not in pain (in her neck) then it seems a little less likely it was a disk, as neck problems tend to be painful. I'm not even sure about the suggestion of the stroller. If she really does have a disk problem in her neck, I would not want to recommend any activity that would strain her neck, such as bouncing along over a bumpy sidewalk in a stroller. Did the therapist give you any exercises to do with her at home, such as range of motion? And is she able to turn herself, or are you turning her? It is kind of an old wives tale that dogs become dependent on carts, that turns out not to be the case. However, right now she would need a 4-wheel cart, and I'm not sure what size she is, it is probably just as effective (or more so) to help her walk by supporting her with a sling/harness, if she's not too big and you can manage. I'm sorry I have so many questions, just trying to get a picture of what you are dealing with, I hope she's a miniature.
It is hard to know how to reply here. I was not surprised when you said all 4 legs were affected. There have been several quadriplegic Schnauzers here, to the point that I once began to wonder if it was something about Schnauzers, they just seemed over-represented.
I should have asked if your dog is a standard Schnauzer, or miniature...it seems like most of the quadriplegic schnauzers have been miniature, but then I imagine there are more miniature Schnauzers in the dog population in general. I cannot tell from what you say if this is a definite diagnosis, it sounds like maybe it is not? You mention her initial knuckling, did this come on gradually or did it just kind develop more suddenly? It is certainly reasonable to think there might be degenerative disks in a 12-year old dog. It's a shame you had to take her off the medication. They often recommend giving a stomach protectant like Pepcid a/c with prednisone. An older dog's stomach can be more delicate anyway. But going back to the diagnosis, is there also a chance this was an FCE (spinal stroke)? If your dog is not in pain (in her neck) then it seems a little less likely it was a disk, as neck problems tend to be painful. I'm not even sure about the suggestion of the stroller. If she really does have a disk problem in her neck, I would not want to recommend any activity that would strain her neck, such as bouncing along over a bumpy sidewalk in a stroller. Did the therapist give you any exercises to do with her at home, such as range of motion? And is she able to turn herself, or are you turning her? It is kind of an old wives tale that dogs become dependent on carts, that turns out not to be the case. However, right now she would need a 4-wheel cart, and I'm not sure what size she is, it is probably just as effective (or more so) to help her walk by supporting her with a sling/harness, if she's not too big and you can manage. I'm sorry I have so many questions, just trying to get a picture of what you are dealing with, I hope she's a miniature.