Basset Hound with IVDD ... Need some help please!

[SianG]

Hi there

After reading loads of comments on this page, I feel a whole lot more at ease with regards to my Basset Hound. If anyone could assist with some information I'd appreciate it immensely.

My Bilbo was diagnosed with IVDD at the end of March 2013 and he was operated on immediately. He was doing fine until infection set in and was in hospital for close on two weeks. We were told that there was no guarantee that he'd walk again, but that in most cases, they recover fully after a while.

When we took Bilbo in, he was swaying sort of like a drunkard would walk, and that's when we knew there was something seriously wrong. But at least he could "sway" to get himself from point A to Point B before falling down. Heartbreaking when you saw it, but he had that movement.
When he got home, he had no movement in his hind legs at all. He could hardly drag himself out of his little bed. We had to drag him on a blanket to get him out and do his business ... which although he could do on his own, needed help from us to get him in the standing position. At first we used diapers during the evening to prevent him from becoming wet when he needed to go. We also needed to express him at first, but that was fine after a couple days.

We took him to doggy rehab, where they helped him with water aerobics, treadmill exercises and also acupuncture. He was there for around 2 months, and he's home again.
He has improved considerably, being able to drag himself on our tiled floors at least.
Also, his little legs do kick and he can now walk ONLY if assisted. We tried using a hind leg assist, but he tends to let us hold all the weight when he's in this, so we've opted to assist him by holding his tail when he walks. When we do this, his legs do the walking ... motion of walking and everything, but once you let go of his tail, he gives one step and then falls down.

Logic tells me that if he's able to do this, there must be some brain to leg function, right?

We're thinking of getting him a wheel chair so that he can scoot around again, because it's so heartbreaking seeing him watch the other dogs run around in the garden, but he's unable to join in. However, we've been told that we should wait a while before getting wheels, as these will just make him lazy to try walking on his own again.

My question really is to the pet owners out there who have had dogs with IVDD ... are the signs above positive enough to assume that he will walk on his own again in due course?
I don't want to get him wheels if there is hope and he'll recover, but at the same time, I don't want him to be frustrated as I sure he is right now, in not being able to run around with the pack.
He is happy and wags his tail and is eating normally again (after he got out of hospital he wouldn't eat at all and lost a tremendous amount of weight. We had to force feed him just to get something into his body, and were very worried at one stage. But he's eating habits are 100 % fine again ... happy to say!!).

We're patiently giving him his walks every day and moving his hind legs with resistance exercises as well. It's been 3 1/2 months already, but at least there has been some improvement. How long should one give it before deciding what the next step is?

[critters]

Hi there

After reading loads of comments on this page, I feel a whole lot more at ease with regards to my Basset Hound. If anyone could assist with some information I'd appreciate it immensely.

My Bilbo was diagnosed with IVDD at the end of March 2013 and he was operated on immediately. He was doing fine until infection set in and was in hospital for close on two weeks. We were told that there was no guarantee that he'd walk again, but that in most cases, they recover fully after a while.

When we took Bilbo in, he was swaying sort of like a drunkard would walk, and that's when we knew there was something seriously wrong. But at least he could "sway" to get himself from point A to Point B before falling down. Heartbreaking when you saw it, but he had that movement.
When he got home, he had no movement in his hind legs at all. He could hardly drag himself out of his little bed. We had to drag him on a blanket to get him out and do his business ... which although he could do on his own, needed help from us to get him in the standing position. At first we used diapers during the evening to prevent him from becoming wet when he needed to go. We also needed to express him at first, but that was fine after a couple days.

We took him to doggy rehab, where they helped him with water aerobics, treadmill exercises and also acupuncture. He was there for around 2 months, and he's home again.
He has improved considerably, being able to drag himself on our tiled floors at least.
Also, his little legs do kick and he can now walk ONLY if assisted. We tried using a hind leg assist, but he tends to let us hold all the weight when he's in this, so we've opted to assist him by holding his tail when he walks. When we do this, his legs do the walking ... motion of walking and everything, but once you let go of his tail, he gives one step and then falls down.

Logic tells me that if he's able to do this, there must be some brain to leg function, right?Yes. If there weren't, he wouldn't be able to stand or step at all. It sounds to me like he's not strong enough to carry his body weight yet. Can you do hydrotherapy (swimming) with him?

We're thinking of getting him a wheel chair so that he can scoot around again, because it's so heartbreaking seeing him watch the other dogs run around in the garden, but he's unable to join in. However, we've been told that we should wait a while before getting wheels, as these will just make him lazy to try walking on his own again.I disagree. Humans use walkers and wheelchairs before they're able to walk again on their own, and it can be seriously motivating. In my experience, critters tend to find a way to do it if they're able.

My question really is to the pet owners out there who have had dogs with IVDD ... are the signs above positive enough to assume that he will walk on his own again in due course?I wouldn't assume, but I'd take it day by day and see what happens.
I don't want to get him wheels if there is hope and he'll recover, but at the same time, I don't want him to be frustrated as I sure he is right now, in not being able to run around with the pack.Sure, there's plenty of hope he'll recover, but I'd try wheels. I expect it'd be really motivating for him to run around again.
He is happy and wags his tail and is eating normally again (after he got out of hospital he wouldn't eat at all and lost a tremendous amount of weight. We had to force feed him just to get something into his body, and were very worried at one stage. But he's eating habits are 100 % fine again ... happy to say!!).

We're patiently giving him his walks every day and moving his hind legs with resistance exercises as well. It's been 3 1/2 months already, but at least there has been some improvement. How long should one give it before deciding what the next step is?

[Bobbie]

Get the wheelchair, but keep his feet down in walking position (except when on rough surfaces like pavement or gravel) and encourage walking where the back legs move. For my corgi, that tends to be best on things like uphill hikes and through grass.

The problem is that legs moving in a walking motion is the last thing to go with a spinal cord injury. First loss is proprioception- the ability to know where in space his feet are. So it sounds like he has motor control (which is pretty much automatic) but no proprioception. going "Barefoot" walking in the cart may help him regain proprioception. It will definitely help him exercise his legs much more than you can with a sling. And if he doesn't walk without a cart again, he'll still be mobile and active and happy.