Tetraparesis following disc herniation in neck

[Arthur'sMom]

I am so glad to have found this site and hope to hear from others with any similar situations and words of advice or encouragement.

Last Monday (almost two weeks ago), I came home to find my 11 year old, 45 lb dog Arthur stumbling around and losing proprioception. I wish I had rushed him to the vet right then, but I waited until the next morning. By then, he couldn't move at all- he just laid flat as a board. They quickly diagnosed a slipped disc in his neck and started trying medical treatment, but by Thursday they decided it was time to send him to a specialist. He went to a board certified surgeon, the best in our state, where an MRI confirmed there was a cervical disc herniation causing spinal cord compression. Arthur still had deep pain sensation, so the surgeon believed there was a very good chance he would do well if we operated. The surgery was done Friday morning- the ruptured disc material was removed until the doctor could see the spinal cord well (he said it didn't look bad), and all of the other cervical disc spaces were fenestrated. After the procedure the doctor called to say it went well and if Arthur still had deep pain the next morning he should recover. The next morning I was told he did have deep pain, so I was of course ecstatic. I would never have put an 11 year old (who already had pretty significant arthritis) through a surgery he wasn't expected to make a recovery from.

We are 8 days post-op. Arthur has made some tiny improvements- he can lift and hold his head up (though he gets wobbly and tired very quickly) and is trying his best to sit up/sternal (not quite happening yet). He has good moments, but overall he is tired and frustrated and often in pain. We are switching from Deramaxx to a steroid (pred) tonight in hopes he will respond better.

His surgeon isn't terribly worried about his progress yet, he said at his age it may just take a lot of time and PT (we started laser therapy and acupuncture this week and will start water therapy as soon as they think he has enough limb movement to do it), but I am having a HARD time staying positive. This isn't easy on me or on Arthur- I live alone and am doing everything for a 45 lb dog! Of course he is worth it, but I am wondering if this was a selfish call to make at his age. I don't know that he has the "fight" in him or the right disposition to push himself through this.

Anyone else have experience with an older, bigger dog/dog who already had arthritis,
who went down on all 4 from a neck injury?? Any words of advice or encouragement? Thanks in advance.

[Arthur'sMom]

Also- there is NO proprioception at all, his knuckles just drag if you put his feet to the floor. Can't stand at all, and can barely lie sternal with assistance (and with his back legs out to one side). There's at least this: he still runs in his dreams he gets into a deep sleep and will huff and puff and make tiny barks while his little paws go crazy. That's probably when he's happiest :/

[Bobbie]

It's too early to know how well he will do, but don't lose hope. Proprioception is the first thing to go and the last thing to come back, so it's not a measure of recovery to have none now. Therapy will help with that and the rehab therapist should also be able to give you some idea of how he'll do.

Make sure he is off the Deramaxx before the Pred is added (not the next dose- there needs to be a washout period for the NSAID before a steroid is used or the chance of ulcers increases greatly.) Tramadol should help him with pain through the switch.

[Arthur'sMom]

Yes, the surgeon made sure I gave him 72 hours in between his last dose of Deramaxx and his first dose of prednisone (so we start tonight). The rehab specialist did tell me proprioception would be the last thing to come back. I don't necessarily expect a 100% or even 90% recovery, the PT said a realistic goal for him is to get him functional again, at least able to move around the house and outside to go to the bathroom.

I am hoping to run into someone else with experience with an older dog who was down on all 4 for a few weeks and was able to recover function-- mostly just looking for encouragement at this point

[slshepherds]

Welcome, but sorry you need to be here.

I'm a rehab certified vet tech and my passion is "big down dogs". I have worked with several dogs who all they could do when I first met them was lift their heads. Some of these pups bounced back within days, others took months, and unfortunately some never regained function. Two in particular I have very fond memories of. Both could only move their heads, neither had proprioception in any of their legs ... both walked/ran out of rehab several months later, one, a guide dog, able to return to his job. I spent many hours working with these guys. From general hygiene and care (the most important thing for a down dog), to massage and range of motion, floating in the underwater treadmill (we put these guys in the UWTM before they had any use of their legs as a) it made them feel better and b) often even dogs that can't do anything on land will do some kicking and movement in water) and assisted standing/ambulation on a therapy ball then in a hoist while I patterned their gait I become a surrogate owner to both.

I have 3 paraplegics myself and the neurologist I use always tells me that there is nothing that is black and white. I never give up until there is no hope and quality of life is an issue. I adopted two of my paraplegics over a year ago now and in the past few months both are starting to use their legs, one, Tiny, no longer needing his cart. The third, Carl, has gone the other way, losing the little function that he had, but that's ok, he's still very happy and has a great quality of life (he's not called "Crazy Carl" for nothing!).

It's still quite early for Arthur. Is he at home or do you have him in rehab? If he's at home, be sure to keep turning him, and try to do some interesting things. After a few days lying down not able to move these guys can start to get depressed/bored.

Wishing you the best
joanne

[Arthur'sMom]

Thank you for your reply. He is at home but goes in for laser therapy, acupuncture, and PT a few times a week.
They didn't think he was ready for the water yet but after reading that I may ask them to try anyway. I do turn him, keep him clean, and do stretches a few times a day. It's hard to do a lot else because its just me, with no second person to help. He is definitely getting tired of bring down! When he's awake he's almost constantly working to sit up (he can sit up sphinx style on his own and hold it for a few seconds before getting tired. Also when he needs to poop he works the hardest to get up. Last night he even drew his back legs in, I think attempting to get them under him & get up. It seems there is some small new thing he does almost daily so I am hoping time and PT do the trick.