2 year old Frenchie- question

[Tikka]

Hello, so glad to have found this group... I've learned so much about IVDD since our 2 year old Frenchie lost the use of her back legs on Feburary 22. She went outside to go potty in our fenced yard and came in acting differently and by the next morning she could not use her back legs at all. We rushed her to the vet and she was put on conservative treament with all kinds of medications. She has made so much progress since in the last 5.5 weeks. She is no longer taking any medications and is doing great. She still is not standing on her own, but can bear weight on them with her legs bent. She has lots of movement and will kick/straiten both legs when we play/rub her toes and give her leg massages when she's lying down. Last week she started laying on her back on her own and wanting us to rub her belly like she used to before she went down She is starting to get rowdy like her old self and wants so badly to play. We have been doing PT with her at home. Every little change gives us hope she will walk again.

For those of you with dogs that are in recovery but still not standing or walking... do you keep them crated at all times or do you allow them to "drag" themselves around the house?

One leg seems stronger than the other, have any of you noticed that in your pets?

Do/did any of you use wheelchairs for the dog to move around until they can stand/walk on their own?

TIA for any info!

[Bobbie]

My own opinion is that at this point, you go to a wheelchair so that she'll be using her legs.

Some people will say to keep resting them but in fact the research on the subject shows that length of crate rest is not a factor in recovery or not.

I don't mean get a wheelchair and just let her run- you want to walk her so that she uses her legs in a walking pattern. It's the same kind of thing that happens in water treadmill.

See http://www.k9carts.com/rehabilitation

The key is to control the activity- don't let your dog either drag or use a cart freely until the injury has stabilized. But start encouraging normal walking.

If possible, get into a rehab therapist, too.

[critters]

It's not unusual for one leg to be weaker than the other with a spinal cord injury. Being up and around, in the manner like Bobbie describes, NOT letting them just run amok and do whatever they want, has always served my monsters well, but only 1 of mine has ever been completely "down" while in my house.

[Tikka]

Thank you... We ordered her a wheelchair and will continue rehab.