what are views of vets in US about a dogs whose muscles are wasting so they can't walk? Do you get told you have to have the dog PTS? or they report you for cruelty? Is there any way to rebuild muscle?
I'm not sure where UK vets stand but I've got a new vet who insists on visiting Inca everytime I order a repeat prescription of previcox. We need home visits as the surgery isn't accessible to me so each bill is around £200 a time. She has no muscle in her back legs though and all her hip bones around her bum area are really visible, her waist looks smaller making her chest area look bigger though I dress her in jumpers so that doesn't look as bad. I'm worried vet will suggest to have her PTS. I've told them she has a cart though I'm gonna have to pretend its broken as she can no longer stand in it (in case they ask to see her in it) and needs the quad cart, but planning to tell them I've ordered a new one and she walks round house and garden all day in it and has happily adjusted.
Other than her muscle loss she is happy and alert and eating well. I've got a treadmill coming next week as she can walk on front legs when holding her up with sling, though my mobility difficulties make this difficult to do but on a treadmill I can sit at side of her supporting her back end while she exercises her front legs and builds up strength in front half of her body. I'm not sure if there's a way to tie her back legs to her front so when her opposite front paw moves the back leg will move forwards as it would naturally? probably too late for that at this stage? (her legs just hang down) Shame I didn't think of it before but I listened to people on UK sites too much whose solution is to put a dog to sleep as soon as it can't walk. (even if mentally active and COULD have a good quality of life still if owner was unselfish enough to give up a few things to be home for them and get what the dog needs).
I'm kicking myself now for not thinking of the treadmill idea sooner as she may still have been able to manage the regular cart? .. but maybe if trained everyday all winter on treadmill she maybe able to go from quad cart to using it as a regular cart again by next summer? I'd be getting the blue carts shown on adverts on this site so the front part could be removed if could get her front strong enough for a regular cart again.
muscle wasting
Re: muscle wasting
JaynTinks wrote:what are views of vets in US about a dogs whose muscles are wasting so they can't walk? Do you get told you have to have the dog PTS? Some vets are more supportive of caring for disabled pets than others, but nowadays there seems to be more support than not. It has changed a lot in the past 10 years. I think there are still some vets, probably a minority at this point, who automatically think there is no quality of life and the pet should be put down. or they report you for cruelty? No, the only time someone gets reported in the US is usually actual abuse, or severe neglect (not feeding) or hoarding. Is there any way to rebuild muscle? Yes, through physical therapy, but I do would think when the dog is to a certain age it is like humans, they may not be up to a lot of exercise, nothing strenuous. They have old hearts and old lungs and arthritis. If you can construct a PT program that is appropriate for the individual dog you might be able to build up, but on the other hand if there are heart issues that will limit what can be done.
I'm not sure where UK vets stand but I've got a new vet who insists on visiting Inca everytime I order a repeat prescription of previcox. We need home visits as the surgery isn't accessible to me so each bill is around £200 a time. She has no muscle in her back legs though and all her hip bones around her bum area are really visible, The issue with this is she is more susceptible to pressure sores. So getting her into a cart to help her circulation and get the pressure off her bony hips will be a good thing, even if she does not walk a lot. her waist looks smaller making her chest area look bigger though I dress her in jumpers so that doesn't look as bad. I'm worried vet will suggest to have her PTS. I've told them she has a cart though I'm gonna have to pretend its broken as she can no longer stand in it (in case they ask to see her in it) and needs the quad cart, but planning to tell them I've ordered a new one and she walks round house and garden all day in it and has happily adjusted. I guess you'll have to see how much she can walk around the house in the new cart. My dog could not really get around much without a tug, but he enjoyed being in the standing position.
Other than her muscle loss she is happy and alert and eating well. I've got a treadmill coming next week as she can walk on front legs when holding her up with sling, though my mobility difficulties make this difficult to do but on a treadmill I can sit at side of her supporting her back end while she exercises her front legs and builds up strength in front half of her body. I'm not sure if there's a way to tie her back legs to her front so when her opposite front paw moves the back leg will move forwards as it would naturally?
Yes! The Biko brace. Exactly what you say. AND you can use it WITH a cart. It's brilliant! Here are links:
http://www.bikomobility.com/
http://www.vetinst.com/pages.php?pageid=62
probably too late for that at this stage? (her legs just hang down) Shame I didn't think of it before but I listened to people on UK sites too much whose solution is to put a dog to sleep as soon as it can't walk. (even if mentally active and COULD have a good quality of life still if owner was unselfish enough to give up a few things to be home for them and get what the dog needs).
I'm kicking myself now for not thinking of the treadmill idea sooner as she may still have been able to manage the regular cart? .. but maybe if trained everyday all winter on treadmill she maybe able to go from quad cart to using it as a regular cart again by next summer? I'd be getting the blue carts shown on adverts on this site so the front part could be removed if could get her front strong enough for a regular cart again. Well, you can see how she progresses. I tend to think there's no cure for old age, but on the other hand there are stories of the occasional human who was in pitiful shape in old age and worked their way back to being a true athlete, so maybe a dog could, too. Like you say, maybe we don't really know what a dog can do because we so infrequently give them enough support to find out.
Re: muscle wasting
I've been watching those videos and it looks like she could have done with one of those from the start but her legs just hang down now if she's in cart she doesn't take steps with them or move hips in appropriate motion for moving back legs.
I've never heard of arthritis causing paralysis and though she may have had symptoms of arthritis originally her back legs look more like that of a dog thats got CDRM. I've been told she has German Shepherd in her cross. (she's crossbreed and I had a DNA test done once).
I think the treadmill thing is worth trying I got one anyway so my younger dog can get his exercise when we get snowed in as I use a mobility scooter so unable to walk him when roads are covered with snow and ice. I got a human one as they're cheaper but found one same length as the Dog Tread Medium so he has plenty of space to get into his stride to have a good trot on it.
Inca will go on a slower walking pace, I'll see what the slowest pace is when it arrives. A couple of short sessions a day I think as if she had just walked down the road and back, maybe 5 mins and build up. She can also just stand in it. I have a little bean cube footstool thingy that is perfect height to put her puzzles on in front of her when she's stood in her cart...maybe a couple of 15 mins standing sessions a day?
10 yrs ago I was given the prognosis that I'd be quadriplegic by now. I discovered Passive training (or Forced Exercise) Theory that was being used with some patients who had Dystonia as part of their Parkinsons and its reduced my involuntary movements and I still have functional use of my arms can still type and keep them steady enough to use crutches for a short time. My Neuro is amazed I'm still living independently and managed to train 2 dogs up to help me (Inca was my original hearing dog too before my symptoms started). I do as much as I can to keep her active mentally and physically everyday as I believe being disabled is NOT the end of the world, but I know many people think they wouldn't want to live 'like that' so wouldn't expect their dogs to either. If she was confused and unhappy and on her own all day cos I had to go to work or didn't want to stay at home or give up my social life for her then it would be different! ..but my life revolves around physio anyway! (mine and hers!) and Jay's (my younger collie) assistance dog training.
I've never heard of arthritis causing paralysis and though she may have had symptoms of arthritis originally her back legs look more like that of a dog thats got CDRM. I've been told she has German Shepherd in her cross. (she's crossbreed and I had a DNA test done once).
I think the treadmill thing is worth trying I got one anyway so my younger dog can get his exercise when we get snowed in as I use a mobility scooter so unable to walk him when roads are covered with snow and ice. I got a human one as they're cheaper but found one same length as the Dog Tread Medium so he has plenty of space to get into his stride to have a good trot on it.
Inca will go on a slower walking pace, I'll see what the slowest pace is when it arrives. A couple of short sessions a day I think as if she had just walked down the road and back, maybe 5 mins and build up. She can also just stand in it. I have a little bean cube footstool thingy that is perfect height to put her puzzles on in front of her when she's stood in her cart...maybe a couple of 15 mins standing sessions a day?
10 yrs ago I was given the prognosis that I'd be quadriplegic by now. I discovered Passive training (or Forced Exercise) Theory that was being used with some patients who had Dystonia as part of their Parkinsons and its reduced my involuntary movements and I still have functional use of my arms can still type and keep them steady enough to use crutches for a short time. My Neuro is amazed I'm still living independently and managed to train 2 dogs up to help me (Inca was my original hearing dog too before my symptoms started). I do as much as I can to keep her active mentally and physically everyday as I believe being disabled is NOT the end of the world, but I know many people think they wouldn't want to live 'like that' so wouldn't expect their dogs to either. If she was confused and unhappy and on her own all day cos I had to go to work or didn't want to stay at home or give up my social life for her then it would be different! ..but my life revolves around physio anyway! (mine and hers!) and Jay's (my younger collie) assistance dog training.
Re: muscle wasting
I've just been reading about forced exercise. Think I am going to read some more tomorrow. Interesting.