Post IVDD surgery 2 months
Post IVDD surgery 2 months
Hi I am new to this forum and after reading several of the posts I am grateful for the abundance of information. My dog had IVDD surgery about 2 months ago and according to his surgeon it was a very bad case. At the time when we brought him in he still had deep pain sensations in his hind legs but was paralyzed. Now since the surgery he is still paralyzed and has no DPS in his legs. He also needs to be expressed for urine and has no control of his bowels. During these weeks of his recovery we have been doing range of motion exercises with him 3x's a day and he has had a round of 10 laser treatments. We have also purchased a cart for him which he took to using with no problem. Lastly, we have just purchased a pool and have tried to begin hydrotherapy with him which he still has yet to get used to and relax in. While he hasn't made any big noticeable improvements, we have seen his energy level has improved a lot and some of the non-cognitive reflexes we have seen have gotten stronger. In addition we have seen some new non-cognitive reflexes develop which we hadn't noticed before. (such as he tail wags vigorously and remains wagging if touched or if he is stretching, his legs move and kick when he has a bowel movement in his cart, and his toes twitch if the hairs between his pads are touched). While we know these are just reflexes that are not being acknowledged by our dog, we are just wondering if they could be an indication that maybe he is starting to develop some improvement in his nerve regeneration?
Re: Post IVDD surgery 2 months
I would take it as a given that there is improvement, whether you are seeing obvious signs or not. Improvement is occurring very slowly in the background even though he may look much the same. It has been a long time since I have posted this article, and I'm not sure it's what you exactly need, but it helps to understand that regeneration really does occur.
http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... =10&t=4214
(Please excuse the old html from the old forum software, the source link was http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/saortho/chapter_65/65mast.htm.)
Also, I'm not sure what they may have told you, as different vets say different things. In my experience and the experience of other people on this board, healing continues for literally years. You may read or hear somewhere that at 3 months or 6 months or whatever, it's as good as it's going to get. If he isn't walking by (name your deadline) he isn't going to. But experience shows that drop dead dates are unrealistic. He will heal at his own pace. Every injury is different. Here we have had dogs first stand up or develop bladder control after they've been down 18 months or 2 years, and my dog learned to do something new even at almost 5 years post injury.
It is early days right now for your dog. And it sounds like you are giving him good therapy. What you also need is just...time. My one vet called it Tincture of Time. Healing from spinal injury is a very slow process, slower than a broken bone, for example. The thing to do is continue steady PT over time. It's great that he likes his cart, that is good exercise for him and good for his morale. But if you can continue PT in the coming weeks and months (if needed), that would be helpful. It can be PT at home, it doesn't have to be expensive professional therapy, or you can do both. I did PT twice daily with my dog.
I'd like to ask, what size and age he is? Are you able to lift him?
You might also like to meet some of the folks on Dodger's List.
http://www.dodgerslist.com
Re: Post IVDD surgery 2 months
I couldn't agree more with what Carol says. Vets OFTEN have unrealistic timelines for recovery, and recovery isn't necessarily linear--there may be what looks like backslides. You know--2 steps forward, 1 step back. 
Re: Post IVDD surgery 2 months
Thank you so much for your informative response! 
It has been very helpful and has continued to give me hope. I am also a member of Dodgerslist and their support has helped me with the beginning stages of my dog’s recovery.
My dog’s name is Bosco and he is a 5 yr old Dachshund mix that weighs 28 lbs. We can pick him up and carry him, but he is longer and stands a bit taller than your typical Doxie. We were hoping to do water therapy with him in our tub, but it is too low and small for him to gain the benefits of a good therapy. So we purchased a 2 ft high pool with enough height and room for him to walk in. We are hoping to get in as much hydrotherapy in while the summer is in full swing before the weather gets cooler. He just finished his 10 rounds of laser treatments and we’re not really sure if it really helped. I have heard so many mixed reviews about this form of treatment for his condition, but we were willing to try anything.
What I cannot understand is why many professionals who are medically knowledgeable tell owners their dogs may never walk again or put a time stamp that determines these pets will remain paralyzed? This is why I sometimes I am so concerned. But after reading the many responses on these forums, I am now beginning to believe more the words of the owners going through this rather than the vets who seem to give up quickly.
This whole experience has been such an emotional rollercoaster with changes in our daily routines, as well as getting used to new responsibilities and restrictions for Bosco. I read how this can be more emotional and stressful for the owners than the pets. But while I can see that Bosco is happy when he is running in his cart, having those special moments we spend time playing, petting and feeding him, I can still see he gets frustrated that he cannot do the things he used to do. He was my shadow and followed me wherever I went. Now it breaks my heart to hear him bark and cry when he cannot go with me everywhere or jump up and sit on my lap like he used to. Sometimes it is so hard to focus and accept what is than what was. Every day I pray to continue to have the patience and perseverance to give Bosco the best care to keep him happy and to help him recover. Hopefully we will seem some light at the end of this tunnel.
Lastly, if you have any suggestions for PT that we can do with him at home it would be greatly appreciated. Once again thank you for your support!
It has been very helpful and has continued to give me hope. I am also a member of Dodgerslist and their support has helped me with the beginning stages of my dog’s recovery. My dog’s name is Bosco and he is a 5 yr old Dachshund mix that weighs 28 lbs. We can pick him up and carry him, but he is longer and stands a bit taller than your typical Doxie. We were hoping to do water therapy with him in our tub, but it is too low and small for him to gain the benefits of a good therapy. So we purchased a 2 ft high pool with enough height and room for him to walk in. We are hoping to get in as much hydrotherapy in while the summer is in full swing before the weather gets cooler. He just finished his 10 rounds of laser treatments and we’re not really sure if it really helped. I have heard so many mixed reviews about this form of treatment for his condition, but we were willing to try anything.
What I cannot understand is why many professionals who are medically knowledgeable tell owners their dogs may never walk again or put a time stamp that determines these pets will remain paralyzed? This is why I sometimes I am so concerned. But after reading the many responses on these forums, I am now beginning to believe more the words of the owners going through this rather than the vets who seem to give up quickly.
This whole experience has been such an emotional rollercoaster with changes in our daily routines, as well as getting used to new responsibilities and restrictions for Bosco. I read how this can be more emotional and stressful for the owners than the pets. But while I can see that Bosco is happy when he is running in his cart, having those special moments we spend time playing, petting and feeding him, I can still see he gets frustrated that he cannot do the things he used to do. He was my shadow and followed me wherever I went. Now it breaks my heart to hear him bark and cry when he cannot go with me everywhere or jump up and sit on my lap like he used to. Sometimes it is so hard to focus and accept what is than what was. Every day I pray to continue to have the patience and perseverance to give Bosco the best care to keep him happy and to help him recover. Hopefully we will seem some light at the end of this tunnel.
Lastly, if you have any suggestions for PT that we can do with him at home it would be greatly appreciated. Once again thank you for your support!
Re: Post IVDD surgery 2 months
Well, I can see why they say "may not walk," because any given critter MAY not--nobody knows. As for such short dates and dire predictions, I don't know. I think the majority of vets don't think people want to do what's required for disabled ones; I've had to get downright nasty with vets on occasion and have dumped more than a few over such things.
Re: Post IVDD surgery 2 months
It seems like more vets are giving a more positive message now than they generally used to. At least that is the impression I have got from reading messages that owners have posted on this forum over the years. In the past, many vet practices probably did not have a lot of paralyzed pet clients. It used to be a common assumption that they would never have any quality of life. Later, there was more awareness of how some dogs could recover, and how those that did not could still have a happy life. Partly due to the Internet, more and more people have seen stories and videos of happy, healthy paralyzed pets, and have been able to find more support from others who have been there. There are now more canine rehabilitation professionals, which can offer services that used to be reserved only for humans. Times have really changed. I guess you would say it is evolving.
As for exercises you can do at home, thank you for giving the size and age of your pet. 28 lbs is large enough that it is a bit of a lift. Exercising him also depends on your own physical ability to a certain extent. One good exercise is assisted walking. You support him in the rear with either a sling or by grasping the root of his tail, and let him walk. If he is not moving his feet at all, then you grasp his ankles and help him make steps. Obviously, you are bent from the waist the whole time, but it's great exercise. Do not worry if the steps with his hind feet are not in time with his front feet, they will still help. I would recommend doing this only after he has had some time in his cart first. After he has spent some time running around in his cart, he will be more amenable to focussing on exercises. If he is too full of energy when you start, he will take off like a rocket with you running along behind supporting him, and he won't be able to practice steps with his hind feet.
I don't know if the anyone told you, but here is something in dogs called the crossed-extensor reflex. It means that when the dog moves his front legs, it sends signals to the hind legs. Some dogs are able to use this to learn to do something called "spinal walking". Swimming (or the underwater treadmill) is a good way to do this. When the dog paddles with the front feet, it stimulates the hind feet, while the buoyancy of the water holds him up so no balance is required. Your idea of the pool is a GREAT idea, I would try to do that every day if you can.
Another exercise you could do is resistance. You can do this with him lying down on his side, so this is easy for you. Press up on the bottoms of his feet and see if he can push back. Every little bit of resistance builds muscle. Note that many owners worry when they see their dog begin to lose muscle after an injury. Don't worry, it comes back when the nerves improve. You can try to preserve it by swimming and resistance.
Bicycling the feet is a good exercise to help keep him flexible. You just hold his leg and gently bicycle it through the full range of motion. I would do a number of reps on both legs twice a day. If you have a professional rehab therapist working with you, they can probably tell you how many to do.
My dog's physical therapist told me to work her paw pads as much as possible to improve "proprioception", which means learning to feel the feet again and know where they are in space and what they are doing. I even did "This little piggy" with her. The therapist didn't exactly tell me to do that, but my dog liked it!
We rubbed her paw pads, and massaged her feet, and bicycled her legs gently. The body needs to remap the pathway from the brain to the toes, and the more to you stimulate the feet, the more you give it work with. Somewhere on this forum I read that someone's vet had recommended rubbing their dog's feet with a toothbrush. I never heard of that, but it seems like it might be helpful. General massage of the legs, ankles, and feet is also good for this.
In addition, you will think of other things as you observe how your dog responds to your PT sessions, so be open to inspiration!
As for exercises you can do at home, thank you for giving the size and age of your pet. 28 lbs is large enough that it is a bit of a lift. Exercising him also depends on your own physical ability to a certain extent. One good exercise is assisted walking. You support him in the rear with either a sling or by grasping the root of his tail, and let him walk. If he is not moving his feet at all, then you grasp his ankles and help him make steps. Obviously, you are bent from the waist the whole time, but it's great exercise. Do not worry if the steps with his hind feet are not in time with his front feet, they will still help. I would recommend doing this only after he has had some time in his cart first. After he has spent some time running around in his cart, he will be more amenable to focussing on exercises. If he is too full of energy when you start, he will take off like a rocket with you running along behind supporting him, and he won't be able to practice steps with his hind feet.
I don't know if the anyone told you, but here is something in dogs called the crossed-extensor reflex. It means that when the dog moves his front legs, it sends signals to the hind legs. Some dogs are able to use this to learn to do something called "spinal walking". Swimming (or the underwater treadmill) is a good way to do this. When the dog paddles with the front feet, it stimulates the hind feet, while the buoyancy of the water holds him up so no balance is required. Your idea of the pool is a GREAT idea, I would try to do that every day if you can.
Another exercise you could do is resistance. You can do this with him lying down on his side, so this is easy for you. Press up on the bottoms of his feet and see if he can push back. Every little bit of resistance builds muscle. Note that many owners worry when they see their dog begin to lose muscle after an injury. Don't worry, it comes back when the nerves improve. You can try to preserve it by swimming and resistance.
Bicycling the feet is a good exercise to help keep him flexible. You just hold his leg and gently bicycle it through the full range of motion. I would do a number of reps on both legs twice a day. If you have a professional rehab therapist working with you, they can probably tell you how many to do.
My dog's physical therapist told me to work her paw pads as much as possible to improve "proprioception", which means learning to feel the feet again and know where they are in space and what they are doing. I even did "This little piggy" with her. The therapist didn't exactly tell me to do that, but my dog liked it!
We rubbed her paw pads, and massaged her feet, and bicycled her legs gently. The body needs to remap the pathway from the brain to the toes, and the more to you stimulate the feet, the more you give it work with. Somewhere on this forum I read that someone's vet had recommended rubbing their dog's feet with a toothbrush. I never heard of that, but it seems like it might be helpful. General massage of the legs, ankles, and feet is also good for this.In addition, you will think of other things as you observe how your dog responds to your PT sessions, so be open to inspiration!
Re: Post IVDD surgery 2 months
Thank you so much for your response!! It was very helpful! I will definitely try some of the suggestions. Yes I have heard about "spinal walking" and your explanation of it made it much clearer for me to understand. This has been a big concern of mine and I am not sure if that is what Bosco might be doing. Since I last wrote my first posting, we have been doing the water therapy with him several times. He has been doing very well and has begun to move his rear feet in the water while chasing a ball. Since the therapy, I have begun to notice new improvements I had not seen before. While Bosco is in his cart, his feet are now beginning to "peddle" or bend and kick in the slings while he walks. If I release his legs from the slings he sort of drags his feet a bit and most often they knuckle over. I try to correct them but he still is not aware of what he is doing. I still am not sure if he is regaining any deep pain sensations in his feet and i am assuming that this is what needs to be seen to determine if he will not be a spinal walker? I guess my question to you is, how do you know for sure if your dog is showing signs of spinal walking or not?
I will definitely try some of the suggestions. Yes I have heard about "spinal walking" and your explanation of it made it much clearer for me to understand. This has been a big concern of mine and I am not sure if that is what Bosco might be doing. Since I last wrote my first posting, we have been doing the water therapy with him several times. He has been doing very well and has begun to move his rear feet in the water while chasing a ball. Since the therapy, I have begun to notice new improvements I had not seen before. While Bosco is in his cart, his feet are now beginning to "peddle" or bend and kick in the slings while he walks. If I release his legs from the slings he sort of drags his feet a bit and most often they knuckle over. I try to correct them but he still is not aware of what he is doing. I still am not sure if he is regaining any deep pain sensations in his feet and i am assuming that this is what needs to be seen to determine if he will not be a spinal walker? I guess my question to you is, how do you know for sure if your dog is showing signs of spinal walking or not?Re: Post IVDD surgery 2 months
Apparently it's not all that easy to determine whether it's spinal walking or "real" walking, and I've never seen the procedure. One of my boys saw an internist once who was determined to sort out which was which with him. The way I figure it, walking is walking, and any movement below the injury is a good thing!