Onset Paralysis
Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:38 am
My 4-year-old black lab, Kujo, was diagnosed with onset paralysis due to a spinal stroke about 2 weeks ago. He is home doing PT with us and still visits his vet once a week for Laser therapy. Kujo has always been very house trained, to the point where I haven't ever had him poop in the house. Now that we are home with him, we are struggling to get him to potty outside. Since he can not stand up on his own, we have a rear lift support brace that doesn't block either of his private parts. Even with that, he is still seemingly too tense to use the potty standing up. We have tried takin the harness of and straddling him to help with his weight bearing but it hasn't helped. He will give signs that he DOES need to use the bathroom. (I.E. sitting straight up when I say "potty?" & trying to drag himself towards the door. Even then, he doesn't pee a strong stream or poop outside. He has tried to run to his favorite potty bush so hard that he came out of his sling, so I believe he still feels sensation to use the bathroom. I'm wondering if WE are the problem (the fur parents)? We have had a pretty steady schedule from day one, I wouldn't say strict. He would potty before I leave for work, on my break, and always right before bed (with some trips in between). It seems as though he's holding his bladder/bowels. I've expressed his urine when it seems needed but only once or twice have we seen a steady stream. Right now, we are seeing a lot of dripping. A lot of going outside to potty only for him to come inside and use the bathroom on his pads. Even then, I know he isn't fully releasing his bladder. He is a big dog and could easily fill up 3 puppy pads with a full stream. We are changing them (since he is doing crate rest during the day) at least every 30 minutes just from the "dripping". I have been in constant communication with Kujo's vet everyday and this is something they are keeping tabs on & have prescribed meds to hopefully help.
My question is- Is it possible that he is not used to the sling yet or could he be holding his bladder because he isn't comfortable with how we're holding him? He will poop and pee, but at very weird times which leads me to think that he is holding his bladder for whatever reason. I have woken up around 4 am every day to full puppy pads of urine and he will poop about the same time. Is there any way that I can start getting him used to going potty outside again? It doesn't bother me having to clean up after my sweet boy, seeing as he is needing complete care right now. I just would like to do whatever possible to make this process of recovery smooth and comfortable as possible for him.
My question is- Is it possible that he is not used to the sling yet or could he be holding his bladder because he isn't comfortable with how we're holding him? He will poop and pee, but at very weird times which leads me to think that he is holding his bladder for whatever reason. I have woken up around 4 am every day to full puppy pads of urine and he will poop about the same time. Is there any way that I can start getting him used to going potty outside again? It doesn't bother me having to clean up after my sweet boy, seeing as he is needing complete care right now. I just would like to do whatever possible to make this process of recovery smooth and comfortable as possible for him.