Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome

Neurological Disorders Resources. Treatment and care for pets having pain or trouble walking or standing due to spinal injuries or neurological disorders like IVDD, FCE and DM.
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CarolC
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Re: Pip diagnosis

Post by CarolC »

I can just picture him busily grooming away, and his leg is hitting him. To him he doesn't know any different, that's just how it is. Pip's nails are trimmed but he still scratches himself.
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critters
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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Yeah, sometimes it's like he's being worked by a mad or incompetent puppeteer.

Strange that Pip can still do so much damage with his claws whacked, but I guess it just takes longer for him to do it...
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CarolC
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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Pip did something different he's never done before last night. I went to lift him out of his bed so we could go outside and do some ex-ies (exercises) and as I lifted him, he stretched his left front leg out and forward, independently of his right leg, which he did not stretch. The left is the one that is most affected. Very cool. 8-) He's doing well. In a week will be 9 months.
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CarolC
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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This morning I leaned over to lift him out of the playpen and he was in sternal position, and he rose to his feet as I went to put my hands under him, making it much easier to lift him. He rose evenly on his front and hind feet, a perfect move. It's the first time he's done that. Usually he isn't sternal so he's not in a position to do it, but we have been practicing standing during our wall exercises so that may be helping, too. If he collapses, I put the next treat out in front of him and he stands up to get it. Before now, the one thing he's done a few times is to push off with his hind feet when lifted, which was good too, but standing is even better. :trophy:

Did I mention, he doesn't like fireworks? Happy New Year!
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critters
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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Happy New Year to you, too. How nice that he can help you now!! :smart:
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CarolC
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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Yup! Did it again this morning! :trophy:
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critters
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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:smart:
coxmaria3
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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CarolC wrote: Sat Jan 01, 2022 6:18 pm This morning I leaned over to lift him out of the playpen and he was in sternal position, and he rose to his feet as I went to put my hands under him, making it much easier to lift him. He rose evenly on his front and hind feet, a perfect move. It's the first time he's done that. Usually he isn't sternal so he's not in a position to do it, but we have been practicing standing during our wall exercises so that may be helping, too. If he collapses, I put the next treat out in front of him and he stands up to get it. Before now, the one thing he's done a few times is to push off with his hind feet when lifted, which was good too, but standing is even better. :trophy:

Did I mention, he doesn't like fireworks? Happy New Year!
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:yay:
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CarolC
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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:thankyou: He was quadriplegic when the rescue pulled him from the shelter April 8. In 2 days it will be 9 months.

At this point he pretty much has everything except balance. He can walk if he has the wall to lean against for balance. He can jump into his bed (did it tonight). He can sit sternal and has been working on trying to sit in a normal sit. He can't stand yet without swaying and losing his balance, but he can stand if leaning against the wall. He still knuckles a little, but is aware of it. We are still practicing the "stand up" exercise during Wall Treats and he's good at that.

I'm not sure what I should be doing to help at this point. If he was in professional PT they'd be doing a balance board with him. Or I think they would...they would for rear paralysis, this is front.

He also needs to be able to lift his front feet higher. I tried putting down a little stick for him to step over and it made him shy from even trying, he just balked. I then put blue painter's tape on the carpet instead of a stick and he did go over that. It may have been inconsiderate of me, because if he trips on a little stick, he would land on his face. :( It's not like rear paralysis where they just sit or flop sideways when they trip. However, I think I tried it in the afternoon session and he likes the morning treats (peanut butter) so maybe we need to try again in the morning session when he's more motivated to get the treat, and maybe he will try to step over. He's never going to be able to walk in grass without getting his front feet higher.

He's also still crossing his front feet quite a bit. I don't know how much of that has to do with leaning against the wall, I'm sure that's part of it.
:thinking:
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critters
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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He's come SUCH a long way!!! :smart:
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CarolC
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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Yes, he has. Today is the 9-month date, April 8 to Jan 8.

I was looking for more exericises to do and realized we hadn't done the blue peanut ball for a long time, so I got it out. He can no longer do it because...as soon as you drape him over it with his hind feet on the floor and go to roll it forward so his front feet will touch the floor, he brings his hind feet up and puts them on the ball! He had me really laughing.

Very impressive, however that is no way to get any front leg exercise, so I tried standing him on the floor between my knees and just helping him balance. If I am kneeling on my knees, my legs form a 'V' and when he sits between them I can steady his shoulders if he sways sideways. It was working. He got a nice long sit upright, seated on his bottom with his front legs straight. I have seen him do better with his front legs straighter and his head totally erect during carry exercises, and for some reason he does not sit quite as erect on the floor. He is also kind of unaware whether he has his front feet far enough apart for stability, but he did catch himself when he swayed too far to the left once.
This would a milestone. If he can get to where he can sit up like that, then he will be self-exercising :hurray: his front legs, which he's never done except briefly a few times leaning against the inside of the playpen. We'll have to keep practicing it. He did it fine without treats or anything, besides looking at Paddy cat. And it was easy for me, not requiring any lifting or carrying.
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critters
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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:smart:
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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He did a new thing. He was doing Wall Treats walking along the wall right-to-left, leaning against it for balance, and stopped and lifted his right hind foot, scratched an itchy spot on his rib, put it down, and kept walking. So he was standing on his 2 front feet and left hind foot with the wall for balance. Very cool. 8-)

Last night I put him in his playpen for dinner and he was sitting sternal, so placed his bowl in front of him (it was on his front paws) and he ate the whole thing sternal. Normally he is on his side and eats with his head turned toward his shoulder. I was little afraid he'd lose his balance and we'd have dinner everywhere, but he did it!

I have noticed for about 2 weeks that he now can curl his toes of his right front paw if he wants, like to dig his toes into the dirt for traction, a gripping motion. Does not seem to quite do it with the left yet. So he has control clear to his toes on his right front now. :D :D :D
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critters
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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:yay:
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Re: Pip diagnosis

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:cheer:
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