Advice PLEASE! Dog paralyzed!

[Cindidoxiemom]

I'm in northern Houston...towards the Woodlands/Magnolia/Spring.

Hunter had two surgeries at Gulf Coast Vet. Hospital near the Galleria. Both of his surgeries were very successful. Their are neurologists there that are specialists. The one I really liked is no longer there.

Oscar's specialist is at Texas A&M. Her name is Dr. Au, but all the Dr.'s there have been very helpful to us. It is a drive to get there, but I would HIGHLY recommend you take Malkie there for a really good evaluation and work up.

I also have a holistic vet.
LISA KNAPP , DVM
VETERANS MEMORIAL DR ANIMAL HOSPITAL
12315 VETERANS MEMORIAL DR
HOUSTON , TX 77014
Phone: 281-440-4441
Fax: 281-440-5243
Modalities Practiced: (Modality Quick Reference)
AC(IVAS) CR(AVCA) WH
Practice Preferences:
SMALL ANIMAL
www.vmdah.net

They did acupuncture/chiro and helped with supplements. Let me know if I can help in any way.
Hugs,
Cindi

[Amyeiss]

Thanks Cindi!

Gulf Coast was the place I was referred to but they wouldn't budge on the costs nor offer a payment plan. I don't blame them. They have to make their money, too. They did tell me to go to a special website to apply for assistance.

I was very encouraged until I saw that it wasn't exactly 'assistance'. It was an application for a credit card company, of by which I was immediately denied. Story of my life!

I also tried Texas A&M's college hospital. Even though my Uncle is an alumni, they still wanted 1,800 to begin the surgery and another 1,800 upon completion. Knowing I could never get the money together in time, I had to back away from the idea of surgery.

I keep wondering if it would have made a difference for him but I try very hard to push back the 'what ifs'. It's not proactive nor helpful to Malkie at this point.

Thank you so much for the information. I will check into the referrals you gave me and see what they think of Malkie. Perhaps they may offer a different/better prognosis??? One never knows!

[connie]

hi amy,
they do too have pain, cricket had to be on pain meds and he was paralyzed. in fact he bit me( would never do that before)
the bite was so bad and deep to the bone that i was in E.R.
it took weeks to heal. but vet said he was hurting so bad and when i picked him up, it caused him to do what he never would've before. now even tho he is healed , he has a bad attitude he never had before. he growls and snaps , i have to punish him so often.
so ask another vet about pain, it sounds like it to me.
hugs,
connie and cricket

[Amyeiss]

Thanks Connie...

It's sad to hear that Malkie is very likely in pain. The vet telling me he felt nothing was a major reason I decided to bring him home. However, at the same time, it makes sense and I need to get my head out of the clouds with regard to Malkie's pain and comfort level. Besides, I knew it all along...just not ready to admit it until now.

Last night was better, He didn't snap at any of the kids and he did something I haven't witnessed him do since his legs first went out -- he barked!!! It wasn't a gruff growl or an "I'm in pain" bark. It was his happy bark! Though it only lasted a moment or two and it was at 2 a.m. this morning, I couldn't have been happier to hear the little guy make some noise. The house has just been too quiet lately, even with the hustle and bustle of three kids around.

I thought the pressure sore on his hip was healing really well, but this morning when I picked him up, a small piece of the scab was stuck to the towel he was laying on and it peeled back. It began oozing white puss. I was so upset. I have been using lotions and special shampoos and anti-bacterial creams from the vet, and though it 'appears' to be healing above the surface, it is very much festering below... Any suggestions???

I need to get some pictures on here so that you can see him... He is such a cutie... Thanks to all for sharing photos of your babies. It helps to see that they are happy...

[Christine]

Hi Amy,

My Bailey is a very picky eater, especially when she is not feeling her best. Recently, I started giving her Boost, a protein shake like Ensure and she loves it. At one point, that and her meds and supplements (which I mixed into the shake) were all she would eat and she did not lose any weight for nearly a two week period. Right now, her appetite has returned, but I use just enough Boost to mix up her supplement powders and drops so I know she gets that all down before I give her other food - which, by the way, is homemade because she does not want the "good" and expensive stuff I got for her.

Of course, you will want to make sure that this will not interfere or interact with anything you have her on before taking my advice, but right now, Bailey is on prednisone (with her pepcid a half hour before) and my pharmacist says that is okaye.

A 6-pack of Boost here in Georgia is about $8, but I found a case of 24 for just under $24 at Sam's so there is a little savings.

Glad to hear his poops are more solid (we all thought we'd never be ecstatic because our dog pooped or peed and what came out and we all TOTALLY understand more than you know).
I hope that the black and loose stools were just due to stress and meds - let us know.

I learned from this site that canned pumpkin (no spices, etc.) is helpful in making more solid stools. Some of the things I make for Bailey that she likes (this week!) are boiled chicken breasts, rice, sweet potatoes, green beans, eggs (not raw) and hamburger (not raw if from the grocery store), broccoli, cheese, macaroni and cheese. There is a book by Pitcairn with all kinds of homemade dog food ideas for specific problems.
We joke around here that Bailey eats better than we do and just the other day my husband asked me to choose one shelf for her stuff because he can't tell the difference between our left overs and hers!

Didn't mean to be so long winded, but hope some of this helps in the food department. Many good thoughts and prayers for you and Malcolm. We are all rooting for you - you're one of us now!

Love,

[rozzi80]

[quote="Amyeiss"]
I thought the pressure sore on his hip was healing really well, but this morning when I picked him up, a small piece of the scab was stuck to the towel he was laying on and it peeled back. It began oozing white puss. I was so upset. I have been using lotions and special shampoos and anti-bacterial creams from the vet, and though it 'appears' to be healing above the surface, it is very much festering below... Any suggestions???

quote]

I am also dealing with an elderly mother who is wheelchair and hospital bed bound. She has pressure sores on occasion and they are very hard to fix. The doctor has us use a sticky patch over the wound which pulls off once a day removing the scab. This is so that it heals from the inside out. You do not want it healing over and covering a deep infection.

Obviously, with a hairy animal, you cannot do this same thing. But I would guess that you need to find a way to prevent it from scabbing over. I would speak to your vet about this. But you might want to keep the area shaved.

I would suggest a "memory foam" bed for your dog. We have a special matress for my mom that actually moves, filling and emptying various chambers with air so that the pressure on her body is always changing. A memory matress would have been the next best thing. Constant turning of your do and lying him in different positions and across rolled towels to keep the pressure on different points might help.

I hope for the best for you both.

[Wise Owl]

You could also try egg crate foam and then some nice soft blankets or towels over that.
We have a 2 inch piece of egg crate that is folded over to double the thickness, then a wool blanket folded up to fit the length of the egg crate then I put fresh old towels over the blanket so I can keep the whole bed clean for her. Her bed is about 6 ft long and 2 ft wide. She is able to sit up and turn around herself so she can switch sides. She does this herself every hour or two. I think her behind goes to sleep on her otherwise.

It has worked so far with no bed sores but then I keep the bed very clean and her clean. With the extra padding she can still move a little bit but still have that softness to keep from being sore.
Oh, I put the part with the indents to the outside...it makes little pressure points and is more comforting......I have the same thing on my bed so I know if feels good.

[Amyeiss]

Thank you for the information. I will try to get him something softer. I have him sleeping on a 'water' pillow that I got from my chiropractor last year. It helps distribute the weight and positioning a bit better than a conventional pillow.

I am frustrated b/c this wound was on his hip upon retrieving him from the vet... I have a feeling the vet thought I would chose to euthanize so didn't bother to medicate it much.

I am very sad b/c when I went home today to check on my pup, he wouldn't eat or drink. Finally, he licked a couple of ice cubes and at least that gave him some hydration.

When I picked him up to make sure he was clean and dry he yelped in pain. I felt so bad! This is the first time he has vocalized any discomfort.

He appears to be very defeated today and I wonder if he's just having a bad day or if he is giving up... it's hard to say with an animal. I feel so guilty that I don't know the source of his pain nor the severity. I told him that if he wants me to let him 'go' I will do that. I know he can't understand me but I suppose it helps me to say that to him for some odd reason.

[rozzi80]

Make some homemade chicken broth by boiling some chicken parts (on the bone). No salt or spices. He may be more tempted to drink the broth than water. You need to keep him hydrated.

He might like the chicken too.

[connie]

hi amy,
i work on home health for the elderly. i have one client that is bedfast and has bedsores badly. when cricket got carpet burns on the inside of his thighs a few weeks ago, the vet wasn't in, so i used it on him all weekend. IT WORKED! his skin is so much better now. anyway, i took cricket to vet a few days ago for a spider bite, and while i was there i showed her this tube of cream and his legs. she said it was great, to keep using it. it is called CALMOSEPTINE OINTMENT. it is a moisture barrier that prevents and helps heal skin irritations, from urine, diarrhea, burns, cuts, feeding tube sites( on elderly) wound drainage. scraps, itching. no contact with eyes.
i got it at the drugstore, for 7 dollars a tube. and it has really helped. also when cricket had to be crated . i put sheepskin in it for him to lay on, then a pad that i use on elderly that we use and throw away. i bathe cricket 3 times a week( 2 times is for hyrotherapy). after each bath i put this cream on.
your baby is in my prayers, you too, i know your stressed out. too bad we all don't live close to each other, a coffee break and a hug would help us all. lol
take care and think positive thoughts. we are here for you.
hugs,
connie and cricket

[Amyeiss]

Thanks for your words of encouragement and your information regarding the ointment.

Not knowing exactly what else to do, tonight I got aggressive with the sore on his hip. I cut the fur off all around the pressure wound and peeled off the scab as it was just hanging. Then I cut some more fur and then got a new toothbrush and scrubbed all around the wound to get off the crusty residue, which I am guessing was from the ointment and scabbing.

To give you all an idea of what I am dealing with so that you can tell me if your experiences have been the same: What I am left with is basically a cavernous hole in his hip that is about one inch by one-half inch, and in an oval shape. I would guess it's easily one-half inch deep. It looks almost uclerated. I am no doctor/nurse but I think that would be the correct terminology to describe the wound...

After cutting off all the excess fur, skin and scabbing, I inserted a Q-Tip and cleaned out the infection. It was disgusting and oozy -- smelled horrible -- and then I irrigated the wound with sterile saline solution, followed by an irrigation with hydrogen peroxide.

As soon as I poured the peroxide into the wound, it bubbled like a witches cauldron. It looked as if I had shoved an Alka Seltzer into the wound!

The wound bubbled and bubbled some more. I then irrigated with the saline again, followed by more peroxide. It bubbled just as much the second time!

Afterwards, I bathed Malkie with the prescription shampoo, scrubbing and scrubbing some more, until the wound looked really clean and the skin all around was free of residue... I scrubbed so much the skin was beginning to look shiny.

I doused the wound with peroxide again... a few more times actually, for good measure -- over and over again until the bubbling had subsided.

I then put prescription ointment on a Q-Tip and inserted it into the wound, coating it inside and out. I dressed it with non-stick gauze and decided that was about as good as I would be able to do.

With exception of this wound, Malkie has no other irritation... no fecal or urine scalding, no rashes...nothing. I have worked really hard to make sure he is always as clean and as dry as possible. He gets a bath every night. Now that his BM's have become firmer and I have the expressing down pretty well, one bath a day seems to be doing fine for his needs. Before it was two or three... UGH!

I guess that is what makes me so frustrated -- that this wound was something Malkie came home from the vet with!

The vet states that pressure wounds are difficult if not impossible to get to heal but I am making diligent efforts to take care of it.

Have any of you had to deal with a slow healing wound that is this deep and big??? Am I taking care of it the right way or should I lay off the peroxide, etc.??? Luckily for Malkie, he doesn't feel a thing I am doing back there because it is awful!

I would take a photo so that I can show you what I am talking about but I would hate to make any of you sick!

[Amyeiss]

Malkie after injury... he doesn't even look like the same dog any more...

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Oh, he is just beautiful!Rips my heart out! Do you think he may be picking up on your worry and sorrow? Try a cheerful, sing-song, happy play voice and see if his demeanor changes?
Best to you. He is just precious!

[Wise Owl]

Amy, it sounds like you have an abcess, not a pressure sore. It comes from an immune disorder. It also has to heal from the inside out so I would be very careful about keeping it clean and not putting any kind of ointment on it that would keep air from getting in there to help heal it.
I would also NOT use peroxide on it anymore. Perioxide can and does burn the tissue. Sounds like you have it cleaned up pretty good for now but go easy on the peroxide.

Our old dog had a similart thing. I was told to use a solution of black tea on the sore to help clean and heal it. To make the solution use 1 cup of boiling water and 5 tea bags. Let the tea bags steep for about 15 mins...take the bags out. Let the tea cool to touch. Soak a gauze pad in the tea and put it over the wound...leave it there for about 20 mins...it will draw out poisons and all that toxic stuff in there.
After using the tea/poultice gently clean around the wound but not in the wound. Take a little of your ointment and very gently put it around the "outside" of the wound. Leave the wound open to the air till your next poultice. I used the poultice twice a day using fresh tea solution each time.
The tea will stain his fur temporarily but it will also clean and draw out the nasties...and heal it, it you give it a little time. It will also help to dry it up.

Just use the clean sterile water to clean the wound. No more peroxide.

I have and my family has for years used black tea solutions to clean up wounds and for eye infections with great success.

It works!

[connie]

amy hi,
when cricket was learning to walk, he scraped his top of foot on concete, left bad hole that got infected. i took him to vet. she told me to keep it clean, then she gave me some drops that cured it up. i had to keep vet wrap over a sterile pad on wound. this is the drops. SYNOTIC. hope this info helps.
she is adorable, don't give up, there has to be something to cure it. have you went back to have vet check? if you had mine it would be cured, she is an angel, refuses to give up.
hugs,
connie and cricket