Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34 
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 2, 2013 19:41:35 GMT -7
Our dog Callie is a 7 year old Australian shepherd mix breed about 45 pounds. We noticed around 7 am on October 26th she wasn't walking right. We thought she might have sprained a leg or hip while playing with our other dog the evening before. By 6 pm that night she could not stand. We called a local vet back into her office. After xrays that night around 9 pm she diagnosed a vertebrae injury. She prescribed rymadyl and advised rest but she thought it would heal on it's own. Based upon the potential significance of her injury we decided to take her to a specialist. The closest one was 3 hours away. We arrived at the animal hospital around 2 a.m where they examined her. The surgeon came in early that morning Oct. 27th, did a CT and myelogram and confirmed the rupture but advised immediate surgery was necessary. She had surgery around 11 am that day. We have been traveling back and forth to the hospital for visits but because the hospital is 3 hours away from our home we weren't able to bring her home until today Nov 2nd. She didn't eat much while at the hospital but since she has been home she has been very interested in eating chicken. We did express her bladder tonight. She hadn't pooped the entire time she was admitted but had a small bowel movement tonight when we took her outside. For having major surgery less than a week ago, all in all I think she looks pretty darn good. She still isn't standing/walking but has good sensation in her limbs and the doctor did say he noticed that her muscles are reacting when she assisted with a sling. Based upon the doctors comments and the fact we had the surgery within 36 hours and that deep pain sensation was still intact we are cautiously hopeful she will have a good recovery. I think it will require time and patience. We will keep our fingers crossed. Some of the doctor notes describing her case are below. Any suggestions or comments from everyone would be very welcomed. This site has been great. I was able to build a recovery suite, install a ramp, and assemble all of our caring supplies because of the information here. The site is great. Thank you!!
Presenting Complaint: Acute onset paraplegia.
Physical examination: BAR. Paraplegic, deep pain positive on presentation. Hind limbs flaccid with minimal muscle tone present. Hind limb spinal reflexes normoreflexic. Normal cranial nerve exam and fore limb spinal
tone present. Hind limb spinal reflexes normoreflexic. Normal cranial nerve exam and fore limb spinal reflexes.
Diagnostics:
CBC/Chemistry- no significant abnormalities.
Spinal CT Scan and Myelogram - severe ventral extradural spinal cord compression at the level of L1-L2.
Diagnosis: L1-L2 intervertebral disk disease (IVDD)
Therapeutic procedures: Right sided L1-L3 hemilaminectomy with removal of a large volume of extruded disk material from the vertebral canal.
Prognosis: Good for return to function. 80-90% of dogs that present with paresis due to IVDD will regain the ability to walk with appropriate aftercare following surgical decompression.
Summary and recommendations:
Callie presented with intervertebral disk disease at the level of L1-L2.
Surgical
removal of the extruded disk material and decompression of the spinal cord was achieved via a hemilaminectomy.
Surgery went ahead without complication and Callie has been recovering smoothly. Careful home care is necessary to
minimize the risks of complications.
EXERCISE RESTRICTION:
- Callie must be confined to a crate or small cage for the next 6 weeks when not directly supervised. Running, jumping and rough play are not allowed at any time. Clean, soft bedding must be provided at all times to prevent pressure
- Callie may be taken outside 3-4 times per day for urination and defecation purposes only. A leash must be used at all times when outdoors.
INCISION CARE:
- The incision must be kept clean and dry until the sutures or staples are removed in 14 days time. Bathing and
swimming are not permitted until the sutures have been removed. Please monitor the incision daily for signs of
excessive redness, heat, pain and swelling.
DIET:
- Your pet can be fed their normal diet.
MEDICATIONS:
Rimadyl 100mg tablets: Give half a tablet twice daily until finished.
- This medication is an anti-inflammatory given for pain and inflammation.
Tramadol 50mg tablets: Give 2 tablets three times daily until finished.
- This medication is a synthetic opioid given for pain.
Cephalexin 500mg capsules: Give 1 capsule twice daily until finished.
- This medication is an antibiotic to reduce the risk of infection.
MONITORING:
- Callie should progressively improve in function and strength after surgery. At the time of going home Callie is not able to stand or walk but has retained good sensation in the hind limbs.
- Callie is not yet urinating on her own. Please palpate and express her urinary bladder 3-4 times daily as directed.
PHYSICAL THERAPY:
- Perform 3-5 minutes of gentle massage of the hind leg muscles 2-3 times daily.
- Perform 15-20 passive range of motion exercises on the joints of the hind limbs 2-3 times daily. This is performed by
flexing the joints of the hind legs and extending the joints of the hind legs alternately through their full range of motion.
- Callie can be encouraged to stand and walk by supporting the back end with a hand under the abdomen or by
holding the base of the tail. Standing and walking exercises will improve hind limb strength and help maintain hind limb
muscle mass.
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Post by Pauliana on Nov 2, 2013 21:49:30 GMT -7
Welcome to Dodgerslist, my name is Pauliana, what is your name? So glad to see you researched IVDD and found our website and information and have put it to good use in created a back friendly home for your Callie. How wonderful!! I am so glad her surgery went so well and she is now home to heal in comfort. Thank you for all the information in your post and the doctor's notes. The information is very helpful in being able to advise you in the days to come..It gives us a very clear picture to go by. The one thing of concern, I found no mention of a stomach protector while she is on Rimadyl. We use Pepcid AC because it is quick acting to protect the stomach from NSAIDS. PEPCID AC The FDA and manufacturer pkg insert indicate gastrointestinal problems are side effects of using NSAIDs. The natural defenses of the stomach to shield against stomach acid is hindered when taking NSAIDs. Serious gastrointestinal toxicity such as bleeding, ulceration, and perforation, can occur at any time, with or without warning symptoms. Phrase the question to your vet this particular way:" Is there a medical/health reason for my dog not to take Pepcid?" If there is no reason, we follow vets who are proactive in stomach protection by giving doxies 5mg Pepcid (famotidine) 30 minutes before the NSAID. ( You will need to ask your Vet the dosage for Callie since she is larger) Pepcid is generally considered a safe-over-the-counter suppressor of stomach acid production for a healthy dog and good insurance. Dogs don't speak up at first signs of trouble like a person would. By the time we notice black or red blood in the stools, things can quickly go from bleeding ulcers to a life threatening perforated stomach. We ask that all members read about each med their dog is on or may take as a safety measure. This directory is in alpha order: www.marvistavet.com/html/pharmacy_center.htmwww.dodgerslist.com/neurocorner2/stomachProtection.htmIt takes about 2-4 weeks for swelling from the surgery to go down and you should start seeing some improvement in her functions in that time.. I learned to appreciate every single sign of improvement in Tyler as he recovered from his surgery.. When his tail wag came back, we celebrated! Sending healing thoughts and prayers Callie's way and very glad you are with us! |
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Eric & Callie
New Member
FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 3, 2013 7:43:56 GMT -7
Hi Pauliana. I apologize for not introducing myself. My name is Eric. Thank you for the well wishes and advice. I did check with the surgeon and he hasn't seen the Rimadyl cause enough gastric issues for him to prescribe it proactively. He did say however that if we wanted to give it he would be fine with it. Unfortunately, we didn't get the dose from him. I will reach out to him tomorrow for the dose. She may only be on the Rimadyl to another 2-3 days.
No real changes this morning. Callie had a very good night's sleep. My wife was able to express her bladder this morning. She has been able to express the bladder while Callie is on her side but been unable to get it to express while she is standing outside. We will try again this afternoon for the standing/outside. We performed the stretches and massage on her hips, legs, feet, and back. I did notice her muscles tensing up and twitching but believe that to be involuntary. No tail wag yet...........but her face looks like our same old Callie.
Something to run by you all - When we give the Tramadol, Callie hates it. I mean full clench down, foaming at the mouth, and then a constant licking after we got it down. She has no problem with the other meds. We're going to try putting the pill in peanut butter next time to see if that helps. Have you had this type of reaction with Tramadol?
We have a watchful eye out for a tail wag or improvement with legs but realize, especially with a dog her size, her recovery may be on the higher side of the average times.
Thanks again for responding and I hope your having a great Sunday.
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StevieLuv
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Conservative Treatment 3x. It really does work!
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Post by StevieLuv on Nov 3, 2013 7:51:08 GMT -7
Tramadol is very bitter - downright nasty. Hide it in peanut butter or cream cheese or something that she loves and you wil have much better luck in getting her to take it  |
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 3, 2013 8:52:13 GMT -7
Thank you Stevie. Your description matches our dogs reaction Didn't think about the cream cheese. We will give it a try if the peanut butter doesn't work. Thank you again. Another question - Callie had bladder surgery to remove stones about 2 years ago - probably a result from a UTI. Since we are expressing her bladder I am concerned about the chances of UTI which could result in more stones forming. Is there anything we can do to help reduce this possibility? |
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 3, 2013 13:59:20 GMT -7
Eric, another option is a marshmallow… it is sticky enough inside to hold and hide the Tramadol and most dogs like a marshmallow. This information can help you to understand bladder stones, which kind of stones, etc: www.marvistavet.com/html/bladder_stones.html Keeping her dry because you are expressing often enough and at each session fully emptying the bladder is to keep bacteria from breeding in the bladder… a urinary tract infection (UTI). |
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 3, 2013 14:38:43 GMT -7
Thank you for the info Paula. I'll remember the marshmallow idea.
I do think we had some good news today around noon. My daughter hadn't seen Callie since yesterday evening. When she came home today she went to Callie's pen and called out to her. Callie apparently got excited and began to wag her tail and squirted a little urine. Now it wasn't a huge wag but it was definitely little twitches of the tail back and forth. - We'll take what we can get and appreciate any type of potential positive signs.
I think we just got more good news - My wife just told me that she was sitting in her pen and then noticed that Callie raised her rear end off the padding for a couple of seconds.
I'm a little surprised. All of the literature I read seemed like larger dogs take longer to recover. I wasn't expecting these little things this early.
Do you think these things may not be voluntary responses?
Should we try and sling walk her outside and see if she tries to urinate or poop this soon or is it too early to expect that/try it?
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 3, 2013 18:21:01 GMT -7
Eric, there is no timetable for when nerves heal, we just know the order they usually happen in. We have mostly small dogs on this Forum so I'm not aware that larger dogs would take longer for nerve healing.
Nerves heal typically in the reverse order of the damage to the spinal cord:
1. Deep Pain Sensation (Only correctly identified by a specialist.)
2. ->Tail wagging with joy at seeing you or getting a treat or meal.
3. Bladder and bowel control verified with the "sniff and pee" test.
4. -> Leg Movement, and then ability to move up into a standing position, and then wobbly walking.
5. Being able to walk with more steadiness and properly place the feet.
6. Ability to walk unassisted and perhaps even run.
Yes, I would take her outdoors to give her the sniff and pee test periodically once a day, every other day. From the list above she is poised to have bladder control returning. Thanks for sharing the wonderful news today!
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 4, 2013 6:30:29 GMT -7
Good morning everyone. I will follow your advice Paula, thank you.
Callie had a pretty good night last night.
Wondering if anyone can offer advice or comments on:
We think we may be trying to express her bladder too frequently. The vet was doing it every 8 hours. Sometimes when we get her out of the pen (to do passive PT) with the sling, she will pee on the floor. We then think she needs to be expressed but my wife will often have no luck. A couple times yesterday when we couldn't get any urine out, Callie kind of reacted like it was uncomfortable - but when we are able to have a good amount of expression she doesn't seem to be bothered at all. Should we just do the 8 hour schedule or continue to check periodically in between?
Callie ate very little during her hospital stay. She is a pretty nervous ninny and a very picky eater. She didn't poop at all during her stay at the vets (6 days). When we got her home Saturday afternoon, she had a very small bowel movement, but hasn't had one since. She started eating rotisserie chicken Saturday and continued eating it on Sunday as well as this morning. I'm not sure when to start being concerned about her bowels. She is such a picky eater I very much doubt she will eat pumpkin. When should I call the vet?
Medications - Antibiotic was finished yesterday.
Tramadol will be finished on Wednesday - Is 10 days post surgery usually enough or is a refill usually needed.
Rimadyl - Scheduled to be finished on Wednesday too - Again, is 10 days usually the time when the NSAID's are discontinued.
It seems kind of odd she won't be on any type of anti-inflammatory or pain medicine after Wednesday.
Any advice or comments are very appreciated.
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
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Post by Marjorie on Nov 4, 2013 8:28:27 GMT -7
Until you become proficient with expressing, Eric, you should be expressing Callie every 3-4 hours during the day and just before bedtime. Once you are proficient and are completely emptying her bladder, you can move that to every 4-6 hours. If she is peeing on the floor when you take her out of the crate to do PT, her bladder could be overflowing or you could be expressing her when you lift her with the sling. More info on expressing is here: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm Try her with the pumpkin, she might like it. It's only a teaspoon of pumpkin with her food. You can even mix it with a little bit of water and give it to her with a syringe. Be sure to add more water to her food, which will help loosen her stool. Is she used to eating chicken? We don't recommend changing the diet while on medications since it's difficult to tell if any GI tract problems are from the change of diet or the meds. Note alternatives: really ripe mashed fresh pear, just take the peel off; microwaved and mashed peeled sweet potato. But if she hasn't gone by tomorrow or acts uncomfortable, I would call the vet. Keep an eye on her on Wednesday and if she has any signs of pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, tight hard tummy, just not her usual self - call the vet for refills. |
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 4, 2013 10:58:55 GMT -7
I think we may be expressing her without knowing it with the sling. The other thing we've noticed is that she is not at all bothered when we express and get urine out. But, when we try to express and get nothing she seems to not like it much.
Tried the pumpkin and she won't eat it. Even before the surgery Callie was a very picky eater. She is normally fed Wellness Core Ocean but even with that there were times she would skip a meal. She never had any problem eating the chicken or lean hamburger and will eat those things now without any problem. She is drinking water and I'm trying to mix broth in with the chicken. This dog is just a picky eater.......never liked any type of veggies. The ironic thing is Callie is a rescue dog from Puerto Rico. You would think she would eat anything but that sweet girl seems to have a taste for the finer things :)We will try the pears and sweet potato but i'm not real optimistic. Not sure what else we will be able to do to get her to go. She doesn't seem uncomfortable yet but i'm sure at a point she will be. Frustrating!!
Thanks Marjorie!!
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 4, 2013 18:26:12 GMT -7
11-4
We got to speak with the surgeon today.
He is not concerned right now that she hasn't had a bowel movement yet. He said it might be another 48 hours before she has one. He said as long as she continues to eat, drink water, and not showing signs of discomfort, the poop will come.
Regarding the medications - Her last dose of Tramadol and Rimadyl will be this Wednesday. The surgeon said continuation of pain and anti-inflammatory medications won't be necessary past then unless she exhibits signs of discomfort. Time and patience are the future prescriptions.
My wife came home today and Callie apparently got excited, raised her tail a little and urinated in her bed. We thought it was just incontinence but the surgeon actually said that was a good sign. He also said that her reacting to the pressure from the urine expression is a sign that she is probably beginning to get the feeling back in that area.
Tonight Callie actually ate a mix of her kibble, chicken and chicken broth - her first meal without being hand fed chicken and ground beef pieces.
Still no standing on her own. We will take it as it comes but at least the surgeons feedback was encouraging.
Best wishes to everyone going through their own personal struggle!
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 6, 2013 8:41:16 GMT -7
11-6 - Nine Days Post Surgery
Callie continues to have a good appetite and is drinking plenty of water.
Bladder expressions are becoming a lot easier and more complete. She had her first bowel movement since her surgery this morning.
Yesterday was the first time we noticed her turning and repositioning herself on her own inside her crate - prior to that we had been turning her every 4 hours or so. Slight tail wags are still occurring once or twice a day but have not been any more frequent or stronger. We continue to do passive PT 3 times per day.
Today is the last day she is schedule to be on Rimadyl and tomorrow will be the last day for the Tramadol. It will be interesting to see how she responds without being on these two meds anymore.
My wife made the comment it is like having a baby again. We are fortunate that my wife doesn't work and is able to devote a great deal of her time taking care of her. It's definitely a full time job.
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 6, 2013 13:02:18 GMT -7
It is still very early post op, as she approaches two weeks and more of the surgical caused swelling subsides you will have a better idea of the direction of healing. The good news is you are doing a good job on expressing…that's the way to keep UTIs away.
IF you see any signs of pain on the stop of the meds, do let the vet know as she may just need a few more days. Some dogs do not come home on any meds, every dog is individual in their needs.
Keep up the good work on caring for your "baby"
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 6, 2013 17:50:53 GMT -7
Thanks Paula for the encouragement. Yes, the successful expressions have definitely been a huge relief!!
One question - Callie has not been urinating or even dripping while in her pen. However, yesterday and today when someone walks in to see her and greets her in an excited tone, she will urinate a little bit. I assume this is an involuntary reaction, but am wondering why she isn't leaking throughout the day and why is it only when we greet her in a an excited tone?
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Marjorie
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Post by Marjorie on Nov 7, 2013 5:29:17 GMT -7
You're doing a good job expressing if she isn't leaking throughout the day, Eric, so don't be concerned. I have to express my Jeremy's bladder and bowels very well before anyone comes to the house or before we take a car ride. He gets excited and everything releases.
Keep up the good work, Eric. Callie is getting excellent care.
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Eric & Callie
New Member
FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 9, 2013 20:16:04 GMT -7
13 Days Post Surgery
We had some noticeable improvement today. We took Callie outside and she began to put some weight on her legs. Soon after that she did the sniff and pee followed by a bowel movement. This was a huge thing for us!! It surprised us because she still hasn't started wagging her tail.
She's been off of the Rimadyl and Tramadol for two days now and seems to be very comfortable. She's repositioning herself inside her pen more frequently too. We're about a week away from the follow up appointment with the surgeon for staple removal and assessment.
Anyway, we are very happy to see a first positive neurological sign, since the surgery.
Thanks Marjorie for the encouragement and compliment.
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Post by Pauliana on Nov 9, 2013 20:47:01 GMT -7
Hi Eric,
Great news about the sniff and pee test. Callie is doing very well, indeed and pain free too! So happy to hear that.
Thank you for the great news update!
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 10, 2013 19:34:27 GMT -7
Two Weeks Since Surgery Bathroom Update - Callie continued today with going to the bathroom outside. Since being home Callie did not pee in her pen....until today. She peed twice in her pen today. Seems kind of strange that she did the sniff and pee yesterday and today she went in her pen. We're not sure what to think of this?  She is still not wagging her tail or moving any back legs on her own but she may have held a little more weight while we were sling walking her. Whenever we do the passive PT she always moves her head towards her legs. We're not sure if she is beginning to feel her muscles being worked and it is a little uncomfortable. Anyone have any tips to get her legs out of the way when she is being sling walked and trying to pee? She walks and sniffs and the her feet always manages to get sprayed with pee. |
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
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Post by Marjorie on Nov 11, 2013 5:54:47 GMT -7
Hi, Eric. How often are you taking Callie outside to do her business? It's early days following the surgery and there may still be some swelling around the spine, which may be affecting neuro function. You may want to express her after she releases urine on her own just to be sure her bladder is completely empty. She may not have complete control back yet and might need some help in emptying completely. Is this how you're using the sling?  I know using a sling with a larger dog is difficult. You may be lifting her too high so her feet swing forward? I know my Jeremy always used to pee all over his feet. And when I first was learning to express him, I would get it all over his front legs - and sometimes on my shoes, too! It will all get easier with practice. |
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 11, 2013 9:38:36 GMT -7
Marjorie, we are taking her out 2-3 times per day. We are still expressing her inside the pen in between those times.
What we are doing outside is positioning her legs in the normal position and that is when we are noticing she is carrying some of her weight. The problem though is she still isn't moving her legs on her own, so when she begins to walk and sniff the legs just drag beneath her and are basically right underneath the urine stream. Not sure if there is anything we can do about that until she regains the ability to actually move her legs. She is definitely regaining muscle strength so hopefully with some time she will move her legs. Are you surprised she actually has muscle tone and the ability to hold weight but still is not wagging her tail?
Thanks Marjorie for your help!
17 Days Post Surgery
Well, recovery has been going real slow for us. Besides the occasional sniff and pee I'm not sure if there has been any real improvement. There hasn't been any moving of the legs, only a slight pull back when I grab her toes during stretching, but no other motor response to speak of.
Because she has had uti's and bladder stone surgey in the past we decided to catch some urine and take it to the vets. It came back positive for bacteria and she is on amoxicillin for 10 days.
We are Meeting with the surgeon on Monday for our first follow up and staple removal. He said if she isn't moving her legs by then he will probably do more imaging tests. I'm not real sure why but he says he's still optimistic about recovery. I hope he is right, but after 17 days and very little improvement we are fearful that Callie may be one of the 10%-15% of dogs that even though she had deep pain before surgery and even superficial sensation now, still doesn't recover.
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Post by Pauliana on Nov 13, 2013 22:30:35 GMT -7
Hi Eric, It's still too early in Callie's recovery to think she is not going to get better. One of our moderators here Natureluva (Lisa) had a dog that was paralyzed and was even using a wheel cart.. Goosie walked after 11 months.. A Vet would have said she will never recover, but look what happened? www.dodgerslist.com/monthstory/goosieSullivan.htmDogs don’t know pity. They don’t know “can’t.” They don’t understand “may never.” They don’t give up. They don’t get discouraged. They epitomize “where there is a WILL, there is a WAY.” They will find a way! They don’t give up easily or quickly. They move forward in life in the best way they can. They don’t care if they can walk again. They care about your love most importantly. OK, food ranks right up near the top too! To them each new day brings the promise of another opportunity to get MORE - more food, more treats, and more love. www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htmREGAINING NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION has no time limit for nerves to heal. Nerve repair is individual as each injury is different and each dog’s ability to heal is different. If deep pain perception (DPP) is present, even in paralyzed legs, there is a chance your dog may be able to walk again. For those dogs who have lost DPP, do know nerve regeneration can take place and that function may return. Once deep pain perception is regained, your dog has a chance at a walking recovery. Thousands of dogs on Dodgerslist have regained functions in as little as 2 weeks, others 11 months, and still others 3 years later. IVDD is a disease of patience to allow the body to heal on its own terms. Acupuncture and Laser Therapy stimulate the cell’s metabolism that leads to the body’s natural repair abilities and can be started at any time. Once nerves have repaired then muscles will also have to be retrained to relearn proper placement of the paws. Some muscles will need to regain strength for walking. Consider learning to walk again as it would be for a stroke victim or a baby learning to walk. At first, the steps will be weak and a bit unstable. Relearning to walk takes coordination, building up strength, and lots of patience. There is no timetable anyone can give you when to expect nerve repair to happen. In fact, there is no time limit for nerves to heal...it can take weeks to more like a year or even longer. However, it is known that neurological function usually returns in the reverse order of the damage. The first big sign you want to look for is that wonderful tail wag! 1. Deep Pain Sensation (Only correctly identified by a specialist.) 2. Tail wagging with joy at seeing you, getting a treat or due to your happy talk. 3. Bladder and bowel control proved by passing the "sniff and pee" test. Take your dog out to an old pee spot in the grass. Let him sniff and then observe for release of urine. 4. Leg movement, and then ability to move up into a standing position, and then wobbly walking. 5. Being able to walk with more steadiness and properly placed paws. 6. Ability to walk unassisted and perhaps even run. Keep up the good work in caring for Callie.. Sending healing thoughts.. |
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Marjorie
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Post by Marjorie on Nov 14, 2013 9:27:49 GMT -7
I know it doesn't seem like it, Eric, but it really is early days following surgery. My Jeremy had no deep pain sensation before surgery and it took months after surgery before he even had any movement at all in his feet or legs. After his 6 weeks of crate rest, I walked him with a sling, and then he started using a cart and finally, after about 6 months, he left the cart behind and walked unassisted! He was still showing improvements 1-1/2 years after surgery but then in June, he had a second disc problem and regressed a bit. But he's back to where he was, though he does still have some neuro deficits, such as dragging his right foot a little. So no reason after only 17 days to give up hope.
Continued prayers for a complete recovery for Callie.
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 14, 2013 12:46:58 GMT -7
We definitely are not giving up hope.
Thank you ladies.
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Eric & Callie
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FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 18, 2013 16:34:01 GMT -7
22 Days After Surgery
We actually saw some improvement starting Saturday night. She started spreading her legs on her own when she urinated, had increased muscle flexion in her legs and moved her legs and tail a little when we tickled her feet.
We went to the vet however, and he felt she should have already been moving her back legs on her own at this point. To rule out any disc material that may have been left during surgery, he recommended another myelogram and CT. We had to leave her down in Nashville and the procedure will be done tomorrow.
So, it's either another surgery or continued rest. He did say though, he still is somewhat optimistic for recovery. We'll see and continue to hope.
Any thoughts?
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Marjorie
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Post by Marjorie on Nov 18, 2013 18:19:59 GMT -7
Eric, no doctors or surgeons can tell you when nerve regeneration should or will take place because no one knows that. Not only do they not know when neuro function will return, they also don't know whether it will return or not. There is no schedule for return of nerve function. Surgery does not heal nerve damage. The only thing that will heal nerve damage is time. If Callie still had disc material pressing on her spine, she would have pain or a worsening of neuro function. In looking back through your postings, I see that Callie has been off all meds for over a week and had no pain. Is that still the case? There are no signs of pain? And rather than a worsening of condition, it seems she has shown signs of some gradual improvement. So I don't understand the need for a myelogram or CT scan. Please take a look at these pages which indicate when surgery should be considered so you are armed with this knowledge when speaking to the surgeon tomorrow: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsurgery.htmwww.dodgerslist.com/literature/surgery.htmPrayers that all will go well for Callie tomorrow. |
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Eric & Callie
New Member
FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 18, 2013 19:20:03 GMT -7
Marjorie, that is correct, we have not noticed any signs of discomfort at all. And yes, although not huge improvements, she has definitely made progress. Going outside, squatting and peeing, increased muscle tone in legs, etc. The things she hasn't displayed improvement with is moving her legs or wagging her tail..........these are the things the surgeon thought she was overdue for. He did say that we could wait another week and see how things went. We're having second thoughts about tomorrow. We may just go down and get her tomorrow and not have anything done.
If we see any type of deterioration in her condition (loss of superficial sensation, loss of deep sensation, etc.) we are two hours away from getting her to the surgeon. Do you think this sounds reasonable?
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Nov 19, 2013 6:07:32 GMT -7
I think it sounds reasonable to give it more time, Eric. Nerves can take a very long time to heal, think more in terms of months rather than weeks.
Praying for continued improvements for Callie.
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Eric & Callie
New Member
FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 19, 2013 17:31:54 GMT -7
Thanks again Marjorie. We made the trip down to Nashville today and brought our girl home. We got her home this evening and I think she's is even a little better today. Nothing drastic, but subtle improvements we noticed. Just a tickle on the foot pads now produce a reaction in the limb, when we grabbed her top leg to do some stretches she not only stretched that leg out but also stretched the other leg that was underneath. Also noticed the tail moving more when we are doing the stretches. She is continuing to urinate outside and is able to spread her feet and squat. We see these things as progress.
Thank you so much Marjorie !! I think we made the right choice by foregoing the myelogram. If we notice changes, or 3 weeks from no, we still haven't seen any true motor movement we can always reconsider another CT.
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Eric & Callie
New Member
FEMALE- Australian Shepherd Mix
Posts: 34
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Post by Eric & Callie on Nov 21, 2013 15:09:04 GMT -7
25 Days Since Surgery
Callie's bladder function appears to be back to normal. She goes out every 6 hours during the day and goes 8 hours overnight to urinate. She goes out sniffs, lifts the tail, spreads the legs and does her thing. No crate leaking or accidents. We also had a urinalysis done today and the UTI has resolved. We're very happy on the bladder front!
No good news on the voluntary motor movement though. The only time we have seen movement in her tail or rear legs is when we are doing her passive exercises or brush her foot pads or legs. Her leg muscles flex during the exercises, which I believe is common reflexive reactions with spinal cord injuries. While standing with the sling, she will hold her weight but for only a few seconds.
I guess we are a little surprised that her bladder function is very close to normal, but yet we haven't seen any voluntary tail wagging or leg movement yet. We are closing in on 4 weeks post surgery and are still optimistic about some return of voluntary movement but realize though that most dogs show some sign of motor improvement within 4 weeks of surgery. Has anyone else experienced bladder return first and then motor movement after?
We will focus on the good news and continue to hope for additional improvement.
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