stace
New Member
Posts: 1 
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Post by stace on Jul 28, 2013 13:24:36 GMT -7
After coming home to find my dog paralysed in the garden in her back legs and rushing to get her to the vet where i knew there would be no question that my girl would have surgery if it was an option, the vet operated the following morning but Vespa who is a 3 year old Black and Tan daschund still has no deep pain sensation. 16 days post op and with the catheter being out for three days and the prospect of having it put back because she doesn't urinate in a controlled manner, I am starting to worry that I am being unfair to my darling girl  are there cases where dogs who take this long to recover do eventually recover and what should I do to make it easier for her and help her recover? I am considering wheels but am concerned as I have an 8-5 job and cannot leave her at home unattended - what have others done in this case? This is still a while away I think as she is still at the vet and unless her bladder comes right, we can't bring her home. I'm just asking for advise and support I suppose as I don't want to give up on Vespa! |
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Jul 28, 2013 14:20:11 GMT -7
I'm so sorry to hear of Vespa's difficulties. I know how difficult it all is. Good job in getting her to the vet right away and having surgery, which was her best chance of regaining use of her legs. My name is Marjorie - what's yours? Vespa has stayed this long at the vet's only because of the use of a catheter? When you say "unless her bladder comes right, we can't bring her home", do you mean until she regains control of her bladder? Has the vet tried to express her bladder and has he shown you how to do it? Nerves take a long time to heal, even after surgery. Nerves can take months to renew and work right again. My Jeremy had no deep pain sensation and was paralyzed and incontinent. He had surgery and he did regain deep pain sensation in a couple of days. But no two dogs are alike. He didn't have any movement in his back legs for weeks and then it was a very gradual return of movement. He was in a cart for months or walked with a sling and then gradually, very gradually, about 6 months after surgery, he began to walk again without a cart. I still saw improvement in his walking a year and a half after his surgery. He did remain incontinent as those nerves must have been too damaged to heal. I have to express his bladder and we can help you with that once Vespa comes home. Here's some info on expressing: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmHere is information about what to expect after surgery and there is a section in there about catherization: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/surgery.htmEven if Vespa never regains deep pain sensation, she can have a happy life. Dogs very often adjust well to life being paralyzed. Jeremy took off in a cart the first day I tried him in it. I got big wheels for his cart so he could go on the beach, which he loves. He went right into the ocean in his cart! He amazed me at how well he did. Here's some information on the quality of life a paralyzed dog can have. www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htmAlso, here's information on choosing a wheelchair but I would give Vespa some more time to see how she improves before buying a cart. www.dodgerslist.com/links/cart.htmAs far as leaving her at home unattended, it would be best if she were in her crate or an ex-pen while you're not at home, just to be sure that she's safe. If she doesn't have bladder control, you can put her bed in a plastic bag, then cover with a sheet of flannel and a wee-wee pad on top. Diapers can also be used. Please give us complete details as to why Vespa remains at the vet's. And please don't feel that you have to give up on Vespa if she can't walk again or if she doesn't have bladder control again. That's just not the case. We're here for any questions or concerns that you may have. |
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 28, 2013 15:12:57 GMT -7
Stace, 16 days is a very short time for things to heal. Nerves are the slowest part of the body so we must have patience to even think in terms of months. Dogs always heal much better in the home environment rather than in the hospital. 16 days at the hospital is a LONG time. Is it totally because of your work schedule that she is still there. There is not a reason she can come home and her bladder be manually expressed. Unless Vespa has unusual circumstances, such as being too fat to make feeling the bladder easy or that she just does have a hard to express bladder, you need a lesson on manually expressing the bladder so you can bering her home. Most vets do not use a catheters unless it is last resort as I mentioned above. The reason is there can be scaring and the need to be highly sterile in use. During the 6 weeks of crate rest that is usually called for post op, it can take some extra care on your part. Would you or someone be able to come home for lunch for potty breaks? Wheelchairs would not even be considered until all 6 weeks of crate rest have been completed. Then you can properly assess her needs. Wheelchairs are for about 2 hours use at a time and should always be supervised as they can tip over. Review this material and video so you will get more out of the hands on top of your hands type of expressing lesson. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmWe can better give you support if you fill us in on these details: -- Do you know if her pain is being managed well at the hospital and is she now on oral pain meds or even off of meds entirely? -- If she is on meds at the hospital do you know what they are. Let us know if it is a steroid or a NSAID as those can affect how often a dog needs to potty or be expressed. -- Currently can your dog move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you do some happy talk? Read up on the neuro functions you can monitor for: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingnerves.htm |
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are there cases where dogs who take this long to recover do eventually recover and what should I do to make it easier for her and help her recover? I am considering wheels but am concerned as I have an 8-5 job and cannot leave her at home unattended - what have others done in this case? This is still a while away I think as she is still at the vet and unless her bladder comes right, we can't bring her home. I'm just asking for advise and support I suppose as I don't want to give up on Vespa!
