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Post by Frances & Daisy on Sept 5, 2020 2:10:31 GMT -7
Hi. Daisy had a ruptured disc 4 months ago on May 12th. She had both rear legs paralyzed. She spent three weeks after her operation in the veterinary hospital and 6 weeks crate rest when she came home. She still cannot walk unaided. When she does manage to move her back legs they sometimes cross and her feet turn under. She has started to wag her tail albeit slowly and only occasionally. She is incontinent with both her bladder and bowel.
What is the likelihood of Daisy walking again and how long will it likely to take?
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Mary & Mila
Helpful Member 
FEMALE— DACHSHUND
Posts: 218 
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Post by Mary & Mila on Sept 5, 2020 4:50:51 GMT -7
hi there Welcome to Dodgerslist, my name is Mary what's yours? The fact that Daisy is begining to wag her tail is a good sign. Nerve regeneration is a very slow process, but it does and can happen. You could try some home PT to help strengthen up Daisy's legs and you could also look into therapies like the acupuncture, laser treatment, the water threadmill or swimming in a hydrotherapy center. I've posted some info and links for you to check out below: Nerve Regeneration Healing the disc
REGAINING 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. dodgerslist.com/2020/04/22/healing-nerves/dodgerslist.com/2020/05/26/range-of-motion-massage/dodgerslist.com/2020/05/28/surgery-dog-water-therapy/?highlight=water%20therapykind regards Mary |
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Sept 5, 2020 13:31:27 GMT -7
I would like to add my welcome to Mary's. As she said, there is no time limit on healing.
I do not know if you have had a chance to read the information on Nerve Healing Mary pointed you too. If not I will talk a little about it here. Daisy seems to have Deep Pain Perception. If she can move her legs on her own and wag her tail in response to a treat or happy talk she has (DPP). (Tail wagging around potty time is almost always reflex.) Deep pain perception is the last neuro function to be lost. When a dog does not have DPP the brain can not send a message to the body because the spinal cord is too damaged. In Daisy's case if she sees a treat (brain level) and wags her tail in response to seeing the treat. (body level), a message has been sent and received. Having Deep Pain Perception bodes well for future healing.
After my dog Frankie surgery we took him for PT on an underwater treadmill. If you have had a chance yet to read the information on water therapy, you have seen how it works. That therapy is what helped my dog the most. When I first brought him in his back end was a dead weight. He couldn't stand let alone walk. The buoyancy of the water held him up. The therapist knelt behind him and moved his legs on the treadmill. After some months of this, Frankie got stronger and began to stand and then walk. If they offer this therapy near you, consider it. If not, water therapy at home has some of the same benefits. |
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Post by Frances & Daisy on Sept 5, 2020 21:49:29 GMT -7
Hi Mary.Thank you for replying to my first query about Daisy. Firstly my name is Frances. I am posting under Kiwigirl as I am writing from New Zealand. Daisy is a 3 year old Dachshund.
I am heartened to read that nerve regeneration takes time. It will be 4 months since Daisy had her op on the 12 September. The surgeon said her disc had mineralised and had broken up and spread along her vertabrae. So I fear there was a lot of nerve damage.
Daisy can pee on command and is dry all night, but does still pee unexpectedly. Especially when she gets excited. She does not have control of her bowel motions.
Daisy has physio three times a week which was initially water therapy and massage. Now that she has slightly more movement, she has massage and we get her to walk with a harness. This is not always successful as I think Daisy rather likes sitting on her rear end! She gets around by dragging herself along the floor or deck. Sometimes she suddenly pulls herself up and takes one or two steps before collapsing back onto the floor. I notice that when she is standing with me only lightly supporting her, after a few seconds, her back sways and she collapses. Is this because her back is still weak, or is this because of nerve damage? Is there anything I can do to strengthen her back and her legs? Kind regards, Frances.
Thank you Romy, Unfortunately I do not have access to a water treadmill. The water therapy we gave Daisy was in the bath. I have read the information on nerve regeneration and it has quite cheered me up! It means that after 4 months there is still a chance that Daisy may walk again unaided. You may have read the reply I wrote to Mary, about Daisy having physio 3 times a week and the other times I take her out and get her to stand and encourage her to take as many steps as she can. The physio also uses a TENS machine on the lowest setting which we hope will help stimulate blood flow to the affected area. Thank you once again for your help. Kind regards, Frances (KIwiGirl).
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Mary & Mila
Helpful Member
FEMALE— DACHSHUND
Posts: 218
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Post by Mary & Mila on Sept 6, 2020 4:55:14 GMT -7
Hi Frances, I'm delighted to hear that the info on nerve regeneration has given you renewed hope. Never give up. These dogs can surprise you when you least expect it! You should also take great hope from Romy's post and the experience her dog Frankie had, my dog Mila's story is similar - the back legs were very weak due to crate rest and inactivity, however after a few hydro sessions her muscle tone improved. Don't worry if you can't access a water treadmill, keep doing what you're doing, you're doing an amazing job with Daisy, keep giving her small sessions in the bath, it all helps, get her a little life vest, if you don't already have one, as it will keep the pressure off her back and support her in the water, keep up the other therapies if that's possible. I would say the reason she collapses is due to both conditions you name i.e. nerve damage and muscle weakness in both her back and legs, but the good news is: these two things can be overcome, nerves heal and regenerate and muscle tone returns with movement, massage, short sessions in the bath and the work the physio does. We have had success stories on here with dogs taking small after even one year or more. It's all about time, it really is. Every dog is different so healing times are different too. Here are some of our success stories from our site. dodgerslist.com/success-stories/Again Frances you are doing an amazing job so far, well done! kind regards Mary |
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Post by Frances & Daisy on Jan 12, 2021 20:52:14 GMT -7
Hi. I wrote to you some months ago, might have been in June 2020 about my dachshund Daisy's rehab. I was gratifiedt to get lots of helpful advice within about twelve hours.
It is now 8 months since Daisy's op to remove her shattered disc..in that time she has had massage and exercise three times a week
.with the help of a harness and a sling she can walk about half a kilometre.
I see signs of nerve regeneration, with her back legs kicking and sometimes she pulls herself up and walks two to three steps before collapsing down.
I am getting a bit of pressure from my husband and friends who think I should put Daisy in one of those wheeled harnesses, I am not sure what their correct name is. I am worried that if I do this she will come to rely on the wheels and just let her back legs dangle.
Could you please advise me on the best course of action to take, ie persevere with the daily walking and now once a week massage or go and buy the wheels attachment.
I am keen to read your reply.
Daisy is now 4 and otherwise healthy and alert. She is not on medication.
Thank you. Kiwigirl.
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,540
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Post by PaulaM on Jan 12, 2021 21:43:06 GMT -7
Francis, good to hear from you. I just found your post and moved it into Daisey's thread about her operation that was either May 2020 or maybe Sept 2020 (?). You may like to keep this thread bookmarked for further visits: dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/7643/frances-daisy-2020-surgery-zealandIt sounds like at this point she has not progressed from being able to push up on the back legs as you reported Sep 5. And still only able to walk unaided 2-3 steps. So when you go on a 1/ Kilometer walk, using a sling to support her rear, her back legs will go in a walking motion? She lifts the paws and they are not damaged on those walks? She is not slightly scuffing her toenails due to not fully lifting back paws? Check in to a cart that can be both a wheelchair with legs up on the back bar/or stirrup to be able to run and feel the wind flapping her ears. Since you do not have access to the underwater treadmill, I'm thinking the wheelchair could also be used as a walking PT therapy device. This is my Clark in an Eddie's Wheelchair. You can see what I mean with being able to use it as a wheelchair with legs up off the ground on the back bar. The legs can also be on the ground so a dog can practice taking footsteps while being supported by the cart. You can check to see if Eddie's ships to New Zealand from USA at a reasonable price: eddieswheels.com/gallery/7/0/Small-Dogs I can highly recommend the quality of this product and ease of getting a dog in and out of it.
Read about the features a wheelchair needs to have for an IVDD dog in where the yolk should be sitting very lightly on the lower neck/back area. Pictures and more information here to aid you in seeing what is available in New Zealand.: dodgerslist.com/2020/06/06/wheelchairs/ |
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