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Post by Sherry on Mar 17, 2013 0:00:30 GMT -7
Hello! I hope I am doing this right! :-)
So, today is 8 weeks for Dillon crate rest. He is SO ready to get moving. Today I used a sling to let him walk to his food dish. He was so excited. His back legs don't work so he never did get to go outside potty since his accident.
Anyway, I will be making a Vet appt this coming week to start weaning off methocarbamol and tramadol. Dillon has been off prednisone since last week of February. No indication of pain or crying. In fact he scares me sometimes in his crate he wiggles so much to see what is going on outside his crate.
No leg movement yet... although, he has sort of pushed off with one of his legs during acupuncture once and once when my husband was expressing him. He is wagging his tail and looks like he is moving his back end somewhat. We are still expressing him. Had a few accidents but mostly keeps dry until we express him. He is on a 3 times per day schedule. We continue to take him to acupuncture every other week.
Is there any specific questions I should ask the vet about his recovery? The vet said we could do water therapy a few weeks ago but we did not do it... I would like to start something now. Are there indications that it is ok to start this? I have continued massage for his back legs and also do small circular movements... back legs are still limp :-( but like I said above, it looks like he is moving parts of his back end more and moving his tail more. I hope that is good news!! Are there any other exercises to do while he is healing? Does anyone use Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for muscle memory? I've started reading about it. I feel so bad that his muscles have atrophied so fast!!
Thanks so much for your help and info!!
Sherry
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Post by Sherry on Mar 17, 2013 14:33:06 GMT -7
Not sure where I should be posting this... Hello! So, today is 8 weeks for Dillon crate rest. He is SO ready to get moving. Today I used a sling to let him walk to his food dish. He was so excited. His back legs don't work so he never did get to go outside potty since his accident. Anyway, I will be making a Vet appt this coming week to start weaning off methocarbamol and tramadol. Dillon has been off prednisone since last week of February. No indication of pain or crying. In fact he scares me sometimes in his crate he wiggles so much to see what is going on outside his crate. No leg movement yet... although, he has sort of pushed off with one of his legs during acupuncture once and once when my husband was expressing him. He is wagging his tail and looks like he is moving his back end somewhat. We are still expressing him. Had a few accidents but mostly keeps dry until we express him. He is on a 3 times per day schedule. We continue to take him to acupuncture every other week. Is there any specific questions I should ask the vet about his recovery? The vet said we could do water therapy a few weeks ago but we did not do it... I would like to start something now. Are there indications that it is ok to start this? I have c ontinued massage for his back legs and also do small circular movements... back legs are still limp :-( but like I said above, it looks like he is moving parts of his back end more and moving his tail more. I hope that is good news!! Are there any other exercises to do while he is healing? Does anyone use Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for muscle memory? I've started reading about it. I feel so bad that his muscles have atrophied so fast!! Thanks so much for your help and info!! Sherry
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Post by natureluva on Mar 17, 2013 15:36:22 GMT -7
Hi Sherry, congratulations on Dillon's graduation from crate rest!! Here is a link to help you slowly reintroduce Dillon into activities: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/AfterCrateRest.htm When Dillon wags his tail, is it because he is happy or excited, like when you give him a treat or he hears a knock at the door? If so, that is a true sign that nerve messages are being able to travel through the spinal cord. With time, his neurological functions may continue to improve. Just to give you an idea of how long it can take -- it took my dog 11 months after his IVDD episode to walk again! The things that helped him the most were acupuncture, his cart, and swim therapy. Have you thought about ordering Dillon a cart? They really do serve as physical therapy tools, and they give the dog freedom. I ordered mine from Eddie's Wheels at 10 weeks post-op. The cart allowed his feet to reacclimate to bearing weight, it kept his spine safely aligned, and helped him regain some muscle tone. My dog's cart is a "walking cart," meaning I could allow him to walk on all fours, or I could put his rear legs up in stirrups if necessary. I do not have any experience with N.E.S., but perhaps others do. Glad to hear you are doing well with expressing the bladder. As the weeks go by, periodically try the "sniff and pee" test to see if bladder control is returning. Carry Dillon out to an old pee spot, support his rear with a sling (figure-8 sling is best) or your hands, let him sniff around, and see if he can release urine on his own. If he can't, express his bladder right there on the ground so you'll have a fresh pee spot to try with later. Bladder control usually returns after tail wagging, so watch for it! :-) We look forward to hearing how Dillon does in the future. Best wishes, ~Lisa |
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Post by cindijim on Mar 17, 2013 17:37:05 GMT -7
I think moving parts of his back end and tail is wonderful! He has some feeling there which is great!
I took Suzy for PT twice a week. It was the muscle stimulation first then she got to start using the underwater treadmill. Then graduated to using regular treadmill too.
I think all the exercise is what helped her so much.
Check with your Vet to make sure it's okay to start exercises. I can't remember how long after surgery I had to wait.
You can't help that the muscles went away so quick. But he'll build them back up.
I'm so happy for you that he is doing so well!
Cindy
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Post by Sherry on Mar 17, 2013 20:34:03 GMT -7
Thanks Cindy! Did your Suzy eventually walk and go potty on her own? That is what I'm hoping for even if it takes awhile. I'm hoping to get Dillon to the vet asap this week. They have been really great getting him in within a day when I call.
Sherry
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Post by cindijim on Mar 18, 2013 7:42:12 GMT -7
Yes she walks. And pretty good. She can run when she wants to. No dragging at all. Suzy's 9.
Potty, no. She has no control over her bowels. I have to know all the signals she gives to be able to catch it in time. Urinating. I don't have to express her anymore. What I do is use a wet paper towel and tickle her back there and it makes her pee. You have to do it more than once till she stops. There are lots of accidents. But at least I have her and she lives a fairly normal life other than the bathroom. I have tried to keep her on a bathroom schedule just like you do a puppy. And it works most of the time. She always gets excited and barks when she sees someone out front, like the mailman and I know she's going to have a bowel movement then. And I keep the carpet cleaner close by.
I also have 3 other dogs over the age of 16 so I need the carpet cleaner for them too now!
Keep us posted.
Cindy
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Post by Sherry on Mar 18, 2013 9:19:36 GMT -7
Bummer, I don't think I hit send on my first reply! :-(
Hi Lisa,
Thanks so much for your reply! It certainly gives me hope!!
We are looking at carts for Dillon... have a few sites I am looking at.
When wagging his tail, it is about 80% when he potties or has a BM he actually lifts his tail to do his business (while expressing). Last night he actually just tapped his tail 3 times while laying down!! Maybe just a reflex thing but it still moved. Once in a while he will wag when we get really happy with him. (trying to convince him he should wag his tail LOL)
I was going to take him outside to try the sniff and pee but it has snowed again! We'll try when it's cleared.
I'm going to start water therapy this week. Vet said I could do it weeks ago but I waited. I had him in the tub a couple of days ago due to a potty accident so needed to clean him up... anyway, his little back end just floated in the water and he just stood there, like what are you waiting for... clean me up and get me out of here. HAHA He doesn't mind the water, so I"m hoping it will help. Altho, he didn't even try swimming with his front legs when I lifted him off the bottom of the tub. He knew I was holding him so didn't think he had to do anything. We'll see what the vet says on how to get him to want to swim/paddle his legs.
Thanks again,
Sherry
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,934
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 18, 2013 9:27:59 GMT -7
With warm weather coming soon, I hope, water therapy in a child's wadding pool can help. The water strengthens muscles while giving buoyancy support from hard falls. Water at chest height is easiest to move the legs properly. As water height goes lower such as with Jolene's movie clip there is more gravity and more muscle exercise. Watertread mill is also offered by through PT clinics and is very effective.
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/watertherapy.htm [water therapy article] |
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Post by Sherry on Mar 18, 2013 15:35:02 GMT -7
:-) I agree, I hope it gets warm soon! Jolene's video is sooo cute! I hope Dillon will get to that point of walking in the water. I'll definitely check around (and with the Vet) if there are any doggy PT's close by.
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Post by Sherry on Sept 10, 2013 20:37:56 GMT -7
Hello everyone, we brought Dillon (conservative 1-13) to the trial with Dr Jeffrey in Ames, IA. We are so sad... he didn't qualify due to the area of injury (5-6 too low on the spine) and too much injury to his nerve endings.  On the bright side, Dr Jeffrey said we are doing a great job caring for Dillon and he is a very happy dog... running around in his wheels and being a dog... we still express him on a regular schedule and will continue all of our home treatments and acupuncture to keep some of the nerve function and continue manually rebuilding his muscle tone. Good luck to others going for the trial. It sounds very promising for the right candidate!! Sherry |
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Marjorie
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Post by Marjorie on Sept 11, 2013 5:00:09 GMT -7
I'm sure you're very disappointed, Sherry. It sounds like you were really hopeful of this trial. But at least you tried. Take care and keep up the good work with Dillon!
All the best to you both.
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On the bright side, Dr Jeffrey said we are doing a great job caring for Dillon and he is a very happy dog... running around in his wheels and being a dog... we still express him on a regular schedule and will continue all of our home treatments and acupuncture to keep some of the nerve function and continue manually rebuilding his muscle tone. 
