Is there a Vet in the house?

[101RRS]

Is there a vet in the house? I have a 13 1/2 yo Cocker Spaniel that has lost the use of her rear legs.

On Thurs morn doggie running around Ok then later in the afternoon started limping a bit and could no longer get up and down the stairs or out of the doggie door. She could still walk around a bit outside. Later that night she seemed to loose the use of her back legs completely. She could sit on her haunches with back legs straight out the front but not get up. Happy to gulp dinner though - thought about ticks but I am not in a tick area and none of the other symptoms.

Still no action on the legs on Friday morning so to the vet first thing. $400 and 3 X rays later still no diagnosis. X ray showed all vertebrae nicely spaced and hips joints all OK - in fact virtually no arthritis - all tendons and joints seem OK. She has feeling in both legs and is able to wag her tail but lower back is painful. X ray does not show any soft tissue or spinal cord. So treatment is rest and painkiller/deflammatory tabs and hoping it is a pinched nerve or slipped disk :(. If no changes in a week then doggie equivalent of an MRI to check out things like the spinal cord. $$$$$$$$$$

Today - she is the same - happy to eat her chicken wing for breakfast but cannot walk or stand on her back legs (fronts are all OK) so I have to carry her outside but she is not keen on no1s or no2s.

So if there are any vets around - any other suggestions?

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Thanks

Garry

[Slunnie]

Her paws are not sensitive anywhere?

[dullbird]

I'm not a Vet but was going to say pinched never as its painful, if she wasn't feeling pain and all was ok I would of said never break down in the lower back area, which German Shepherds seem to get when they look weak in the back legs but not show other signs of pain.

Does she still have bladder control?

[dmdigital]

Another thing to consider is she could also have had a stroke. Our Cocker had a few funny little episodes when she was about 13 and older. She lived to almost 15 years in the end.

I hope all goes well, you never know the anti-inflamitories may work wonders.

[Chucaro]

......... thought about ticks but I am not in a tick area and none of the other symptoms.
Thanks

Garry

Garry, Bundaberg it is not a tick area but 2 dogs died from them.
Appears that dogs that come with people from the south in holiday have the ticks :(

[101RRS]

Thanks for the information - most of them were discussed with the vet.

Doggie has always has sensitive paws and does not like people playing with them. As things are likely to messing toilet wise I gave her a close clip today - normally she does not like her feet being done - rears seemed less sensitive than usual but feeling was still there - but I do not think there is any extra sensitivity.

The vet is leaning towards a pinched nerve or slipped disk so if the former rest and meds should have an impact - No1 and No2s are all working OK but I have to help her because she cannot get into position - use your imagination on that one.

The idea of a stroke was discussed and could be a possibility but all her other faculties seem OK. Ticks were considered first off but most instances in Canberra are dogs that have gone down the coast - can still happen though but all checked over and there are no breathing issues.

She has cataracts and I think she has either tripped going down the stairs or fell off the bed when I was not around and has some soft tissue/nerve damage in her lower back - hopefully rest and meds will work.

Just looking for other possible ideas so that I can discuss with the vet when I take her back for review during the week.

Cheers

Garry

[101RRS]

Well up until this evening doggie could still not walk or stand up by herself. If I lifted her up she could stand for a little while before falling over.

Cooking lasagne for dinner doggie suddenly appeared at the kitchen door with a look that said 'where is mine' - the miracle of food - she managed to get up and walk from the living room by herself. But on arrival promptly fell over - but it is a start. She is not getting up for anything else and seems content sleeping all day and having me carrying her around.

So it seems the paralysis is not permanent and is slowly wearing off - hopefully all will be Ok - so I guess it was a pinched nerve or a a slipped disk that is starting to deflate a bit. I was surprised how paralysed her back legs were.

Cheers

Garry

[dmdigital]

That's good to hear! Hope she keeps improving.

[dullbird]

X2.

[VladTepes]

Yeah I hope she's on the mend mate.

[101RRS]

Doggie has been progressing so much so that she went for her first drive in the 101 today to her favourite place - the dump.

In less than 2 weeks she has gone from being completely paralysed in the back legs to being able to sit up in the passenger seat, climbing steps and attempting to jump up on the bed - the trouble she has turned into a rabbit and when she has to move with a bit of speed and going up and down the steps she bunny hops so all is still not well.

Still not too bad for a 13 1/2 yo dog.

The vet suggested glucosamine but they want $80 for 250gms and I know it is a lot cheaper at the supermarket. So is anyone using glucosamine from the supermarket and do you think it has made any difference?

Unfortunately glucosamine has now been medically tested on humans and has been found to be ineffective - all placebo effect so I am a bit sceptical for doggie but the vet still swears by it.

Cheers

Garry

[dullbird]

yeah given glucosamine for a number of dogs..I think it works for a little while and then I feel becomes ineffective after some time.

I give it to my shepherd over the colder months.....I also give her a course of cartrophen injections when I feel she is a bit stiffer then usual in the colder months.

I think I pay about 30bux for a tub from the pet shop and it lasted her a number of months just giving her 2 tabs once a day

[101RRS]

Thanks - I will give it a try and and see how it goes.

Garry

[Bundalene]

If its any help, our 11YO Staffy has contracted a bit of arthritis and he is taking Blackmores Joint Formula Advanced Glucosamine & Chondroitin , which our Vet said was OK (available from the chemist). Just reduce dosage to the dog weight..ie. our 23kg Staffy is on one-third of the human dose, which is one-third of a teaspoon in his cold food each evening.

He also gets a tin of sardines in oil every two days (in the morning). And if he looks like he's a bit sore and slow he gets a quarter of a tablet of Carprofen in his food, but not every day. He still loves his daily walks and was like a young pup last weekend when we went out bush. But, sadly we have had to put a stop to his ball games:( . He can still easily jump onto his bed in the loungeroom though.

He goes in for his annual check up (Distemper, Parvo, Worm shots etc.) next week, so we will discuss with our wonderful Vet if he needs injections.

After all, he is part of the family.:)

[101RRS]

Thanks for that - doggie has just come off Carprofen - expensive stuff though. I will put her on the Blackmores but if she is still crook it will be back to the vet for ongoing cortisone tablets.

She was on half an asprin with food but the vet is not keen on it but cannot say why. In the past other vets have said it is good so there seems to be varying opinion on this so I will stay away from it.

Cheers

Garry

[drifter]

Good to hear she has progressed, mate.

[101RRS]

Hi John thanks - I guess that series 2 of yours is ready for rego by now:).

[drifter]

hahahahahahaha :2up:

[crispy]

4 weeks ago the same thing happened to our doberman. A friend who is a doctor said to put her on fish oil capsules and glucosamine. When we went to the vet ($800) they gave us a free trial of glucosamine. We buy it at Aldi,and the fish oil thingys,heaps cheaper.The vet wanted to send her to a specialist,seems they want to fuse 2 discs . Think it is pressing on the spinal cord . She is 10 years old,that is old for a doberman. If it gets really bad Im going to make a cradle with wheels for her back legs.

Good luck with your dog.

[101RRS]

Thanks,

I will give the fish oil tabs a go as well.

Sorry to hear about your doggie - was also thinking about wheels as well in the worst case but my house is a tri level house so stairs everywhere.

I hope your pootch shapes up well as well.

Garry

[Ivan]

Gary

I take Glocosamine every day as I have dodgy knees (too much parachuting whenI was younger). I can confirm it really does work. If I stop taking them I get my knee problems back. Despite what others have said they do really work and are not a placebo.

Ivan

[101RRS]

Its great to see that it works for you and you get relief from your aches and pains.

Cheers

Garry

[Bundalene]

Garry, how is your pooch going?

Took our Staffy to the vet today for his annual check-up & injections etc. and am pleased to say he got a good report.

Since he has been on the Glucosamine each day and sardines in oil every 2nd day, plus one quarter of a tablet of carprofen each 2nd or 3rd day, he has improved heaps. Vet reckons what we are doing seems to be working OK, so hopefully it will continue to help him.

Hope all is going well with your girl.

Cheers, Erich

[101RRS]

Glad to hear your doggie is coming along. My pooch still has a limp and is pretty slow getting up and down the stairs but is coming along. Sardines and the glucosmine will start this week. The problem is that doggie likes going up and down the stairs and is too stupid to stop doing it - also tries jumping up and down on the bed.

But compared to compared to a couple of weeks back - she is a lot better. With her docked tail and floppy ears, she does look a bit like a rabbit when she bunny hops to get around quickly.

Cheers

Garry

[101RRS]

Doggie just had her first can of sardines in oil - lasted about 2 secs. I am not sure of the glucosamine dose so she is getting half a 1000mg tab a day.

Will see how she goes but is looking promising but the dog is too stupid for her own good - fell off the bed this morning trying to jump up on it:(. I suspect that is the behaviour that caused the problem in the first place.

Don't get Cockers - they are so stupid - but perfectly behaved when food is around.

[Bundalene]

If she needs to get up on the bed, can you make a bit of a 'step' so she doesn't have to jump so high? eg. a couple of cushions so she doesn't have to make one big jump, just a couple of smaller ones:)

Just a thought.




It might take a few days for the sardines & glucosamine to kick in, but hopefully all will begin to improve. All I can say is it has made a really big difference to our boy.

Good luck.

[101RRS]

If she needs to get up on the bed, can you make a bit of a 'step' so she doesn't have to jump so high? eg. a couple of cushions so she doesn't have to make one big jump, just a couple of smaller ones:)

Yeah tried that with a few things - steps, cushions but even though she knows all about steps she cannot seem to do it to get on the bed (her favourite place in the house - under the doona is even better). Even tried it with doggie treats to tempt her - as I said Cockers are not the sharpest tool in the tool shed. However she is smart enough to know that if she sooks enough and makes noise at 6 in the morning she will get lifted up onto the bed.

Thinking of making a ramp she can walk up.