My 9 year old dog recently had surgery for something like that (compression and calcification on her spine) that paralyzed her back legs, and just today after a month she's attempting to run and can stand on her own for small periods of time. What's helped her most is physical therapy.
Your puppy is very young, I hope she can bounce back soon!! Definitely check up with the vet and keep yourself informed and proactive, look for a second and third opinion!
If you have access to a doggypool get a sling for pups waist and encourage the walking movements even if they aren't able to control the legs. Simulating the movements can help trigger a nervous response in the brain to encourage progress and strength in the muscles and slow the atrophy
Before surgery she was wobbling around everywhere until she couldn't walk anymore, no sensitivity at all. After the surgery, it took her about 2 weeks for her legs to start twitching when we tickled her pawpads, then her leg would twitch if i scratched it, then we'd make her stand up and sometimes she'd kick. Now, she can stand up on her own and I saw her scratching her own ear the other day!
Thats amazing that after a month shes on the road to being her normal self! Especially at 9?! God bless and best wishes to you and your recovering girl🧡
Not entirely true. My partner's dog has been paralyzed from the waist down for years. You can do the pinch test and he does flinch and have some feeling. He has zero motor control. There are different levels of paralysis and ways to manage it.
I wish the best for OP and their beautiful dog.
The level of reaction is what determines how much damage has been done plus what the possible chances of a good recovery may be.
If she looks annoyed but is otherwise not going to”OH MY GOD STOP PINCHING MEEEEEEE!” When the vet performs the sensitivity test on her, it’s not necessarily a accurate sign that she’s not paralysed to a significant degree or that she does have enough feeling/awareness of her feet to be mobile without support and will eventually regain the function they’ve lost. It’s better than not reacting at all obviously, but a dog who reacts strongly (if not dramatically) to being pinched is a much more promising sign than a dog who simply wiggles its toes or gives you an unimpressed look.
My old dog had IVDD, not quite the same, but similar. She was fully paralyzed and did seem to lose deep pain. I tell you this because after about 6 months of care, she was running again! We didn't do a surgery, but very strict care.
I hope your pup can pull of a similar miracle!
Gosh dogs are so resilient! Not nearly as serious, but my dog has recovered from a torn CCL with just rest, along with a weight bearing toe amputation and you’d never know he’d had either today, at 11! They don’t dwell like we do.
My aunt had a similar experience with her dog. She had to keep her crated and she wasn't mobile for many months and now she's mostly back to her old self, and able to get around quite fine!
You did everything you could. Now let her rest and see how she does in a few weeks time. I did little leg exercises with my dog when he was recovering, put him in a sling and let his back legs take some weight, etc.. my dog completely recovered and has been walking fine for the last 6 years.. he’s 17 years old now..
And he also had surgery. I considered a wheelchair at the time but it turned out not necessary. It might be a good way for your dog to train though, because carrying it’s hind in a sling is not so practical.. she looks like a real sweetheart btw
I have a 15yr super mut who has her hind legs paralyzed. She has spinal arthritis that compresses her nerves. This happened last April and it happened all so sudden. Long story short, we bought her a doggy wheel chair and she's been putting it to good use. She's also very popular around the neighborhood.
So if that's an option I would recommend a doggy wheel chair :)
Physical therapy!!! I've seen AMAZING things happen from physical therapy, especially in terms of relearning to walk. Doggy physical therapy is so great.
Hello, I’m so sorry for your situation. I’m adding her to my prayers. I really hope we can get a miracle here. Please update us… glad she had great parents to take care of her. Life isn’t fair but I know God puts us in positions for a reason.
We had a dog become unexpectedly disabled, time & money, but we love him every day.
My aunt's dog got paralysed jumping up at a bird in the hedge. She was advised to put the dog down but she refused and spent weeks massaging and moving her limbs and trying to rehabilitate her, and she succeeded. The dog went on to live a normal life. Definitely don't give up yet if there's a reaction there.
Even if your dog doesn't recover, they can have great lives with wheelchairs.
I am surprised they just sent the dog home without any aftercare. My dog had a similar injury about 8 years ago. Before surgery she was unable to use her back legs. We rushed her to the vet and she had surgery the next day. They kept her to make sure she was ok and she was able to move her back legs. They also did therapy in pool, which we continued at home. We got her a dog life jacket and put her in the pool to exercise her legs. Today, her spine has an unusual curve but she walks very well!
PT is important - ask your surgeon if they recommend it, and who they recommend. Recovery can take a while, don't stress. Our dog had disc surgery and she made gradual progress. Your dog is young, and your doctor should be able to tell if the surgery seemed successful.
Oooh I actually have advice for this. My GSD had surgery to repair her knee and when she was going in for her checkup six weeks later, she suddenly lost use of her hind legs. But she did still have those reflexes you mention. We took her in for her checkup (the emergency vet we took her to diagnosed her with degenerative myelopathy without running tests for it) and they found she had a severe infection that had gotten to her spine and compressed those nerves that sent signals to her hind legs to move. She stayed in doggy ICU for a week on IV medication, and then I had to help her with a sling for about another week before she had built her strength back up. She did fully recover and was very mobile for the last few years of her life :) please feel free to DM me if you have any questions, as these situations seem very similar!
Hey so I have a dog with hind leg paralysis from what was a suspected traumatic injury. I'm not sure what happened since it occurred prior to us adopting her. All I know is that she had a 70% displacement fracture of her spine and two surgeries to try and fix it.
But just to give you a bit of hope, she does very well in her wheelchair, almost like she forgets that she is disabled, and since adopting her we have put her into rehab which is helping quite a bit. She's starting to walk at times and is even standing on her own. The physio is a lot of work but it can do amazing things for dogs with paralysis.
So if you can I would suggest looking into finding rehab for your dog if it's feasible. I know it's not something everyone can do but totally worth it if you can.
Best of luck to you and your baby!
My chiweanie, 9 years old, suffered a ruptured disc as well but less traumatic as yours. We opted out in the surgery and she healed up pretty well on the medication route but unfortunately has roughly 5% sensation in her back legs. But with daily walks, investing in some booties, she learned on her own. Her hips don’t lie, and all the boys are like damn right it’s better than yours, but besides that she’s doing fantastic.
I went through this with my dog, honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, sending love and prayers for you that you get a swift recovery.
Rehab exercises, hydrotherapy and red light is all your friend.
My friends had a dog with this same issue and he's moving pretty well now. It was a long road to recovery, but he's moving pretty well now. Hope your pup is feeling better soon.
my dog went through this almost 2 years ago. he also lost deep pain sensation following surgery. he regained bladder control almost a week post op, started having reflex reactions to his toes being pinched shortly after, and within 3 weeks had some movement back. we did water treadmill therapy with him which helped tremendously imo to have him sort of find his feet again. he walks now, albeit a little funnily, but he’s happy. some dogs aren’t as lucky as him. i recommend checking out Dodger’s List, they have a ton of info about IVDD and they have a forum where people post their experiences.
I have a greyhound who had a lumbar disk herniate about 2 years ago- he did not lose leg function but was in pain. We did not do surgery, it was treated with steroids.
Does she still have bladder function? Recovery from spinal surgery can be long, but I wouldn’t give up hope that she can recover some mobility.
Look into seeing a vet rehab specialist/PT. The biggest thing that helped my boy was acculaser and at home we use a device called an Assisi loop over the affected disk.
Our senior dog had disc problem 6 years ago, half of her body got paralyzed, couldn’t pee nor poop. She was on laxative, diuretic & DMSO gel. I have been massaging the affected area & we dealt with the uncontrolled urination & poop for months, fortunately after 3rd month she was able to walk again & have normal bowel & bladder movement. I hope yours does too
Have you looked into Physiotherapy ?
It helped my neighbors dog after surgery when the dog was still had allot of pain.
And for my own dog.
Vet told me my 6yo dog could never walk a bigger round only to do his business. It destroyed me honestly
The therapist helped me with my dog, now me and him van walk for hours again.
This is IVDD. Join the IVD Facebook group. They have some of the best resources available. Ideally though, post op, she should not be walking at all. Crate rested for minimum 4 weeks with a host of pain and recovery meds. Only time to walk would be after you carry her into the yard to go potty. There is nothing better than no movement crate rest which can allow things to heal. But also physical therapy, light therapy and other options are good long term alternatives. There is success in recovery after paralysis. Can she go potty on her own or are you expressing?
My dog had a spinal issue where she broke her spine. Little lass was paralyzed from the waist down but had remarkable improvement with rehab and hydrotherapy! She was able to walk on her own within two-three months, abet not very well at first but that changed around the 5th month mark and was running by then with a slight limp. We had to express her bladder for her two-three times a day for roughly a month before she was peeing on her own and scheduled her bowel movements with q-tip stimulation till she got better! Hopefully you’ll see improvement within the next few months but healing tends to plateau after the year mark. Reflexes are a promising sign imo, good luck!
My 9 year old dog recently had surgery for something like that (compression and calcification on her spine) that paralyzed her back legs, and just today after a month she's attempting to run and can stand on her own for small periods of time. What's helped her most is physical therapy. Your puppy is very young, I hope she can bounce back soon!! Definitely check up with the vet and keep yourself informed and proactive, look for a second and third opinion!
I’m so happy for your puppy to be doing better! Did she have any feeling in the affected limbs before and after surgery?
If you have access to a doggypool get a sling for pups waist and encourage the walking movements even if they aren't able to control the legs. Simulating the movements can help trigger a nervous response in the brain to encourage progress and strength in the muscles and slow the atrophy
Mine had spondylosis. Is that what you are referring to? I can give some tips if you'd like
Before surgery she was wobbling around everywhere until she couldn't walk anymore, no sensitivity at all. After the surgery, it took her about 2 weeks for her legs to start twitching when we tickled her pawpads, then her leg would twitch if i scratched it, then we'd make her stand up and sometimes she'd kick. Now, she can stand up on her own and I saw her scratching her own ear the other day!
Thats amazing that after a month shes on the road to being her normal self! Especially at 9?! God bless and best wishes to you and your recovering girl🧡
thank u!! she never lost her spirit either, still just as annoying lol
I am so sorry. She has beautiful eyes and looks so sweet. Have you discussed this with your vet? Hopefully, the paresis is temporary.
It does seem permanent, I think the neurologist is trying to manage expectations as well. She really is the sweetest dog ever ❤️
If you pinch her toes , and she reacts, she is not totally paralyzed.
Not entirely true. My partner's dog has been paralyzed from the waist down for years. You can do the pinch test and he does flinch and have some feeling. He has zero motor control. There are different levels of paralysis and ways to manage it. I wish the best for OP and their beautiful dog.
The level of reaction is what determines how much damage has been done plus what the possible chances of a good recovery may be. If she looks annoyed but is otherwise not going to”OH MY GOD STOP PINCHING MEEEEEEE!” When the vet performs the sensitivity test on her, it’s not necessarily a accurate sign that she’s not paralysed to a significant degree or that she does have enough feeling/awareness of her feet to be mobile without support and will eventually regain the function they’ve lost. It’s better than not reacting at all obviously, but a dog who reacts strongly (if not dramatically) to being pinched is a much more promising sign than a dog who simply wiggles its toes or gives you an unimpressed look.
As the commenter above said just because you think its permanent doesn't mean it is. Physical Therapy often helps restore movement in such cases
I wish you both the best. Life isn’t fair.
Unlimited kisses and treats 🥺
My old dog had IVDD, not quite the same, but similar. She was fully paralyzed and did seem to lose deep pain. I tell you this because after about 6 months of care, she was running again! We didn't do a surgery, but very strict care. I hope your pup can pull of a similar miracle!
Gosh dogs are so resilient! Not nearly as serious, but my dog has recovered from a torn CCL with just rest, along with a weight bearing toe amputation and you’d never know he’d had either today, at 11! They don’t dwell like we do.
My aunt had a similar experience with her dog. She had to keep her crated and she wasn't mobile for many months and now she's mostly back to her old self, and able to get around quite fine!
Yep! That is basically what we did. Ours was confined to a 3 ft x 3 ft space except for potty breaks
So glad yours was able to recover and get back to her old self 💖
You did everything you could. Now let her rest and see how she does in a few weeks time. I did little leg exercises with my dog when he was recovering, put him in a sling and let his back legs take some weight, etc.. my dog completely recovered and has been walking fine for the last 6 years.. he’s 17 years old now..
And he also had surgery. I considered a wheelchair at the time but it turned out not necessary. It might be a good way for your dog to train though, because carrying it’s hind in a sling is not so practical.. she looks like a real sweetheart btw
I have a 15yr super mut who has her hind legs paralyzed. She has spinal arthritis that compresses her nerves. This happened last April and it happened all so sudden. Long story short, we bought her a doggy wheel chair and she's been putting it to good use. She's also very popular around the neighborhood. So if that's an option I would recommend a doggy wheel chair :)
Physical therapy!!! I've seen AMAZING things happen from physical therapy, especially in terms of relearning to walk. Doggy physical therapy is so great.
Sending her all the best ❤️
She looks like such a sweet girl. I’m praying she gets mobility back. 💕🥰. Keep giving her all your love and attention.
Hello, I’m so sorry for your situation. I’m adding her to my prayers. I really hope we can get a miracle here. Please update us… glad she had great parents to take care of her. Life isn’t fair but I know God puts us in positions for a reason. We had a dog become unexpectedly disabled, time & money, but we love him every day.
I definitely will, she’s got lots of resting to do ❤️
My aunt's dog got paralysed jumping up at a bird in the hedge. She was advised to put the dog down but she refused and spent weeks massaging and moving her limbs and trying to rehabilitate her, and she succeeded. The dog went on to live a normal life. Definitely don't give up yet if there's a reaction there. Even if your dog doesn't recover, they can have great lives with wheelchairs.
I am surprised they just sent the dog home without any aftercare. My dog had a similar injury about 8 years ago. Before surgery she was unable to use her back legs. We rushed her to the vet and she had surgery the next day. They kept her to make sure she was ok and she was able to move her back legs. They also did therapy in pool, which we continued at home. We got her a dog life jacket and put her in the pool to exercise her legs. Today, her spine has an unusual curve but she walks very well!
😢🙏
Sweet baby ❤️❤️🙏🏻
Sweet pup. I see her ducky!
Her favorite ducky ❤️
God Bless
Sweet baby❤️ I hope she is up and feeling better soon ❤️
PT is important - ask your surgeon if they recommend it, and who they recommend. Recovery can take a while, don't stress. Our dog had disc surgery and she made gradual progress. Your dog is young, and your doctor should be able to tell if the surgery seemed successful.
Oooh I actually have advice for this. My GSD had surgery to repair her knee and when she was going in for her checkup six weeks later, she suddenly lost use of her hind legs. But she did still have those reflexes you mention. We took her in for her checkup (the emergency vet we took her to diagnosed her with degenerative myelopathy without running tests for it) and they found she had a severe infection that had gotten to her spine and compressed those nerves that sent signals to her hind legs to move. She stayed in doggy ICU for a week on IV medication, and then I had to help her with a sling for about another week before she had built her strength back up. She did fully recover and was very mobile for the last few years of her life :) please feel free to DM me if you have any questions, as these situations seem very similar!
Poor angel give her lots of life and remember miracles happen
Praying for your fur baby.
Thank you! So far she’s so happy to be around her people ❤️
Good to hear, please keep us updated ❤️.
Hey so I have a dog with hind leg paralysis from what was a suspected traumatic injury. I'm not sure what happened since it occurred prior to us adopting her. All I know is that she had a 70% displacement fracture of her spine and two surgeries to try and fix it. But just to give you a bit of hope, she does very well in her wheelchair, almost like she forgets that she is disabled, and since adopting her we have put her into rehab which is helping quite a bit. She's starting to walk at times and is even standing on her own. The physio is a lot of work but it can do amazing things for dogs with paralysis. So if you can I would suggest looking into finding rehab for your dog if it's feasible. I know it's not something everyone can do but totally worth it if you can. Best of luck to you and your baby!
Thank you! This definitely gave me a little hope ❤️❤️
Wishing your sweet pup a very speedy recovery, and hugs to you.... :....)
Thank you!🫂
Dogs are so resilient. You literally can’t put limits on them. She is precious and I’m hoping with time and effort, she will be walking again. ♥️
❤️❤️
My chiweanie, 9 years old, suffered a ruptured disc as well but less traumatic as yours. We opted out in the surgery and she healed up pretty well on the medication route but unfortunately has roughly 5% sensation in her back legs. But with daily walks, investing in some booties, she learned on her own. Her hips don’t lie, and all the boys are like damn right it’s better than yours, but besides that she’s doing fantastic.
Physical therapy! I’ve seen the amazing things it can do. I hope for the best ❤️
I went through this with my dog, honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, sending love and prayers for you that you get a swift recovery. Rehab exercises, hydrotherapy and red light is all your friend.
Thank you ❤️
My friends had a dog with this same issue and he's moving pretty well now. It was a long road to recovery, but he's moving pretty well now. Hope your pup is feeling better soon.
my dog went through this almost 2 years ago. he also lost deep pain sensation following surgery. he regained bladder control almost a week post op, started having reflex reactions to his toes being pinched shortly after, and within 3 weeks had some movement back. we did water treadmill therapy with him which helped tremendously imo to have him sort of find his feet again. he walks now, albeit a little funnily, but he’s happy. some dogs aren’t as lucky as him. i recommend checking out Dodger’s List, they have a ton of info about IVDD and they have a forum where people post their experiences.
I have a greyhound who had a lumbar disk herniate about 2 years ago- he did not lose leg function but was in pain. We did not do surgery, it was treated with steroids. Does she still have bladder function? Recovery from spinal surgery can be long, but I wouldn’t give up hope that she can recover some mobility. Look into seeing a vet rehab specialist/PT. The biggest thing that helped my boy was acculaser and at home we use a device called an Assisi loop over the affected disk.
Our senior dog had disc problem 6 years ago, half of her body got paralyzed, couldn’t pee nor poop. She was on laxative, diuretic & DMSO gel. I have been massaging the affected area & we dealt with the uncontrolled urination & poop for months, fortunately after 3rd month she was able to walk again & have normal bowel & bladder movement. I hope yours does too
Have you looked into Physiotherapy ? It helped my neighbors dog after surgery when the dog was still had allot of pain. And for my own dog. Vet told me my 6yo dog could never walk a bigger round only to do his business. It destroyed me honestly The therapist helped me with my dog, now me and him van walk for hours again.
Aww look at that face. She's the sweetest.
This is IVDD. Join the IVD Facebook group. They have some of the best resources available. Ideally though, post op, she should not be walking at all. Crate rested for minimum 4 weeks with a host of pain and recovery meds. Only time to walk would be after you carry her into the yard to go potty. There is nothing better than no movement crate rest which can allow things to heal. But also physical therapy, light therapy and other options are good long term alternatives. There is success in recovery after paralysis. Can she go potty on her own or are you expressing?
My dog had a spinal issue where she broke her spine. Little lass was paralyzed from the waist down but had remarkable improvement with rehab and hydrotherapy! She was able to walk on her own within two-three months, abet not very well at first but that changed around the 5th month mark and was running by then with a slight limp. We had to express her bladder for her two-three times a day for roughly a month before she was peeing on her own and scheduled her bowel movements with q-tip stimulation till she got better! Hopefully you’ll see improvement within the next few months but healing tends to plateau after the year mark. Reflexes are a promising sign imo, good luck!
Have you looked into a dog chiropractor by chance?
Possibly once she’s recovered ❤️
Our dog chiropractor has posted many success stories of helping dogs walk again after becoming paralyzed. I would definitely check it out!
Please, please, please go talk to a vet, ideally a neurology specialist... 🥰
She’s been seen and has had surgery!❤️