Alex's update

[Chris]

Thanks for all of the wishes, prayers and inquiries about Alex. I thought I would post an update to let you know how he was doing. He is officially off of 100% crates rest, but of course I am gradually introducing him to things again.

He is minimal to zero pain. He is taking a small bit of Tramadol in the morning (this is 30% of the dosage he was getting) though and it really seems to help. Alex has had a little trouble in the cold damp weather the past few years at any rate anyways. He has the sparkle in his eyes back, and has showed me he remembers how to beg (nope, he never is the "sitting up" kind of dog, but you all know the head tilt and the ear perk...). The most disturbing thing about Al's predicament is his lack of interest in the act of it. It was just so out of character. He is interested in life again and nosy about what is going on. He is periodically on Pred when he seems to be especially tangled up in the AM but he is pretty much off of that.

He is getting his strength back in his rear left leg really well. He has strong reflexes and is expected to make a 100% recovery in that leg. He just needs a little time walking with the belly strap and doing some hydrotherapy to get all of his strength back in it - but he sure can kick!

Unfortunately, the prognosis with his right leg is not nearly as good. At this point, it is doubted that it will return to normal, and despite my efforts it has lost muscle tone. The disc damage was uneven, thus the unevenness. There is absolutely no guarantee with surgery it would have been corrected.

Because he has a very strong upper body strength (well, you can't call it "upper body strength" in a dog, but you know what I mean), the vet thinks he is an excellent candidate for a cart while continuing therapy, especially that the right leg may never come back sufficient enough for him to walk on it. She thinks he will do great with one. He tried to tear around the room when allowed to show his stuff without the band at the vet's (the back right leg just coasted along the shiny floor while he tried to make a run for it - he didn't hurt himself) and she could just imagine how he'd be with a cart.

She also thinks it would get him a lot of confidence. During his crate rest, he was 90% dependent upon me, and with the cart he would be able to only depend on me 50% - he wouldn't feel so lost when I went out, too.

All in all, the theory is that because of the crate rest and because prior to not feeling well he took long walks of 1-2 miles at least 4 times a week, sometimes 6, for the whole year or more prior that it really helped him quite a bit in the recovery process, especially at his age of going on 12. That's not "old" but it would be worse, I think at his age if he was a total couch potato.

Anyway, I feel better now that we can move forward with things and also the idea that Alex can come outside and walk with the other dogs again someday - maybe not 2 miles but even for a little bit, makes me happy, because he sure enjoys it. I just need to now get him or make him a cart along with the current plan. Oh, and we are working on bringing him back up to wait. The vet would like to see him gain at least 1.5-2 pounds through mostly muscle tone. So that's our goal.

Thanks for all of the encouragement

(oh, yes, photos will follow eventually of "the boy dogs")

[areese]

Don't give up on that leg yet!! I know it's been a LOOONG time to be patient but it takes a lot of time for nerves to heal. Definitely do hydrotherapy and walking...I would recommend cold laser therapy or accupuncture too.
A "walking" cart could help him in the future-that would allow him to use his legs and give him support but I have a feeling he won't need it forever.

[Lisa]

Don't give up on the right leg. I think your vet has a great plan! With the getting out and about and the water therapy, they can make amazing strides.

Thank you so much for the update. I was thinking about you both.

One thing I learned visiting our therapist is nerves regenerate so slowly. but they can come back.

[oceangirls]

This is great! I hope he continues to improve :crossfin: but sounds like a pretty impressive recovery so far. He's a tough little dude!

[Chris]

Is a walking cart different than the carts I normally think of. If I am not mistaken, usually carts lift the rear legs slightly or cradle them so they don't trip over them, or should it be so he can touch the ground with his rear legs? Or at least in a way where he could touch with his toes and sort of work on it but not so he would be dragging?


Don't give up on that leg yet!! I know it's been a LOOONG time to be patient but it takes a lot of time for nerves to heal. Definitely do hydrotherapy and walking...I would recommend cold laser therapy or accupuncture too.
A "walking" cart could help him in the future-that would allow him to use his legs and give him support but I have a feeling he won't need it forever.

Right now she (the vet) feels no/ muscle mass in the leg. He holds it very stiffly most of the time and when you try to move it around, that is the case as well, where you can easily flex and bend his left leg. He is not holding it stiff because it hurts - he just doesn't seem to move it at all and when he tries to walk, it gets in his way and he either drags it or sort of stumbles over it. occasionally, in the right position, he can use it to pivot on but when he wiggles in the other direction it just buckles. I am not going to give up - but she was saying the tendons and not the muscles are what have the leg in that position. He doesn't seem terribly bothered by it. I keep "thinking" I am getting him pushing pressure against my hand but don't know if i am mistaking ridgidness for pushing. Luckily his other leg is rarin to go.

I am going to see what cold laser therapy is. She doesn't discourage me from anything i want to try - but I think water therapy is the one easiest to start and keep going with initially as well, there's a tub in the house :) She said be careful with a bubble mat (spa mat) because it could scare him.. If I find one, sort of test it out a little bit to see.

[lotsadox]

Amanda was very weak on one side even after her surgery and the vet had me do exercises with her by having her standing up and putting my hand under the weak foot and pushing up. She eventually started pushing against my hand. I think it did help.

Water therapy helped both Amanda and Bandit. It got their back legs moving again. At first Amanda would only kick with one leg, but eventually the other one started moving. Bandit at first only kicked sporadically with her back legs. The water therapy got them going rhythmically and so got some strength back into both legs. When you start working with him, I'll bet you'll see some more improvement.

[Rae]

what a great hoo-parent you are! Alex is a lucky doggie to have you.

I agree with the water therapy, but then I am a one-dog doxie lover with limited experience. Keep working, trying, and doing for your baby. So glad to hear the recovery is underway, and :bigrayz: for continued improvement.

[Lisa]

If you can, I would look for a physio therapist in your area. I love the suggestions your vet gave! Truly. But a physio can also offer you things that Amy suggested, laser therapy, acupuncture and even some really helpful exercises to do at home daily. Going on line and reading them is not the same as being in front of someone who does it daily who can show you the correct technique. Some of which involves applying pressure at the perfect time to simulate walking. And little tips, like always make sure he is standing when eating, and you place his back legs in the proper position, so his base stance gets strong (thank you Yolanda).

Just to put it in perspective, 8 weeks was just the time it took for the disc to heal and calcify. And as someone who has suffered though it, you did amazing! However, it wasn't about him going back to how he was before the rupture, it was only about healing. NOW is when the actual re-teaching begins.

Some other things we went over were doing basic commands, like sit to stand, again though, there is a specific technique best shown by someone who does it for a living. If you do it correctly, it will totally build muscle tone in the back end (like a human doing squats), but if you don't do it perfectly, the benefits are missed.

[HokieMom]

Alex is continuing to make wonderful progress thanks to the love and care you provide him

You're a wonderful Dog Mom!

:bigrayz::bigrayz: for Alex to continue to improve and a :hug99: for you for doing such a wonderful job!

[LexieLuvr]

ITA with Lisa - sending more recovery :bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz: for Alex. And do NOT give up on his total recovery -- it often takes months, and sometimes YEARS, but there are so many stories of amazing total recoveries that it's like a miracle. It can happen -- don't give up!! :hug99: You're doing great. And please look into other things you can do at home to help him recover his strength.

[Chris]

Thanks so much everybody. I felt like worst doxie mom ever in the beginning. Alex had a busy day today. He was standing to eat, like suggested and he walked a bit more than usual - supported, of course. I think that even though it wasn't very long, it pooped him out a bit. He held a little weight on his right leg with some help so I hope it helps. I am going to look into seeing a real physical therapist and see what the other next steps are. I just wish that the gas situation would get under control and not be almost $4 a gallon, but he's worth it.

Now...on to cart building...