he is only able to move his head(with difficult) he cant pee or poop alone(i have to prees his belly) my vet told me to put him to rest but he didnt do any exams he only looked at my dog and said to put him to rest. It means feeding them in their in crate. That is the minimum time it takes scar tissue to form over the disk and heal. He is crate ridden next toof my bed. When and if your vet diagnoses your dog with IVDD, they should be able to tell you what stage theyre in (see above). If they are not comfortable in a crate, or you want to really restrict their movement, wrap them in a towel or blanket and have someone hold them. Thanks for all the info you have shared on this topic, Its been super helpful! Every couple years shell get where she seems to be in pain. Im a passionate pet parent that shares what I know about Dachshunds and adventuring with small dogs. Hopefully youve been able to see your veterinarian by now and have some answers and a treatment plan. Today she scratched herself with her rear right hind leg for the first time in more than 5 weeks. Its so hard when our babies are not feeling well. She passed the knuckle and pinch tests with flying colors. I dont know what to do. Hi Natalie. Some are not so lucky. Thank you for all information that allowed me to make choices that I had to make. Hi Dee. The specialist we saw was not specifically listed as anIVDDexpert. Yes, its like what I expected then. He can still stand some on his back legs but he mainly drags them. I do know, especially in the later stages of IVDD, not moving a dog around too much is of utmost importance. This is the brand of disposable diapers that worked best for us (we have the male version): https://amzn.to/2GSV2DJ (thats an affilate link so I get a small sales commission if you buy). Sure, minimizing the jumping could have postponed a likely, inevitable back issue but it wouldnt have stopped it from happening. My 10 year old dachshund mix, Boxcar, was shaking in pain last night and walking drunk with his back legs. We have one of those as well but I prefer the laser (we have a small home unit). I can understand the surgery but never thought about not being able to prescribe anti-inflammatories. Still I wouldnt have traded a moment with Pretzel III. I just wanted to relay our story and Chia s journey with you and your followers with a sincere thank you for providing such a fabulous resource. Things you will want to tell your vet include: Do be aware that a lot of vets are generalists and are not super knowledgeable about IVDD. Im so sorry to hear about your pup but very happy that my article helped and you took the time to let me know. Im not sure how well that works for issues due to degeneration (I would ask a vet to make sure) but I cant see how at least a week or two of crate rest cant help. For some, the recover is full. Blessings, I am all for natural supplements, how many times a day did you use the tumeric/coconut oil in her food? In other words, there should be no other ingredients except perhaps black pepper (it helps the turmeric work). My dog yelped one day while greeting someone, so I took him to the vet. I took him out thought he was nervous, realized he had 0 rear leg movement. We didnt enforce the crate rest for the full 5 weeks after an acute injury because he seemed so much better. My dachshund try to jump on the couch and yelped and after that he was walking around limping this was two days ago and now hes completely paralyzed on his hind legs I know I need to get him to a vet but I dont have any money completely broke he said hes my little baby I dont know what to do for him he was attacked by a husky a couple months ago and recovered I do have is anti-inflammatory pain meds still but my question is how can I help him go potty when I pick him up he peed all over my hand how can I help him go, Hi Jacqueline. His diagnosis after performing a few tests ( knuckle over and pinch test., Ability to stand/walk, vertebrae physical examwas that Chia needed immediate surgery for her IVDD..which he generously offered to perform that evening at a cost of $15,000. Like I said, a vet wouldnt suggest it if they didnt think it was necessary. Then i thought today that possably natural anti inflammatories might help enough if I can keep him quiet. Theyve given us a really high amount that short of selling my organs(lol) we cant afford. Is there any home helpor remedies? Do you update on your doxie? You say Izzy suddenly became paralyzed but then also that she has sores from dragging her back legs, which indicates shes been doing it for a while. Our daschund had back surgery when she was 3 and recovered perfectly. Ive, unfortunately, seen it happen way too much. I live in a small rural area where there arent a lot of options. In part, I think this helped with her recovery). Hopefully your vet was at least able to. This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, almost all Dachshunds suffer a back injury, promising method for testing genes related to IVDD, dog confined to a crate for 5+ weeks can be difficult, Other muscle strengthening exercises (doggy gym exercises), chose not to treat her like she is fragile, https://barkertime.com/product-category/accessories/drag-bag/, https://www.handicappedpets.com/dog-wheelchair-small-adjustable-wheelchairs-for-dogs-with-disabilities/, https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/dog-crate-rest-tips/, https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/the-truth-about-dachshunds-and-back-problems/, https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/hemp-my-pet-review/, https://dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/, https://www.facebook.com/groups/565689017647245, Is it the back or front legs that are affected, What symptoms your pup is exhibiting (and why you suspect it might be IVDD), What has happened (how your pup acted and what you did) after the initial pain episode, Educate yourself and know the symptoms so you can catch it at the first sign (so it doesnt progress to a full-blown disk issue), Minimize Jumping use ramps, stairs, lift, Keep their muscles strong and flexible with regular exercise (appropriate for their condition), If there is any issue in the future, follow a regime of STRICT crate rest for AT LEAST 3-5 WEEKS. So far, so good! Turmeric 2 teaspoon in food with some coconut oil. But I left for work all was fine. I want you to be aware of these options so you can do some research about what you can do to get your pup healed and lessen the chance of another episode. My third dachshund was mis-diagnosed and ended up paralyzed. This damaged disk them compresses a nerve. If the injury occurs after hours, that will be your only option. My fourth dackel also ruptured a disk but we were able to treat her in time and she was fine. Doing it doesnt mean your pup wont need surgery at some point but the create rest is the #1 treatment for this condition and the only real chance that the problem disk will heal. I could not be happier to find this site! Its also possible, for dogs that had some paralysis, surgery and/or crate rest did not completely fix that. Your email address will not be published. It is now just over 5 weeks. Luckily, my vet agreed with me that I needed something to knock the edge off but didnt need to go as far giving her drugs to sedate her. She still has feeling in her feet though. She was five when that happened. I just wanted to add that I also introduced turmeric into Chias diet from the outset of the complication based on contributions made on this blog. Still, vets often only seem to give the option to do surgery (if that is possible) or put them down. They put him on gabapentin, codeine and as needed trazodone. JoAnn, Will the capsules help just the same or does it have to be the powder. Dec 26th 2018, I noticed that my Doxie Willie was in a lot of pain around his back area I rushed him to the vet and he did a exam and talked alittle about Doxies getting spine problems and that it could be genertic or an old injury or that Doxies start to have spine issuse as they get older. He ate very little on Sunday and hasnt ate since. Before that, your dog may act healed but they are not internally and your pup can continue to have issues/flare-ups with the same disk in the future because its not fully healed. If its the rear legs that are affected, its likely they are having a vertebrae issue somewhere along the spine in the back area. Im having the same problem with my 4 yrs old doc. Its difficult on you and your routine, no matter how willingly you do it. I also added in acupuncture and core-strengthening exercises. Vet appoint found no disc problems or brakes! The worst of it was that my dog couldnt sleep for four days. She has become my third daughter and does everything with the family. If your vet suggests surgery, they think thats the best chance you have of your dog walking normally again. However, the incontinence issue makes it sound to me like his condition is progressing but I would take him to a veterinarian to rule out anything simple like a urinary tract infection. She has lost weight too ( she was almost 1.5kg overweight). She never did miss out at any time. A wheelchair is a good option if he doesnt recover. If it were me, I would try conservative treatment (medicine and strict crate rest) first and then decided if I needed to put my dog down if there is no improvement or he got worse. For 4 days now he is almost back to normal. Unfortunately, as may be the case here, a dog that has IVDD can have a rupture in a different disk later so it could just be this is a new case and not a re injury of the old one. I would say Chia is at about 90% and every day she is showing signs of improvement. If they are in a lot of pain, they probably wont move around a whole lot anyway. Either way, if you are questioning the procedure, I would ask your vet some more questions. When a Dachshund is having trouble walking or is fully paralyzed, its almost always either the back or front legs that are affected. We also have access to almost any alternative treatment that exists. How long has this been going on for? She can stand on back legs a little bit but does not walk. Other things can be done alongside that but the crate rest is crucial to recovery. Some dogs need as many as 10. This was introduced early and as frequent as possible. The attention seeking barking is back too. Paralysis or a back injury is something that can happen in an instant. The other way the way that almost all Dachshunds suffer a back injury is a disk bulge, or rupture, caused by a disease called Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD). She is on 2 pain meds and crated. If you dont do the entire time, Rosie can have an issue with the same disk later. Is there a chance that he can walk again on his back legs even just a little bit? Many Dachshunds partially or fully recover with conservative treatment (meds, create rest, and rehab) alone. Sometimes we have giveaways too. It sounds like his spinal issue may in his neck (because his front legs also dont work). Hi.. My 4 year old Cujo was fine one day.. Next morning he couldnt walk and draging his back legs.. If they cant see your pup right away, whether your vet recommends it or not, you should take your dog to an emergency clinic. What canlove I do? He was very, very upset and never slept a wink. You'll never miss an article from us about dog health, dog friendly travel, and camping and hiking with dogs. The first plan of action for us was to start cold laser treatments immediately. This is exciting news but, unfortunately, I have heard rumors since that further research into this will not be funded. Unfortunately, if they dont, you may be faced with a tough decision. Your dog will be like a puppy no surgery no drugs please. What tough situation you are in. Hi Deb. Unfortunately, you really need to find a way to get him to the vet. Is this the best quality for her since she has no real options medically? That way you are at least somewhat informed when you talk to your vet. Interesting that you say standards are more prone to IVDD than minis. If not, they may want to check to make sure there is not another issue or to see if the surgery didnt take. Unfortunately, most of what I would suggest to keep him comfortable would cost as much as a vet visit. I want to make sure i am thinking in her best interest, i kinda feel like the vet is scared to tell me. If surgery is not done now, conservative treatment may be your best option anyway. It means leaving them in the crate almost all of the time (including at night). Its January 4th so were you able to see the vet again? Im prayin. It was one of the best days of my life after weeks of crying and wondering if I was doing all I could for her. Oh, and I did CBS in peanut butter for dogs. Dont put him in a wheelchair until you are sure though (10-12 weeks minimum) and/or a definite confirmation from your vet that he wont improve. Good luck to you guys. This type of injury is an isolated incident and the treatment methods vary widely based on how the injury was caused and the consequences. You can probably also find some YouTube videos about stretching. I run a large Dachshund club and weve had several members over the years with Dachshunds in wheelchairs. She had back surgery 2 years ago after coming home one day to find her completely paralyzed. Eventually I bought a home cold laser for dogs so I could give her treatments myself and save time and money from not going to the vet. Can anyone help me with choosing a ramp so my doxie can get on our sofa? Its comfortable to laser treatments, but can be done in your home. I have been looking at wheelchairs or any alternative therapy that can help improve his back hopefully helping him be able to walk. Like with people, it has been found that sometimes active recovery is better than lay totally immobile until its better. Ive never had to deal with paralyzation and bad diarrhea. Your blog was a Godsend that I found after our 5yr old mini dachshund Chia developed an issue with her back legs. These are not my first doxies, but after 25 years Im hooked. Kind regards Yea just muscle spasms that was causing his pain. Im sorry youre having this experience with your pup. He and Mitzi lost their person a few years back and they have been wonderful companions. You may be to express his bladder and bowels the rest of his life though. Read my article aboutdealing with a dog on crate restto find out how I kept Gretel calm and broke up the routine the best I could. Did you go to the vet as soon as she was paralyzed? Any recommendations? Im happy to write back to people who reach out but I thought it might be good for me to put all of the advice Ive given over the years in one place. I know you said you tried the crate last time and she hated it but her being immobile is crucial to her recovery. I thank you for the reminder to myself, and to others reading this, that sometimes, despite the best efforts, not all endings are happy. Have him on tramadol and meloxicam for one week and contained in his crate. Improvement successful with the first day of treatment. I will take him having any improvement at all right now. If he wasnt changed, he just compulsively licked himself. Hi Michael. Hi Jackie. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. Strict crate rest means very little movement. They need to know what they are fixing and where before they start surgery. However, a team of scientist from UC Davis published a paper stating that they may have found a way to test for IVDD. It was a frustrating, and kind of an expensive, experience. Is your pup not getting better after the surgery? What a horrible experience to go through. Your post is about 3 years old are you still active, I need helpful advice for my little girl is paralyzed in her back legs, Yes, I am still actively maintaining this blog. Sadley we just had this happen out of no where to our little Cubbie this weekend. As an Amazon Associate, the owner of this site earns a commission from qualifying purchases. After several weeks of nightly treatment in the tub, one morning she stood up and started walking. Im looking into acupuncture, and water therapy, and will not rule out surgery as a possibility. He seemed to be almost back to normal but his back legs are slipping sideways today and hes having some fecal incontinence. Besides, my rehab vet confirmed that keeping her muscular and flexible will only help her back. Chia is a very cheerful dog who is quite active. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Scientists know the disease is linked to the dwarfisim gene in Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds, etc. Hes going to need pain meds and anti inflammatories to help get his injury under control and make him comfortable. There still isnt anything easily accessible or reliable but scientists at UC Davis discovered a promising method for testing genes related to IVDD. The following day she was walking like she was drunk. Hes has never tolerated crate training and would rather cut his lips trying to chew out of the crate. Hi Lisa. A lot of that may have to do with whats available in your area. When you say you are keeping him calm, does that mean he is on strict crate rest? Hi, my dog was totally fine , but now he cant move a single leg he can feel them but have no control and he doesnt seems to be experiencing pain in his back. Lol. Thank you for this info. The question is whether it will be now or a bit later. The IVDD disease makes their spine deteriorate and one day a disk ruptures. Some people also build their dog a recovery suite that isnt as enclosed as a crate but that is very restrictive for their activity. 1 tablespoon tumeric powder was added to pureed pumpkin(500/ml) then added to her bowl (tspn at a time) with other food items daily. I respect that its your pup and your choice just sharing from 15 years of experience with Dachshunds. You can find them on my IVDD resources page. Some went on to live a normal life with the help of a wheelchair for dogs. They were able to walk again though. If you absolutely cant afford to go to an emergency clinic, or there isnt one near you, then your only option might be to put them on crate rest right away and wait for your regular vet. A dog either has it or they dont. Each dog is different and there no guarantees. I need help . Normally, this will feel really weird to a dog and they will immediately flip their feet back over. Thank you for this blog it really has helped me so much learn about IVDD. She is only 2 years old so we have (hopefully) many years to try to keep her from jumping. Luckily I had prepared and suggested we will try the alternate conservative option of crate rest given that we didnt have the funds nor insurance to cover this extraordinary cost. He most definitely should be. Required fields are marked *. Hi Maria. I have heard of a few Dachshunds that keep having back pain off and on for the rest of their life despite their owner being as careful as they can. If paralysis is in the front legs, indicating the spinal cord in the neck maybe damaged, try to keep their head as still as possible. Your articles would indicate not IVDD but old age issues. These signs always worsen in the order listed above, and they always return in the reverse order as a dog recovers. If their nerves are damaged or their ability to feel are effected, there will be a delay in righting the food. They said she is not in pain and she might need a wheelchair. Many owners think their dog looks fine and, since they feel guilty crating their dog, they will stop confining their dog. Unfortunately, most of the symptoms and consequences are the same its just the cause that is different. I hope you were able to get your pup some help. Sure, an episode can be delayed or minimized by not letting them do things like jump but that is not always the case no matter how careful someone is. No specific questions, just glad to find this! A dog withIVDDcan hurt their back just by jumping up quickly from their dog bed or playing in the yard. I feel much better educated after reading. Im on dachshund #7. My dog didnt rest at all. Can you tell me of any you are familiars with? I wasnt responding to comments during the holidays due to other obligations. When your dog sees the vet, they will usually recommend one of two things based on your dogs condition and symptoms immediate surgery or immediate strict crate rest with steroids and pain medication. MY DOXIE HAS JUST HAD BACK OPERATION, VET DID A CAT SCAN, NOW THEY ASKING TO DO A MRI, IS IT NECESSSARY TO HAVE BOTH DONE? Ps. Sunday the vet was closed. Maggie is recuperating from a back injury and we are looking for a ramp. Thank you for sharing this information! Emergency vet care can be expensive (more than a regular vet visit). Ask your vet but its my understanding surgery needs to be done right away to be affective. If you cant afford it though, just know that I have heard stories of dogs who couldnt walk not getting the surgery and recovering through rehab and passive exercises (which can also be costly though). Help it hurts me to see him like this. However, I know many Dachshunds who have made a singificant recovery with conservative treatment (crate rest, medication, and perhaps some alternative therapies) alone. Has it been more than a week? Took him to the emergency vet and saw his back paws are knuckling with great pain when his mid/lower thoracic spine was palpated. Some were too old for surgery so they just had kennel rest. Although Ive written several articles on the topic, I havent yet written one that specifically addresses the urgent time right after you discover that your Dachshunds back legs are paralyzed, their front legs wont work, or they are obviously experiencing back or neck pain. If youre seduced by the breed, you have to be careful and mindful. The treatment is the same strict crate rest and rehab no matter where the injury is. My baby dash is 6 and is having pain and welps sometimes when he lays down. Neck issues can be a much more serious situation than in the back. We have had Chia since she was a month old. The Vet diagnosed some hind leg tissue damage with rest and meds (anti-inflammatory). An acute injury is an isolated traumatic event thats usually obvious like falling down stairs, being hit by a car, being stepped on, etc. What did he/she say? Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed. There is always a chance they could suffer another episode in the future. After another week, I was also to start walking her for 5 minutes a day in a controlled environment where she wouldt spook and make any sudden moves. I tried to revive her but she had gone, she was 5 years old very fit and nothing happened she just woke up and couldnt walk I can honestly say its broke my heart and I have never gone through anything so awful to watch my sweet fun living girl go downhill like this we all miss her so much she was such a great little dog, I have read in worst cases the cord can soften and it affects the nerves that control the breathing and that the heart is u der massive strain from the injury, I wish she could of got better and still been with us like so many others do she had the best care everyday and was loved so so much x. Oh, gosh Terri. Either way, my suggestions of what to do immediately are the same. Dapper, my male dachsie, is just turning 15 and having the first back problems since I adopted him. If you can afford it, its often the best option but all hope is not lost if you cant. Over the course of 5 weeks it was constant attention she got very anxious at times especially with the crate that she had never experienced since she was a pup. I highly suggest you check out these resources too. Our rehab vet was Dr. Eide at Animal Surgical. Standards are more prone than minis. I had given him one baby aspirin before the ER so they dont want to prescribe steroids or NSAIDS until thats out of his system. You can read more about how to do that here: https://dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/. Hoping the best for you guys. That is when I through desperation, researched the issue online and by good fortune I found this amazing resource that you had created. Chia didnt have incontinence but she was required to be expressed (bladder). You can read more about our crate rest experience here: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/dog-crate-rest-tips/. If you feel like your vet is not being honest about her prognosis, and the efficacy of the pain medicine, I would seek a second opinion. I can happily report that Chia is mobile again. We used the Animal Surgical and Animal Medical Clinic of Seattle (theyre in the same building but one is a 24-hour emergency clinic). Thank you for sharing Chias story. That definitely sounds like IVDD. If your Dachshunds front legs arent working as they should, its likely caused by an issue with the vertebrae in the neck area.

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