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Ruptured/Bulging Disc


Shetlander
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On July 5th, while playing fetch, Quinn fell to the ground screaming and started dragging both his back legs. The on call vet diagnosed a bulging disc and prescribed prednisone and crate rest. She asked if I would be open to surgery, in which case she wanted to send me to a neurologist right away.

 

This sounds horrible. I adore Quinn. He is my favorite dog, but I said no to surgery. He just turned 9 last week but has a few different autoimmune problems. I have often thought he was unlikely to make it to advanced old age. Of course, I never thought I would put him down at 9, which the on call vet said is a real possibility without surgery. I just don't feel I can justify the cost of surgery, as much as I love him.

 

So I have spent the past two days feeling sick, crying periodically and helping my sweet, smart, wonderful dog walk with a towel slung under his belly when he isn't in a crate. He isn't incontinent but went 48 hours without a BM (finally went a bit this morning). He shows improvement today and is now able to stand on three legs, a little wobbly. When I help him walk he is starting to use the right back leg more effectively and is moving the left, though not putting any weight on it. This morning he wanted to chase a squirrel and later stopped to stare meaningfully at the Chuck It stick where it is stored on a window ledge (I need to move that out of sight). So his mood has improved as well as some of his mobility.

 

Today we saw our regular vet who is very concerned and agrees it is likely a ruptured disc. My vet also asked me about seeing a neurologist and again I said I wasn't going to do surgery. Our approach is pred, crate rest and hope. If Quinn can at least walk on three legs unaided, that would be something I could deal with on an ongoing basis. I have heard of dogs who have gone from dragging their back legs to walking normally again without surgery.

 

I don't know how people live with a paralyzed dog if they work out of the home all day. I can't get home for lunch and the people who come at noon to let my dog's out would not be able to assist him with walking. I am hoping Quinn continues to improve and I won't lose him.

 

My poor boy has not had much luck lately.

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Not good. Poor baby. But, the positive news is reasonable fast response to the treatment. Every time it has come up around me and my vet, that seems to be a huge indication.

 

She had a little Dackel surrendered to her for eu by the owners ( they were going to buy a new pup since they could not let the children watch the dog suffer ). This dog was down 100% and is still doing well almost 10 years later.

 

So in that spirit, keeping my fingers crossed for your boy and praying for a good outcome.

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Look it's too early to say how things will go.

 

I had a weimaraner that the very same thing happened to at the age of 6yr. Only she couldn't stand at all, even with help. Since she was six I opted for the specialist. Long story short she had surgery except she began to bleed and they had to stop and sew her up. When I picked her up they wheeled her out on a stretcher. She could not walk, let alone stand, all she could do was raise her head up. I was heart sick. She laid on ortho bed in the middle of the living room and I slept next to her at night. Both vets (my regular one and specialist were great). She was put on high doses of pred and slowly begin to improve to where she could stand with help. After about six weeks she could stagger around on her own. Long story short after 10 months of pred she was good enough to go back to doing search and rescue. She always maintained a bit of weakness and from time to time had to have low doses of pred. I laugh when people get so bent out of shape with pred. Tuffy lived to 3 months short of her 16th birthday.

 

It's a long slow process so don't give up. And just for the record I think you have made the right decision.

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I don't think it's a bad decision not to opt for surgery. I am sure there are good outcomes when going that route, but I've also seen plenty of bad outcomes. Getting the steroids on board quickly was the smart thing to do. The only reason I would want to see a specialist would be to confirm the diagnosis, though if you're going with the conservative approach, maybe a definitive diagnosis isn't really necessary.

 

Consider acupuncture/electroacupuncture, if you have access to a vet who does it and who says it will help. My Kat wasn't diagnosed with a ruptured disc, but was paralyzed in one hind leg (no deep pain response) from what was diagnosed as FCE (or infarct, depending on whose terminology you choose). For a while I thought I might have to amputate the most affected hind leg (she could only drag it), but the acupuncture really seemed to help. In time she was able to work again, though people told me I shouldn't send her on long outruns or similar. As she's aged (this was 3.5 years ago), she's developed some more weakness in that hind leg, but she still gets around okay.

 

Give him time, keep up the prescribed meds, maybe add acupuncture, and most of all, don't write him off yet.

 

J.

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I'm so sorry, too, Liz. Poor Quinn.

 

I'd like to offer a little hope. I had a border collie who had a bulging disk. After an initial misdiagnosis (meningitis) he was correctly diagnosed later and put on crate rest as a conservative treatment prior to deciding whether or not do do surgery. Sorry, I can't remember if he was put on pred or not.

 

Chance made a full recover without surgery. It wasn't easy keeping him quiet, especially after he started to feel better, but I was vigilant and made sure he didn't overdo it.

 

I really hope you have a similar experience. But I can totally understand if you decide that surgery isn't in his or your best interest. You have to make decisions on what's best for both of you all around.

 

Wishing you and Quinn all the best . . . and for the best outcome, whatever that ends up being.

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A Help 'Em Up harness was a huge help for our old Lab who went through something like this. And boots. We went through a lot of dog booties on the foot she dragged. She never regained full use of her hind end, but managed pretty well on three legs.

 

Swimming & laser therapy helped Kona quite a bit, too.

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Cheap ebay booty/vulcanized rubber socks have worked really, really well. Tio still scuffs one knuckle so he needs the protection. I put them on both back paws. Actually, they are really good for any dog if you are out hiking in the rocks or sharp gravel.

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Thanks for the support and suggestions, everyone. He seemed to need less support this morning when we went outside and is moving both back legs, though I don't think he is putting any weigh on the left leg yet. He is being very cooperative about all the restrictions he is suddenly under. Such a good boy.

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Oh Liz, I read this thread this morning and my heart sank to my stomach... I am so sorry about Quinn. Poor boy and how awful for you, too.

 

I can't add much besides words of support and encouragement. I hope Quinn makes a quick and complete recovery and please, please keep us updated on how you guys are doing...

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One of the dogs I take care of had some kind of spinal problem where he was completely paralyzed in the back end. He was dragging his back end. When he did manage to stand up his back leg was just swinging back and forth. Honestly, I thought he was probably a gonner.

 

Wrong.

 

He was at the vet for about a week on pred. He still has some available if he starts having trouble again.

 

And he can get around again. He walks w/o aid. He does have some neurological damage and his back legs aren't really steady but he is up and around. He can't do stairs but that isn't a big deal. We go slow but he has good quality of life.

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I'm sorry you are dealing with this. I had a dog with a different back issue and it was so hard for me.

 

But you know, it was less hard on him. He was a little freaked out for a few days, but then he just got on with life with a doggy smile on his face. I had to STOP him from dragging his body parts because he wasn't going to let that pesky leg slow him down.

 

He handled it a lot better than we did, obviously.

 

Maybe Quinn will be the same way. Legs? schmegs, lets go we have stuff to do.

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I really appreciate the support, encouragement and understanding here. Plus, Board Mojo rocks!

 

I continue to hope for a full recovery but if Quinny can eventually motor around on his own (three legs or four legs), I will be happy. Four days post injury, he is making improvement each day. He can stand on his own for short periods of time and seems to be putting more weight on his right leg. The left leg is still pretty useless, but he can even take several steps on his own to get in his crate. I ordered a harness for him which arrives today and am hoping that will make it much easier to help him walk than with the towel sling. His orthopedic bed arrives tomorrow. He is making his wants known such as where he will walk, what crate he wants to use and what the sleeping arrangements are (me on the sofa, him in the travel crate, inches from my head). Mainly, he is sweet, uncomplaining and the best boy ever.

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Quick update: Quinn started walking on all four legs on Thursday, the 10th! While the left leg seems weaker than the right, there has been no knuckling under since Thursday and I am supporting him with the harness mainly when he uses the step down from the house to the garage or when he pees, especially when he decides to balance on the weaker, left leg. Otherwise, the harness is there to steady him and keep him from acting on instinct to distractions like a scampering squirrel in the yard.

 

The vet is titrating him down on the pred which is slowing down the water consumption/urination. Quinn's mood seems a bit down but since he is crated 24/7 other than potty breaks, I don't blame him. I also think walking isn't the most comfortable for him. He usually quickly falls asleep after going outside. He is very happy to see visitors. I just need to be keep him from getting too excited and doing something hard on his spine like jumping up. I think full healing may be a fairly long process.

 

Today is my first day back at work (I had last week off) and I am a bit concerned about him. I have someone coming in at lunch, as usual, but it is hard not to worry a little.

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That is a good point, Julie. It is probably good for both of us to not be constantly together. He looked perfectly fine when I got home, laying on his ortho bed as I walked in, not acting desperate to get outside. My friends who came at lunch thought he showed a lot of improvement since they saw him on Saturday which is nice to hear. I am so thankful for how well he is doing, considering the state he was in just nine days ago.

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