Can someone tell me if anything like this has ever happened to their dog? I came home from work last week. Dougie my dachsund could not get his hind legs to hold him up. He would drag his body across the floor and then just give up. My husband said he has arthritis but I knew that had to be wrong. We took him to the vet right then and he said he had inflamation in his hip. He did not get better he got worse. Saturday my husband took him back at my persistance ( I had to work) The vet gave him a shot and pills and said if he was not better in one week he would need surgery because he had a ruptured disk. He said we would see improvement in 24 to 48 hrs if he was going to get better. Its been 3 days he is no better if anything he is worse. Dougie is 5 yrs old and I have raised him from a newborn. He knows me better then my children or husband I cant bear to have anything happen to him. I will do anything to help him get better. Has anyone ever had this happen to their pet and what can be done for him. Please I have read the posts and it seems that all are willing to help and dougie and I need your advice. Thank you dlynn

Has your vet actually x-rayed your dog to determine it is definately a ruptured disk? If not either ask to get them done or go to a vet that will do a proper examination before suggesting surgery. There are some natural painkillers you can use such as liquid Devils Claw which may help so try and get your hands on some of that.

Jesse

poodlebabe and Lady Dazzle: Thank you so much for answering my post. Yesterday when I got home Dougie had both hind legs crossed and was dragging himself the best he could to get a drink of water. He cannot walk on either back legs now. I am into magnets (Niken magnets) I held him wrapped up in a pet pad and put the palm magnet on his back, It is breaking my heart to see him like this he is asking me to do something for him. My husband went back to the vet today and the vet gave him pain pills this time and said just hope he gets better if he doesn't then its surgery. No he has not taken xrays or blood tests or anything he told my husband he can tell from the way Dougie tried to walk that he had a ruptured disk. The vet is a friend of my husbands and he refuses to think he could be wrong. I am going to make him an appointment for tomorrow night with a different vet in another town. I will let you know what he thinks. Again thank you so much for caring. I know you truly love your pets by caring by caring about mine. Diana

Keep us posted!

Jesse

If it is indeed a ruptured Disc, then insist your vet refers you to an orthopaedic Specialist Vet, for the correct diagnosis and treatment.

This operation needs to be carried out sooner rather than later to have a better success rate.

A week is to long to wait in my opinion when this happened to my boy, my specialist told me that if paralysis occurred he would want to operate immediately. Luckily it didn't.

Jayne

Has a neurological cause been ruled out? My dog has currently got Distemper and ataxia has set in on her back-legs. So, there are other possible causes. I'd get a second opinion asap and insist on having your doggie x-rayed.

My mother in laws dog (lahsa apso (sp), anyhow they came home one day to find him dragging his feet behind him. They took him to the vet and had a bunch of tests,x-rays done on him. He was paralysed (sp) from the middle of the back and had no use of his back legs at all, I guess it is quite common in short legged long back dogs (sorry can't rememeber what it was called). He would of ended up in a doggy wheel chair for life and they decided TPS. He was a happy dog that loved to bounce around and they think jumping off the couch and bed may have done something to his back and caused this. They now have a Maltese poodle JJ who is 5 years old.

I do hope you find out what is wrong with ur little one and I wish you the best of luck :)

I have three dachshunds, and two of them have had ruptured discs. The symptoms you describe are exactly the way mine were!
Both of mine have recovered without surgery.
It is imperative that they have COMPLETE rest!! I can not stress that enough! Be very careful with the pain pills, because they will make Dougie feel better, and he could cause irreparable damage to himself!
Mine were confined to a crate for at least 4 weeks, and carried out to toilet and then carried back in! They must not be allowed to walk around! Dragging his legs behind him is about the worst thing he can do for imself!
Please try to find a vet that understand IVDD!

Feel free to email me if you need further information.
Pauline

I finally was able to get him into a doctor that has excellent references . He goes in the morning (Friday). I told my husband if he didnot go with me and hear what this Doctor had to say he would go before Dougie did!! He said he didnot doubt it. When I pinch his legs he feels it and moves his leg, both of them have feeling in them. He is not in a cage and he crawls and pulls his legs behind him. He did stand up on one leg but fell back down. I put him in a pet taxi and all he did was cry no one was able to sleep. After we go to the Doc. I will get him a small pen that he can see out of maybe that will help I hope so! How was you able to keep him from getting up? Even in Dews taxie he gets up, he gets so excited when I come home he will not be still all I have done is hold him even my husband sits and holds him still. I have never had anything break my heart so bad as to see him like this. I will let you know what this vet has to say tomorrow night. I really appreciate the information and help from everyone. What I would really like is for someone to tell me hes going to be alright and back like he was but I know they cant do that. Thank you again. Diana

I am so glad that you are taking Dougie to another vet!
It is a good sign that he still has feeling in his legs. My Cooper ruptured a disc at 10 years old, and with crate rest and Steroids he recovered almost fully, he always had a little bit of weakness in his back legs, but he could walk and run! He is now almost 13, and he ruptured another disc in February of this year. He has not fully recovered, but he can walk around. He is a bit wobbly at times, but he is in no pain. He was crated for 8 weeks, but I think mainly due to his age, he will not recover fully. Mini was 5 when she ruptured her disc, just over 12 months ago, and after 4 weeks crate rest and steroids she is 100% recovered!
It is hard to keep them confined, but very important. They need to be somewhere where they can't jump up on their hind legs, so a crate is ideal.
I have both of mine on a supplement of Ester C vitamin and I find that makes a huge difference in their mobility.
I hope this information is helpful to you. Try and keep him as quiet as possible, and try not to worry too much. Recovery is possible. Keep us posted on his condition and what the vet says.
Pauline

I took Dew to the other vet and he said the same thing. But he said he thought dew could still recover because he was so strong and the upper body looked real healthy and he was not in alot of pain. He still has some feeling in one of his legs sometimes he can stand up for a little while. I put him in his pen and he was so unhappy that he made his nose raw trying to get out. I took him back to the vet to look at him and he gave me tranqulizers for him but said not to give him the pills anymore than I really needed to. I gave him one when we got home and he has been sleeping most of the time. He still eats good and drinks water and the doc. said that was an excellent sign that there was hope in is recovery and the fact that he is 5 yrs old was a good thing. We are trying him for another week. The thing that scares me is what if it does not work will it be to late for surgery does anyone know if this could happen? Dew is taking pain pills, cortizone and tranqulizers. He took the steriods already and they did not give him anymore. The hardest thing is waiting and not knowing if he will be alright. I want to thank everyone again for all the help and advice it really helps just to have someone that has been there with this problem. I thank all of you.
Diana

I have Dew in a cage now. I take him out to feed him and for him to go potty outside. I have to hold him up so he can go he still cannot stand alone. Tonight I was watching him and he scratched his ear with one of his legs and I just about went thru the ceiling with excitment. My husband thought something had happed to me that I had gotten hurt or somthing. Can someone tell me how long it was before they could see if their dog was getting better or not or what some of the signs they have that they are getting better. I take him out of his cage just to hold him sometimes and to love on him. the waiting is awful and time passes so slow. Thank you. Diana

I am so happy that Dougie is showing signs of improvement!

I suppose the first real sign I can remember was when I was holding them up to wee, they would put a little weight on their back legs. I suppose that started to happen after about 2 weeks, but all dogs would recover at different times. If it doesn't start to happen in that time, don't despair, it just might take him a little longer. Once they started putting weight on their legs, it wasn't long before they started taking wobbly steps. The balance took a little while longer to return.

Good luck for continued improvement! You are doing a wonderful job with him!

Pauline