I promise that this is not becoming a medical or hypchondriacal blog. The diagram is helpful in explaining the past few days here at our home in Virginia.
A few months ago, I introduced our dog, Ralph (Rafe), who loves to play fetch with any sort of ball.
Tuesday evening, I arrived home from work to see Gabe and Ralph playing fetch in the yard. This is a heartwarming sight. All is right when you come home to this. Or Gabe is avoiding his homework. Just as I exited the car, Ralph lets out a painful yelp. We run to him. He is unable to move his rear legs.
We take him to the pet emergency room. We're told that Ralph has either a slipped disc, an FCE, damage from trauma, or an infection or tumor. He suffered no trauma. He was running and turning when it happened. He spent the night at the emergency center.
Jocelyn and I transferred him to a hospital early the next morning. After another evaluation and the same set of possibilities, we agreed to a myelogram to see if he had a bulging disc and would need surgery. The results came back around six pm on Wednesday. No slipped disc. It was probably FCE, but his spinal fluid was cloudy and yellow. They wanted to test for cancer.
We took the kids to see Ralph that evening. He was still recovering from the general anesthesia and look awful. Much crying ensued.
The next morning, I went to work. As I arrived, we received another call. Ralph looked to have a FCE. This was good news. If he had cancer, we did not intend on putting him through surgery and chemotherapy. His paralysis was suffering enough.
Ralph was discharged from the hospital yesterday. He is at home now. He has, they say, and FCE. This means that some of the pulpy substance in the center of one of his discs has penetrated the blood vessels surrounding his spine. That blocks the blood supply to the spine and leads to the paralysis.
Now that he is home, we're continuing to give him steroids to reduce the swelling around the injury. We're also performing physical therapy on him for ten minutes a session, six times per day. We move his legs through their full range of motion. The steroids and the stimulation should help the body build capillaries to bypass the blockage. When that happens, we'll see some signs of recovery.
We also have to feed him, make sure he drinks water, and I carry him outside for elimination. We have to keep him clean and groomed throughout this. I also turn him periodically so that he doesn't develop any bedsores.
It will be a couple of weeks before we see real improvement. If he fully recovers, it could take months.
Not that it is so important anymore, but Spring Break 2008 has been canceled for us. We'll be staying home and taking care of Ralph. Should he recover some mobility, we might take a day trip here or there.
Anyone been through this? I'd like to hear some uplifting stories. Thanks.
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Thursday, March 6, 2008
Fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) and Ralph
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173 comments:
Hi,
FCE is something that happened to me. I have had some improvement although not back to normal. Intensive physio is helpful. If your dog is able to it would be helpful to try walking him in water tank. There is a dog called Jordon on UTube that demos this.
Hope things improve
We recently had the same thing happen to our Winston, a 4 1/2 yr old black lab. He was at the prime of his life and was in perfect condition. I often said he was a dog equivalent to a thoroughbread horse- all muscle and energy. Unfortunately, our fella was unable to sit still even with only two legs and was hurting himself more every day. We tried water therapy, Chinese herbals and accupuncture but after a few weeks we had to make one of the hardest choices I have ever had to make- we put him down. He was so unhappy, his belly was developing blisters from his urine and his legs were beat up, blistered and developing edema. It was a terrible thing to witness. Good luck with your Ralph, I hope you have more success than we did with my Winston. It's so unfair to have to deal with this and my heart feels for you and your family.
hi, my dog pip sat down last night and couldnt get up, took him to the vet who gave him steriod injection, i took him home last night and he stedily got worse, he is not at the scottish vet school ub=ndergoing theraphy for this condition. i pray to god we can get him home. the consultant is just off the phone to say it will be a few days before we can tell if he is going to make any recovery. he is 12 and a half and i love him so much, he is my shadow, everywhare i go he is beside me, i hope and pray that no one ever has to go through this. To see my big boy go from being very alert and active to something who is so frustrated he cant get up. please , if you read this. god is real, honest, i didnt believe for years but now i need him. say a prayer for my wee pip squeek...
Don't give up! Our then 6 year old Border Collie had an FCE in the backyard in Aug.,2006. The surgeon was not very optimistic, but the physical therapist gave us quite a bit of hope. The therapist was far more accurate.Progress was slow but Parker has had an incredible recovery. He was completely paralyzed in the back half of his body. After a couple of weeks we noticed that he was moving around in his pen. We took him to physical therapy. We took him outside 3 or 4 times a day. At about the 4 week mark, we came home and he had gotten out of the pen and dragged,limped himself into the kitchen and out the doggie door and was huffing and puffing around in the backyard. We continued the therapy and after about 2 months he could walk on his own, albeit with a significat limp. It's now been over 2 years and he has about 70% usage/strength in his right rear leg and about 40% usage/strength in his left rear leg. He can run fairly fast and he does drag his left leg some, but after being completely paralyzed we are very happy and thankful for his recovery. Be positive and do the therapy and let your dog know that you love him and you want him to get better. He will sense this and try hard to recover. Good luck!
Hi,
Sorry for my bad English... I'm French and my 2 year old bulldog, had FCE two weeks ago. As this is not very common, I have much difficulties in finding information or accounts on dogs who suffer this illness.
My dog's rear legs are completely paralyzed and she's also suffering from incontinence. She's now under steroids. Despite the handicap, she is lively and always happy (maybe a bit more agressive than she was before but she must be tired of being handled all the time).
We're taking her to a specialist tomorrow and I hope the vet will be optimistic. Maybe we will be advised to do physical therapy.
I know this is too early to see signs of recovery but I'm desperate to find some hope in other people's experience. How is your dog today? Can he walk? And if so, how long did it take for him to walk again?
I really hope Ralph's ok. When you love a pet so much, it is heartbreaking to see it in pain or in difficulty.
Please, let me know the present situation!
Thanks in advance,
Emilie
Don't give up hope. Our Australian Shepherd suffered from this almost 5 years ago now. Same thing - just running and playing, yelped and was down and paralyzed in the rear limbs. At that time FCE was a pretty rare diagnosis. We just happened upon an emergency room vet that was right out of school and knew right away that was what happened - without putting us through $$$ of tests. Anyway, our vet sent us home after 24 hours and basically said - See what happens BUT she said - If you are open to try, acupuncture works well in these cases. We started immediately and within a week Steffi was able to walk - albeit wobbly. She eventually came back to about 80-90 %. She still has occassional issues with bowel movements coming faster than she anticipated - meaning she doesnt always get out the door but it is a small price to pay to have her still. I am always on the lookout for other survivors and how they are effected with age. Steff seems to be losing some coordination and is pretty much 3 legged but hey, she is 12 now. We keep her on Metacam and Synovi G and her spirit is strong.
Coincidently, not a month after Steffi's FCE I was walking our other dog and stopped to talk to a fellow Aussie owner in the neighborhood. I noticed his dog wasn't out with him and asked where he was. He started to tell me the exact story of what happened to Steffi. It had been about a month since their episode and their dog had no use of a hind leg. They kept a boot on it so he didn't rub it rag as he drug it. Their vet didn't even know what was wrong. I told him about Steffi and the acupuncture and I could tell it was falling on deaf ears - that he wasn't a believer in trying alternamtive medicine. I copied all the info my Acupunture vet gave me and dropped it off for his wife. She made an appointment and within a few weeks their dog was back to using all fours! It is so worth trying.
Good luck to all.
Hi. My 4 year old Lab has FCE. He was playing in the park 2 days ago and both back legs gave way. I am absolutly drained and would like some support.
He is currently at the specialist having chamber treatment. I have so many questions. Am I doing the right thing by bringing him home?
Will he be ok by himself? What area will he need? I have looked up everything I can via internet. I understand the wheelchairs, slings, expressing urine etc. I am in New Zealand and there are very few people that go though with keeping their dogs in this event. My vet tells me he sees 40 dogs per year with FCE and only 2 of them have gone to the extent of getting carts etc. I love him so much and i will do everything I can. Any support would be so helpful. Kate.
I am glad to find others who have been throught FCE with their dogs. My 7 year old golden retriever was just diagnosed FCE today. She was perfectly fine playing yesterday and this morning I went to take her outside and she barely could move. I thought she just slept funny on her leg, but when she hobbled to the grass and layed down without going to the bathroom, I knew something was wrong. We got her to the vet this afternoon and since she wasn't in pain the vet was certain it was FCE. The steroid shot seems to have taken affect and she actually climbed up the stairs to sleep in my daughters room. I am glad to know our dog, Bacall, will possibly live for many more years our help. My 9 year old daughter, Caitlin, would be beside herself in anything happened to Bacall. We adopted Bacall from a animal shelter when Caitlin was 3.
I am encouraged by some of the positive stories. We will do what we have to do, she is part of the family.
We will keep all of you in our prayers.
Our dog Chili was diagnosed with FCE three days ago. She was chasing a ball in the yard, fell down yelping, and began dragging her back legs. They were completely paralyzed. After three days at a surgery center, a myelogram determined there was no structural damage so FCE was considered the cause. She has been home two days and has good strength back in her right leg. The left leg is weaker, but just today she was able to bear weight on it and place her foot correctly on the ground. She was even able to squat and use the bathroom on her own. My heart truly goes out to Ralph and everyone who has to go through this with their pet. We love our pet like a family member as I'm sure you all do too. Good luck.
My 8 year old Jack Russell Eddie suffered an FCE one month ago. I so understand all these comments. The first few weeks are overwhelming and only by talking to others is what is getting us through this. We we complete messes the first two weeks, urine all over us. We were afraid to leave him for one minute. We've come a long way. We have gotten into a routine and learned that HE is ok, WE weren't. I so exercises with him daily and water therapy in the bath about 2x a week. I also got him wheels. There is a great website that builds wheelchairs made out of PVC so they are much more reasonable. The website is www.dogstogo.net They are WONDERFUL people who have been there and still have a down dog. She helped me tremendously. She understands and she made me calm. She made me realize that Eddie is ok, Eddie doesnt feel bad for himself and WE have to go about our business.
I have to say we got good news this week...Eddie moved his tail for the first time 2 days ago!! It was the best sight Ive seen in a long time. We also started acupuncture treatments. He has some deep pain which they tell me is a good sign. They want to do treatments for a month and he is hopeful Its the first sign of hope I have gotten in a month, and I'll take it!! Eddie is happy, he's ok. I see the light in his eyes, but I have to say, the wheels made a HUGH difference. Check out the website, they are the most reasonable and they will even let you make payments. Call them its easier than emailing them. But the wheels are only good for small to med dogs. The other doggie cart I found was on ebay, that was second in cost. But its worth every dime. He loves it. We went to the park today and he was a hit.
I dont know what the future will hold for us and Eddie, but I think he is happy. Unlike humans, dogs spend most of their day sleeping or laying down and I had to realize that. HIS life didnt change as much as ours. The urine is overwhelming at times, but if you learn to express him and use wee wee pads, that helps alot. There are a million diapers on line also. I found alot of websites and you just have to find the best for you. Im here if you anyone would like to talk. We're all in this because we love our dogs!!! I dont regret it one day. I owe him a chance to recover.
My Aussie Sally suddenly had trouble walking and started dragging her hind leg. We are in the process of getting a diagnosis but seems to be FCE. There was no apparent trauma and it is breaking our hearts to see her disabaled. She is only 3.5 years.
We are hoping for some recovery and will most likely have her get an MRI to be sure of the problem. My heart goes out to all that have contended with this. It is difficult to accept.
Reading these assorted testimonies has helped give me hope that Sally will recover some of her mobility.
Hang in there with Sally. How large is she and where do you live? The first two weeks are the most difficult. We we all a total mess, but somehow we got it together. Eddie is only 18lbs so carrying him isnt bad, but like I said, the wheels have made a tremendous difference and he is really happy. We, like you, dont know what our future will hold,but are hoping. Good luck to you and If I can help, I will.
So it sounds like FCE isnt as uncommon as i thought. my little cookie a 4 year old mix and in the prime of her life doing everything from agility to acting to helping me teach pet first aid and cpr to other dog owners was playing ball and then collapsed and was completly paralyzed from the waste down. We rushed her to the vet / Nueroligist / Spinal specialist where they diagnosed her with FCE it has been less than a week and she has gone from no movement in her hind end at all to 70% movement in her left leg and an occasinal tail wag. I am very happy to see her improve so quickly she does have some incontinance issues and i took the week off work to stay with her. I work at a doggy daycare and everyone seems to be very understanding but i am not sure what to do next. The vets/ specialist are telling me to wait 1 month for the sweeling to godown in her spine etc before i start therapy but i have been going back and forth with therapist who say the key to their recovery is to start the therapy right away. I do try and move her from side to side to avoid atrophy and help the blood flow. She has no idea she is injured and her spirits dont seem to be down at all. I understand both the vets and the therapists point of view but not sure what to do next. Any suggestions?
So it sounds like FCE isnt as uncommon as i thought. my little cookie a 4 year old mix and in the prime of her life doing everything from agility to acting to helping me teach pet first aid and cpr to other dog owners was playing ball and then collapsed and was completly paralyzed from the waste down. We rushed her to the vet / Nueroligist / Spinal specialist where they diagnosed her with FCE it has been less than a week and she has gone from no movement in her hind end at all to 70% movement in her left leg and an occasinal tail wag. I am very happy to see her improve so quickly she does have some incontinance issues and i took the week off work to stay with her. I work at a doggy daycare and everyone seems to be very understanding but i am not sure what to do next. The vets/ specialist are telling me to wait 1 month for the sweeling to godown in her spine etc before i start therapy but i have been going back and forth with therapist who say the key to their recovery is to start the therapy right away. I do try and move her from side to side to avoid atrophy and help the blood flow. She has no idea she is injured and her spirits dont seem to be down at all. I understand both the vets and the therapists point of view but not sure what to do next. Any suggestions?
So it sounds like FCE isnt as uncommon as i thought. my little cookie a 4 year old mix and in the prime of her life doing everything from agility to acting to helping me teach pet first aid and cpr to other dog owners was playing ball and then collapsed and was completly paralyzed from the waste down. We rushed her to the vet / Nueroligist / Spinal specialist where they diagnosed her with FCE it has been less than a week and she has gone from no movement in her hind end at all to 70% movement in her left leg and an occasinal tail wag. I am very happy to see her improve so quickly she does have some incontinance issues and i took the week off work to stay with her. I work at a doggy daycare and everyone seems to be very understanding but i am not sure what to do next. The vets/ specialist are telling me to wait 1 month for the sweeling to godown in her spine etc before i start therapy but i have been going back and forth with therapist who say the key to their recovery is to start the therapy right away. I do try and move her from side to side to avoid atrophy and help the blood flow. She has no idea she is injured and her spirits dont seem to be down at all. I understand both the vets and the therapists point of view but not sure what to do next. Any suggestions?
Just wanted to check back and see how everyone is doing. I can't emphasize enough to not give up hope. We are 5 years this week past our episode and Steffi is doing good. She never got full use of one hind leg but runs by bunny hopping with her hind end. Her issues now are more related to age with the exception of the lick granuloma on her good hind leg. She has always worked away on the good leg since this happened - one vet thought maybe it was her way of trying to keep that leg "awake" another vet said it could be her way of coping with the deficit in the other leg. No matter, her spirit remains strong and she is the boss of everything and everyone!
Hi everyone, just a quick update on Eddie, my jack russell who suffered his FCE in September. Eddie is walking for about a month now. Maybe a little wobbly at times...but his is walking!!! Acupuncture treatments worked and helped speed up his progress. He is not completely continent yet, although, he holds it much longer until we take him outside to express his bladder. LIFE IS GOOD!! He is our miracle this Christmas and we cannot believe its only been 3 months. I can only say to anyone who is going through this...hang on and dont loose hope. I know not all come back, but try to give them a chance. Even if this is as far as Eddie gets...he's ok and we're ok. Any help, Im here to help. Good luck to everyone.
hello again everyone i decided to go forward and do thereapy with cookie and i am sooooooo glad i did. its been about 2 and 1/2 months and she is better than i ever expected she would.I know my problem was not knowing enough. Vets couldnt give me a clear prgonosis and i could find enough info on the interenet it was hard to stay positive. I made a video about cookie for people just like you guys! i really encourage you to watch it! You are all amazing pet owners for going through this with your dogs. They are all very lucky to have you i wish you guys all the best for you and your companions.
youtube.com search "cookie fce"
Im glad to hear that cookie is doing better. I sware that treatments were the miracle we were looking for. Is he walking at all? Did you try wheels? We used them for the first 2 months. It's now been almost 4 months since Eddie had his FCE and he is walking good...able to go up small steps...and so happy. He still has not regained full bladder control. He does hold it much longer and as long as we help him release it a few times a day, he is good. The vet told us today that the bladder comes back last and he gave us stronger holistic pills to help with that. He also told us that the progress he makes in the next two months will probably be the extent of his recovery. Like I said we are fine with his walking...we just want his bladder to come back. It's livable right now...but it would make life a little easier. We are also getting a ramp for the deck in the backyard. Its about foot off the ground and he cannot get up by himself...so it will make it easier for him and we wont have to keep going out to pick him up. Life is ok and I hope your dog recovers like Eddie. They are lucky dogs and we are lucky humans to have them. He is our miracle. His birthday is actually on the same day as it will be 4 months since his FCE...and we are just so glad he is here. Good luck and keep us updated.
Our boxer, Riley just this past week was diagnosed with FCE. We had no idea, we let him out to the backyard, we must conclude he slipped on the ice. He came back in, paralyzed in the back right leg. After emergency vets, our vet, specialists. Univ Of Penn diagnosed him with FCE. He is home now. I think we are lucky, he has shown signs of improvement. He wagged his tail today. The best thing from what everyone has told us is hydro therapy. We are going tomorrow for this. Good luck, this is the most heartbreaking thing we have been through with our dogs.
Hi. My King Charles Cavalier Spaniel is 4 years old. We were playing running about, everything was fine, then a few minutes later he started to cough then yelped quite a bit and fell over. I ran to him to find that he could not move. We encouraged him to try and get up after a few minutes he tried to get up with little luck. He dragged his back end then a few minutes after he was able to get up but was weak. We took him to the vet and they thought he had a slipped disk at first. They kept him over night and gave him steroids and called me saying they thought now that it was FCE. He is back home on 3 weeks complete crate rest except when we take him out to relieve himself and to eat. He is on medication for inflamation. But I wasn't told about therapy. After reading everyones comments I am going to call my vet tomorrow and ask about it. The thing is though from what I have read it seems to be all the dogs rear legs that are effected. My Patrick has the problem with his left front leg, his paw just flops under. Though when it first happened it seemed it was the rear legs and the front left, now it is just the front that is effected. Does anyone think this sounds like it could be FCE? looking for any advice and hope everyones beloved dogs are doing good. bonny
So frustrating.
My 5 year old lab is amazing. She runs like the wind and everyone thinks she is 90% greyhound. About 6 days ago I gave my dog a treat at 2:00pm then at 3:30 with no yelp or anything she was dragging a hind leg. 24 hours later she couldnt even hold up her rear quarters.
We had 1500 worth of tests and they said she had FCE.. We had steroids within 6 hours and prednisone pills for the next morning. Within 3 days she now manages to stand up on her own, and can stand still but not move forward at all. She never lost deep pain and her tail has always wagged.
We are at day 6 now just taking her outside, letting her stand to keep the muscles flexed / fresh air and doing therapy as we can.
Just as many of you this animal is an integral part of our family. Just looking for some encouragement and hope that she can AT MINIMUM walk on her own. If this develops then we dont have any hard decisions tomake and we can just take it a day at a time and hope for continual progress.
My wife and I are extremely stressed hoping she will walk again. Her upper hip muscles and upper leg do move when the others legs do so she has some motor skills in that leg, just hoping that it develops so that can can stop knuckling.
Carrying my 80 lbs dog out in the field where she isused to doing her business and her wobbly walking in snow up to my knees is pretty rough.
Trying to stay positive and hope for the best.
Thanks
Well Trent hang in there. It has been 3 weeks now that my cavalier went down from this terrible thing and he is back to normal. We gave him the medicine and had him crate rested for those 3 weeks with only going outside to relieve himself. It was very hard to not let him out among the family but it paid off that he got that rest because he is now doing great.
He has yelped twice when he was touched on a certain part of his leg or back but he is jumping up on the furniture and running around playing again. Though he does rest aliitle more than he use to, still he's doing great.
I really hope your lab gets better too!!!!!!!!! hang in there! Good luck!
Wow am I ever glad I came across this site, last Thursday my son let our 5 year old black lab smokey outside to do his business, and my son went into the garage to get something by the time he came out smokey could not get up from a sitting position and his hind legs were limp, his dad and him took him to the vet right away and the vet said it was a slipped disc,we left him there for the day and brought him home that night, he is unable to expell by himself , but he still is eating and drinking and has the same light in his eyes, We will be bringing him to a new vet on Wednesday for a second opinion (due to the fact that the first vet said we should put him down)The biggest thing is his tail is not wagging anymore,when i tickle his paws he does pull back a bit and if i squeeze inbetween his toes he also pulls back.It is being a bit rough seeing as i have pretty much diagnosed my dogs problem with the help of all of you Thank You very much.
Now I have some kind of explanation as to why my dog was fine one minute and paralized the next.Any one have any idea if it is ok to leave them alone in a kennel for work obligations, he has a playmate who will be with him,the guilt is killing me it is Sunday today and all i keep thinking about is leaving him while i go to work . Again Thank You everyone your stories have given my hope for my beloved Smokey!
Am I ever glad to have found this site - and all the encouraging posts here from other owners who have seen marked improvement in their dogs with time and therapy. Our 5 year old female black lab is currently at the vet after falling during play at the park, and having complete paralysis in one leg and marked weakness in the other. An on-site vet gave an initial diagnosis of FCE, and that brought me to the internet to see what was out here........I hope our girl has the improvement that others here have written about. She's too great of a dog, with too much drive and far too young, to face a life of paralysis.
Thanks for all your posts......
I'm completly in love with my 2 year old English Bulldog. His name is Otis. On Thurs 3/26 I tossed the ball, he screamed and fell unable to walk. I rushed him to his vet, they sent me to a specialist, after 4 days and $5,000.00 later, he can support his weight on 1 leg and is getting some movement in the other. The doctor says he should make a pretty good recovery, and be able to walk with therapy. It's amazing what we will do for our 4 legged children. I'm glad I am able to tell other people about my ordeal, because a lot of people think I'm crazy for spending so much money on my little bulldozer. He is completely worth it. He loves me no matter what the least I can do is love him back. Thanks for listening, and good luck to everyone.
Dear Anonymous, Dont feel like you are crazy. Many people do not understand, but when this happened to our jack russell in Sept. there wasnt even a doubt in our mind that we had to give him a chance to come back. $3500 then and many $$$ later between acupuncture and hollistic meds, diapers, diaper pants, and wheels...I call him the bionic dog!! But he is walking today 6 months later. He actually started walking about 3 months after it happened. He is still crooked and woobly...not totally in control of his bowels/urine. But we have it under control and I wouldnt trade a day I have with him. He is our hero and humans should take lessons from these wonderful creatures. They dont feel bad for themselves. WE feel bad for them and ourselves because our heart breaks for them This is one of the hardest things I ever had to do but it was wroth every minute when I look at his beautiful amazing face. Good luck to you and if you need more help, just ask. Wheels are great if you need them. They made him so happy for the first few months....Good luck to you
Yesterday, for no apparent reason, my Sophie (8 yrs old)developed FCE in her right hind leg. She was a exceptionally energetic schnauzer and it is breaking our hearts to see her not understanding what's happened to her. I took her to the vet and he gave her 20mg of prednisone for 3 days and then it starts to taper until 2 weeks are done and then I guess we see what happens. Some of the literature I read on this says that they come back in 2 weeks or not at all and yet some of your comments indicate that it took longer for your dogs to come back. I am curious if any of you took your dog to a neurologist and if they prescribed anything different than prednisone. If anyone has any advice please email me at cleborys@comcast.net.
My Shih-Tzu suffered a FCE in Feb 2005 aged 7. He was in a boarding kennel, was fine when staff said goodnight to him but was completely paralysed the following morning. A week previous he was crated and flown from NZ to Perth with my Maltese Silky X. I can only guess trauma during transit led to the FCE. He twitched his legs on day 4 and, after two weeks in University Vet Hospital ICU receiving round the clock PT and hydro could walk with a wobble whilst aided with a tail sling. At 3wks he refused to walk if I held the tail sling & escaped from his day pen. 4 years later he swaggers when he walks, bunny hops when he runs, doesn't have full bladder & bowel control but he loves life. He tries to play with the big dogs, barks if I don't let him and is proof not to give up even when those around you say otherwise. Yes it has cost $$. He has since had peripheral vestibular disease, Anal gland infection, leading to removal, bouts of the runs, a corneal ulcer on his one eye (other removed aged 1 to glaucoma), is tone deaf and now has mild hepatitis. I wish everyone with an FCE dog my prayers. Stay strong and positive.
Hi Again Everyone. You can read my first post up a bit concerning my 5 year old chocolate lab that out of the blue developed FCE.
Now for starters if you are reading this you love your dog and are scouring the net looking for information.
My dog couldnt walk. At the low point (about 18) hours in she couldnt even stand. Her left rear leg was almost total jello and the right just got worse. We had test after test done until they told us it was FCE and there was nothing we could do.
We brought her home and gave her attention, physio, massages on her legs, getting up early to carry her out in hopes that she could go before work, coming home at lunch to carry her out, then after work to carry her out, then again at 11:00pm before bed to carry her out. Its a lot of work and very draining.
About a week after it happened I did my usual carry her out in the morning, and she just stood still for 30 or 40 minutes and I carried her back, then at lunch I came home and when I took her out she pretty much started to walk. It was messy but it was a walk. Then at supper time she pulled me down the trail to the marsh where we play and walked (with a sling under her belly) for about 1 hour.
Im talking night to day within a few hours. That same morning I was carrying my dog because she could hardly stand. Im writting this as you never know. That morning I was in a crazy low thinking why does nothing happen then next thing I knew she was walking along.
She still walked on the top of her paw a lot and it was messy but we went through about a dozen leather baby slippers on her paw and now after about 5 weeks she never walks on her top of the paw.
She still has a rough time going up stairs, its very hard for her to coordinate, slippery stuff such as hardwood / ice are rough, but she is doing well. She has quite the limp in her left hind leg but her right is very close to 100% I would say.
She now runs / fetches and going in a straight line is as fast as she used to be, which is saying something because im sure she would give a grey hound a run for their money.
Anyways, stay positive, big things can happen in a small time. I will say though that from everything I read I have to say the biggest burst of progress for us was the first month. It seems like she is more getting used to how she is as opposed to actually getting better now.
She isnt 100% but im positive and thankful that she is as capable as she is. It could have been so much worse.
Hang in there, its frustrating, and time consuming, but dogs do very well to recover most of the time.
Take care and I hope everyone has happy outcomes.
Trent
My almost 9 year old black lab female yelped in the backyard Wednesday morning a few minutes after she was let outside. We went to check on her and she was dragging herself across the yard. My husband carried her into the house and she continued the dragging from room to room and was panting and crying:(
We took her to the vet within the hour that she was hurt and they immediately sedated her and x-rayed her and ruled everything out except FCE. We had to leave her there 2 nights and we felt awful- she has never in almost 9 years been boarded. We visited her the next morning and she look depressed and not like our Sidney. Her prognosis was grim- her back legs are cold to the touch and she has a bladder infection. She came home today about 4pm and we laid her on the front porch to get some air.
Our neighbors walked by and she wagged her tail- something we were told would probably never happen. My husband has taken her out a few times to use the restroom but she has mainly wanted to rest. I hope that the next few weeks bring us great success and not sorrow. We have cried enough the past few days to last a lifetime. I am glad I found this great glimmer of hope of a blog;)
Her tail wagged that is awesome!!! Progress is progress.
Im so sorry to hear of what happened to your dog. Do you know if they gave your dog steroids (Anti Inflamatory)? If administered quickly enough this has shown to be VERY helpful. Also the % of some sort of progress of dogs is very high, I read something like 75% so stay positive. Again with my dog during the morning I was carrying her to do her business then supper time she walked for an hour (with a sling under her but still, she couldnt even control her leg at all).
Keep your chin up.
It is amazing how many pups have to go through the struggles of an FCE. Equally amazing is the dedication of their loving owners in helping them get through the recovery, no matter if it is 100% or adjusting to no recovery, or, most likely, somewhere in between.
If you found this blog by searching on info about FCEs, you might want to click on the links, especially, Ralph 3 and update.
Also, a couple of other dogs' stories are told in the posts on Boogie and Eddie.
Thanks for reminding me that I have a blog. Thanks for reading. Keep telling your stories. Each one helps an owner whose dog is hit with this seemingly life altering condition.
Has anyone ever heard of theories as to why this seems to be happening to dogs now?
It almost seems like Autism in children .. something that all of is sudden is popping up.
Im nervous about different flea meds and everything now after this experience.
Hi Trent. It is very strange that so many people I talk to know someone who this happened to. It seems like I never heard of this until it happened to my dog and then everyone I told knows someone else. I agree.. there may be a reason or just now we just know so much more with the technology of today.
Hello everyone. I am so glad I found this site. I am JUST back from a long day at the vet after my beautiful 7.5 year old black lab went down. I was at the park with my lab Molly and my other lab Keely. Everything was great, when all of a sudden molly yelped and went down. I immediately rushed over to help calm her down, but of course began to panic myself. A wonderful homeless man came over and helped get my other dog on a leash and carried my purse while I carried my 80 lb. Molly to the car. The Vet did X-rays, and said that she didn't break anything. They immediately said that they thought it was FCE, but needed to rule out a burst disc. They sent me to a neurological clinic in Phoenix. They wanted to do a $2500 MRI, but thankfully said it wasn't necesary. She didn't have any spinal pain (ruling out a burst disc). She is completely paralyzed in her back two legs and is unable to urinate. HOWEVER, she does yelp when they pinch her toes and her reflexes are random (but present). The Vet asked to keep her overnight. She has a catheder to releive herself and they are giving her IV fluid. They said that she can probably come home tomorrow or the next night and that I'll need to have 24 hour care for her in the beginning to turn her to prevent bed sores and change/darin her catheder bag.
I am really scared to death. She was my first dog and is my baby. My other labby is lost without her. I have a few questions I"m hoping some people can answer for me:
1. Will she try to walk and drag herself around if I"m here or not here?
2. Would you recomend keeping her gated in a certain area of the house while I"m not here?
3. What can I do to prevent sores or scrapes if she is dragging herself (she dragged herself across the backseat on the way to the vet to stick her head out!)
4. Do you recomend taking her to friends pools to do water therapy? If I do, what should I do for the therapy?
5. I will have a catheder in her for probably a week or two, do you think this is good?
6. Would you recomend taking her to "day care" at my vet's office for the first week where they can change her urine catheder, turn her and feed her any ivs?
7. How would you recomend handling her around my other 2 dogs? I have Keely (the other lab who adores her) and Sam (a lab mix who loves to play like crazy.
8. How did you handle poddy time with them?
I would appreciate any help you have to offer. I am just beside myself right now. I've been crying for 5 hours and just terrified. I've spent about $1200 already and don't want to (or should say can't... my job is suffering b/c of this recession) spend TOO much more. It sounds like accupuncture works great, I'd try that for sure!
I'm just looking for a little direction and guidance. Right now it is so new and fresh and I am just freaking out really bad. Thank you so much for any suggestions you have. I got so hopeful reading all of your stories. Thank you so much for sharing your stories, you have made me see a light at the end of the Tunnel!
Alexa
Hi Alexa...I totally understand your "freaking" out. We were totally devastated also. My jack russel had an FCE in September and my world fell apart. We were all a mess. What I am going to tell you is to calm down!! It's going to be ok. I know you cant see that now, but it will. THEY are better than we are.. believe me. Of course my dog was smaller so it was easier, but she will be ok. It is a GREAT sign that she yelps when they poke her toes. That means alot. I will try to answer your questions, best I can.
If you have stairs you should crate her. We didnt leave him alone at all the first 2 weeks. My husband works nights. But as long as she is safe and cant get hurt, she can be left alone.
She probably wont get sores unless she drags herself outside on the ground. I just recommend, moving her legs and do therapy yourself. Go ONLINE...under FCE and you will find so many sites.
I did water therapy in my tub because he is small, but if you can get to a pool..ABSOLUTELY..it helps alot. Just put her in the low end and she will automatically start moving her back legs. It's natural.
Eddie pulled his cather out after 2days and i learned how to express him!! It's a learning experience. I basically cried every night full of urine until I got it down pat.
My other dog knew to give him space. Somehow they know.
As for his bowels, like I said, he is much smaller. I got alot of chucks and he laid on them whenever he was on my couch or beds in case of accidents. There really is nothing you can do. It just comes on him.
My biggest advice is give him alot of love and if you can afford wheels, get them. We got them for Eddie. They were a life saver. He used them for about a month. We had no signs of him coming back for about 6 weeks and his tail moved. It was like we saw God!! We took him for acupunture and we SWARE by it!! It helped him tremendously. Nothing is cheap, but it worked. And he deserved me giving him a chance. It's been 6 months and he still is "crooked". His back legs will always be weak. He can do down steps, cant go up. We just ordered ramps for outside. He holds his bladder much longer, but still leaks if we are not on top of him. Everytime he goes out, we express him. Now its a breeze, his bowels still come over him too quick, but he goes out much more that he does has less accidents. He is our hero and I dont regret a minute or a dollare we spent. But like I said, him being smaller helped. I dont know how I could have done it with a large dog. I still carry him from time to time. He never lost his spirit. His whole personality has changed. He use to be very independent and liked to be alone. He doesnt leave our side and has to sleep with me everynight. He is 9 years old this year and before this..i could count on my hand how many he slept with me. He hasnt left me one night since september. He knows he needs me.
Like I said, with a large dog, the wheels would be great. He loved them and it gave us such relief to see him happy. He ran outside and in the house with them. There is no point suffering when they are available. So my best things to tell you is... patience...love her...wheels...water therapy and acupuncture. Keep in touch and let me know how she is doing. Hang in there...right now you're in shock...take it day by day. If you want to personally email me I will help you the best I can. My email is ginadave717@aol.com. Also, look for doggie diapers on line. They helped alot also. Good luck to you. Gina
I just called the Vet and Molly had a good night. SHe had no pain, urinated normally (and a lot) and ate normally. She did have a little movement in her back legs this morning. SO, I'm going to go pick her up tonight and bring her home. I'll take her to my vet for day care tomorrow and possibly the next day, and just take it from there. I'll email you at your personal email. Thanks so much for your response! I appreciate it so much!
I picked her up today. She was SO HAPPY to see me, her tail wagged a ton! That was GREAT news! I was so happy to see her I didn't even notice it. She is trying so hard to walk on her back legs. One of her legs seems a bit stronger than the other. She kept trying to crawl around the back seat and sticking her head out the window. I bought one of those "back leashes", so I put it on her when I got home. We walked in the backyard and then I got her set up. She has to be confined to a small gated area in my room for a few weeks. This is to prevent any type of sores on her legs from dragging too much. The other dogs have all come in to visit her, and they seem to know something's going on so they're super calm.
The catheder is great. I've already emptied a full bag. She hasn't pooped yet, but I'm sure that will come. She ate her normal food. She'll be at the vet all day tomorrow and the next day so they can walk her on the sling and change her catheder bag. Thursday we'll see if we can take it out (though I doubt it).
The vet is very optimistic and thinks she'll be walking very soon. I don't see how this can happen, but I'm staying optimistic as well.
this happend to my minature schnauser in FEB. the shook is the worst thing. I had the 1000s of pounds worth of tests and the panic that she might have to be put down.Don't worry if your dog doesn't show improvement in the first two weeks mine was completley paralysed in the rear legs and incontinent. the specialist told me the only real treatment was physio and hydrotherapy. I took a week off work and gave her physio every two hours day and night and at first nothing no deep pain response or movement but after a couple of weeks she could stand,then walk a little, within 6 weeks she was running.She has a slight limp and runs a bit funny but otherwise she is her old self. what is important is not to think that if your dog doesn't progress to the set timetable that doesn't mean they won't get better and I found the more physio you can give them the better and it's free.Get them home as soon as possible because they are miserable without you and that stops them getting better.
This site has been a great source of information. Rowdy was running to go outside when he slipped and fell in our kitchen. We got him to the vet as fast as we could, and he immediately said it was FCE. We were forced to take him to a large vet facility. We could not care for him when both back legs were involved.
It is important to note that Rowdy is a 2 1/2 year old great dane. He stands about 40 inches at the shoulder and is about 160 lbs. It has been difficult to care for him. AND I think getting a set of wheels are out of the question. I just cannot see a way that would work.
He spent a week at the care faciltiy. We got him home and began to do research on the internet. Unfortunately, most sites list horrible outcomes to this medical issue. We were actually talking about putting him to sleep, when we walked into the living room to check on him. He was standing on his left hind leg and wagging his tale. I think he heard us.
He is doing okay now. It has been two weeks. He is mainly having problems "righting" his right leg. He just drags it around the living room and yard. He has bodily control, so we are able to get him to expell when we take him outside.
We are just looking for some support and encouragement from others that have experienced this. Our vet has been great, but he understands that the size of our Rowdy is one of the biggest issues. My husband and I both work full time, and we have both made adjustments to our lives to help our big boy.
He has been really happy at home. We have the following questions. Please let us know if there are any resources out there.
1. what kind of therapy are you doing?
2. He is getting sores on his knuckles from dragging his right leg. Are you aware of any boots that would possible fit a great dane?
3. How did you find the source of alternative treatments?
I know how you feel and do understand that Rowdy's size is a big problem...My dog is a jack russell and I know how hard it was with him. He did come back. It took months for him to walk, but he is still week in both legs. He cant go up steps too well, but the fact that he is walking at all is a "miracle". My best advice and what I truly feels worked best was acutpunture. I dont know where you live, but we live in NY on Long Island and we found a great dr. The treatments worked wonders and also we did water therapy in the tub, which will definitely be difficult for you.
The booties I did find also, on line. Go to handicappedpets.com. They have everything including the wheels. We did get them for eddie for a while. and the loved them. You will have to get special ones for his size, but it was a blessing for him. I hope I helped. My best to you. These dogs are very very special for all they go through and they dont loose their zest for life. He is our miracle and I am thankful he is here with me everyday. Good luck to you.
I live on Long Island and my 3yr. old Boston Terrier was just diagnosed with FCE. I would like to check into accupuncture but I don't know any for dogs. I would really appreciate any help.
i went to Hampton Vet for acupunture in Speonk. We saw Dr. When, he is wondeful. The phone number 631-325-1611. I truly believe it worked wonders for him. I also got him wheels that were great if you are interested in that website also, let me know. They were reasonable. Does he walk at all? My jack russell was paralized for a few months and then started getting feeling back. Now he is still weak but he does walk. He will never be 100% but he is great. Go see dr. when, you will love him! Keep me updated and good luck!! Gina
Thanks for the info, Gina. Josie is not walking at all. Her right side seems to be the most affected. I live in Nassau and I saw that the Center for Specialized Vet Care does accupuncture. Has anyone heard about them?
I have never heard of that place, but any form of acupunture is going to help him. Did you think about the wheels. Im telling you they were so helpful. There a place that makes them out of pvc for smaller dogs like ours so they were very inexpensive. My dog used them for about a month until he started walking once the acupunture started. I actually stil have them if you wanted to try them. Not sure where you live in Nassau but I am in Islip. If the dogs are similar in size, you might be able to use them. If interested, email me at
ginadave717@aol.com We have been where you are and understand how you feel. I will do anything to help anyone out who went through what we went through. Feel free to contact me through my email. It's much easier than this way. Gina
Hi,
My 11 year old Weimaraner had what was diagnosed yesterday to be an FCE. I came home to find her unable to lift her rear end, and her left front leg splayed out. She was moaning and unable to move. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I put her in a blanket and a friend helped me lift her into the car and take her to the vet. After initial x-rays and bloodwork I took her to another emergency vet clinic. They kept her for observation and ruled out a disc, cancer, and other problems and came up eventually with FCE. My dog has made a good recovery in a short time; she has always been relatively healthy. She has a limp and a bit of trouble sitting and squatting, but she has regained her personality and playfulness. My eyes still hurt today from crying so much yesterday. Watching her unable to move was utterly heartbreaking. My prayers are with all of you who had a more severe episode and are on the road to recovery.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. This sight has been a real blessing. Gina, I am going to email you. The good news is that Josie seems to be making progress. She is moving her legs, wagging her tail and urinating on her own. She still can't sit or stand but at least we've seen some progress.
Hi,
One of the main residual effects of the FCE from yesterday is the urination issue...she has problems controlling her bladder and not realizing she is urinating. I have seen it happen multiple times today. I'm fortunate I have a friend living nearby whose work schedule will allow her to come during the day and let her out and check on her. Thanks to those of you who posted comments and suggestions regarding pads, therapy, etc. I will try the pads to see if that will help with the urination issue and will try to keep her up and moving. I never knew FCE existed until yesterday. Best regards, wishes, and prayers to all of you.
Today is day 5 since our lives were changed by FCE. I thought Josie had made a "bit" of progress' but the vet did not appear to be as encouraged. Although, she did say it was still early. In reading the many stories on this sight I saw that most talked about just the hind legs being paralyzed. Josie seems to be paralyzed on the right side (front and back legs are like jelly). Has anyone had experience when the front leg is also paralyzed?
Hello everyone,
I'm a newcomer here. Last week, I had never heard of FCE. I've had to learn in a hurry. This is Day 9 for us. It's been a rocky nine days - two days after the embolism, she lost deep pain feeling in one hind leg, and the next day in the other. Monday the neurologist felt that our black Lab was going to be one of the 10% of dogs with FCE who succumb to ascending myelomalacia. Then she had 48 hours of being neurologically stable and was discharged from hospital to home care.
Since last night though, we have a new problem which I haven't yet seen discussed here and I'm hoping someone can give us advice. She is having hypersensitivity to touch on the paralysed hind limbs (rather like "phantom pain"), reacts angrily to passive physiotherapy exercises (toe wiggling, web massage and leg extension/reflexion), and has started chewing her hind feet. I've put socks on her and am considering a cone. The neurologist has prescribed Gabapentin. Has anyone else here had this experience? What worked? What didn't work for you?
I have not heard of a dog being sensitive to therapy. Usually, they enjoy it because it is relaxing. I am not sure what that is about. My dog was fine with it and also with the water therapy. My advice to you and everyone is to look into acupuncture if available in your area. That was our miracle. My dog was paralyzed in his both hind legs for a few months and came back 80%. He can walk, a little crooked at times, but he can walk now. He just can climb steps and has some accidents with his urine and bowels. But the acupuncture was our life saver.. and WHEELS. If you can get wheels, they were a blessing too. Great website... handicappedpets.com. I did get booties also because he did chew on his paw a little because it was cut...so do keep it covered because that can be a nightmare. Good luck to you and if you need more help, please ask. It is a very trying and devestating time for you but hang in there...every day gets a little better. The first few weeks are the hardest. Good luck
Thank you Gina for your reply. More woe! We've just come in from last trip outside before bedtime - went to use the baby wipe on her rear and found a raw spot! Ai! yi! yi! I hope this isn't the start of a pressure sore. Anyway, another panicky call to the vet's answering machine and we'll be there when they open tomorrow morning.
Just back from the vet. It IS the start of a pressure sore. So...hair shaved around the area, a rinse to clean the area, a barrier gel to protect the hot spot, and a large human incontinence pad to wear as a diaper to pad the spot. Only cheerful note was the vet giggling when she saw her - neatly draped over a bright yellow peanut ball (on loan from the physio clinic) so that she could stand up for examination. Also got pads and vet-wrap to keep her away from her toes because I really don't want to have to put a cone on her. Her life has already gone topsy-turvy and she would regard the cone as a punishment.
Unfortunately sores do come along with the problem. My dog got them on his paw and we had to get booties/socks. I forgot what type of dog you have? Just hang in there and like I said if u can find a vet to do acupunture, you should try it. Good luck and keep us posted.
Hello, I am a first time blogger but have been reading all your comments regarding dogs and FCE. We have a male golden retriever who is 9 years old. One Thursday, I had taken him for a walk and he was fine. But by early evening it was apparent his back left leg was injured. We thought he tripped up somewhere in the back yard and sprained his leg. We were cautious but not too worried. By morning, he was not able to stand and put any pressure on his left rear leg, it just collapsed underneath him. We saw his vet who deemed he had FCE and explained what probably had happened. We are fortunate that it is only his left rear leg and he seems to be urinating and pooping OK. Even today, he his more ready than ever to go for a walk, but the leg still just drags behind him. I have been massaging the leg and thigh,and exercising the leg and a rotating motion. Does anyone else have a similar case with only one leg affected? I feel optimistic about Jasper's recovery. Do you think small daily walks, even if he is dragging and limping along, are beneficial, or more harmful at this stage. He is very anxious to "go:" somewhere besides the back acre at our home.
My best advice to you is to ask your vet. I am not sure if it would help. I also would advise you to look into wheels. I had them for a short time and they worked wonders. Go to handicappedpets.com if you are interested and of course acupunture if available in your area. It works miracles! Good luck to you.
I posted here back in March of this year, about our 5 year old female lab being diagnosed with an FCE. We are thrilled to this point with the recovery she has had! She no longer walks on top of her rear paw, although when tired, does drag it a bit, keeping the toenails on that paw, very short ;o). She dives to the bottom of our pool for her toys, runs circles around the other dogs, is as driven today, as she was the day of her injury. To everyone getting this initial diagnosis and feeling as if your dog's life is 'over' to some degree - please take a deep breath - time is one of the BEST remedies in our experience with this injury. The only 'odd' residual for our lab is that when she first wakes up each morning, if she doesn't get outside quickly, she cannot hold her poop as she could prior injury. She knows she is going - but her muscles in that area are obviously 'different' and likely 'not' to recover any further at this point. We'll take that one lingering 'quirk' - for a few months ago - we weren't sure she'd be able to walk.
BEST wishes to all of you and your dogs who are in the rehab stages, initial diagnosis stages, or even living with your dogs long after this type of injury. How utterly frigging scary this whole experience was for us......we are thankful to be 'here' with her today!
So glad to hear about your dog's progress. Ive been there. It's been almost a year and I agree that time is your best friend and will get you through. My dog also has come a long way...he is not 100% back and still has similar issues but we take that in stride considering, we too, thought we might loose him last year. What helps me is giving back any help and advice I can through this horrible tragedy we went through. You are correct to say, it was a nightmare, but we got through it. I enjoy helping anyone I can. What I have learned through this whole process is how special our dogs are. Human's should learn from them at how relentless they are and dont feel bad for themselves one day. Good luck and I hope she gets better and better each day.
My golden retreiver had an FCE 4 days ago (on Sunday). We put him out as usual in the evening and then heard all kinds of barking from the back of the yard. When we tried to bring him in, we couldn't find him so we thought he'd just taken himself for a little stroll over the fence (he does that now and again), but then about an hour later we found him in the flower bed unable to use either of his back legs.
We called the emergency vet, who said that since he didn't seem to be in any pain he'd probably be fine in the yard over night, and told us to bring him in in the morning.
The next day, it took them about 10 hours to diagnose him, so all together he was about 20 hours with no treatment, and at no point was he given any steroids.
So far, I have been amazed at his progress. When we took him in, both his back legs were completely paralyzed. By Tuesday, he was able to stand using his right leg, and wagging his tail. He needed help with a sling to walk, but was able to get out to urinate and poop with some help. He was twitching when I tickled his toes, and had stopped knuckling when he tried to stand.
Today, I went to get something from the basement, forgot to barricade the stairs behind me. About two minutes later he was at my feet - he made it down two flights of stairs on his own! It is amazing to me that a dog who seemed so devastatingly injured just days ago, has made such a fast recovery.
His left leg is still very "hit and miss". If he's been resting for awhile, he can get off to a pretty good start but as soon as he starts to tire (about 10 minutes) it starts to drag, and he'll tip over if I don't keep a good eye on him. All in all though, he is doing fantastic and I have high hopes that he'll continue to improve.
After reading some of the stories here, I can see that we've obviously been quite lucky, but thought I'd share a little of our story anyway as it shows how much this can vary from one case to the next, and hopefully will give a little reassurence to someone whose pet has just been diagnosed. For me, the first place I looked was the internet and all the stories of years of recovery and wheelchairs and having to empty his bladder, etc., just terrified me. I don't know if a recovery like Max's is as unusual as it seems or not, but it can happen.
Our dog was running around on Saturday, and my husband noticed he was dragging his left hind leg. Before we could get him to the vet he could not use either one of his hind legs. The vet diagnosed him with FCE. He is home after 4 days of being at the vets. He seems happy, but we are curious as to what signs to look for in improvement. We are doing exercises and his toes will curl while we are doing them. Is this just a reflex or a sign that he is improving. We don't want to get to excited.
You will see slow signs of improvement. His toes curling may just be a reflex. Each dog is different. Our dog had no movement for a few months. We took him for acupunture which I truly believe was what helped him most. We did our own physical therapy and water therapy. Why type of dog do you have? Also, where do you live? Go on the web to handicappedpets.com They have alot of information for you. Also, we got him wheels for a few months. They were a Godsend. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. It is a very tramatic time in your life, I am well aware. But my best advice is patience, love and acupunture. It took our dog a few months to start walking again. That was over a year ago and he came back about 80% Still weak in his hind legs, not total control of his bladder and bowels, but he is our miracle and he is so special. I dont regret one day or one dollar we spent on him. Let me know if I can be of any further help.
His is a chiuaua. He is 3 years old, and not your typical chiuaua. he is very sweet and loving. Our peek-a-poo doesn't understand but has been very good for him. He likes to follow her around so I am hoping that him being home will help him want to get moving again. Thanks for the advice. We will keep pushing along.
Good luck to you. It takes alot of patience. It is good the dog is small. It is most common in large dogs. It's much easier to manage. If I can help in any way, just ask.
We are now having trouble expressing his bladder. He ended up back at the vet today. They expressed his bladder and he went forever. Ever since we can't seem to get any thing to come out. Any advice?
It took us a while to learn how to do it also. Now it's like a reflex. We make sure he is "empty" before he comes back in the house. It's just the technique. I just lift his back legs slightly and push on his bladder. Once you get do it a few times, it comes to you easily. How is he doing? Walking at all? Did you go on those websites? They helped me tremendously.
Its been a week today. He is not walking. He yelps at every touch. The vet thinks he's just sore from being moved around a lot. He has tail movement, and has stretched his toe in an attempt to hold himself while she was expressing him. We are giving him a day off today. Only bothering him to empty his bladder.
Can any one tell me how we will know when he can control his own bladder. We are 2 weeks today. He is doing great. He has lots of movement in his hind legs. When we get him up in the morning he stretches them straight out. He is trying to wag his tail. He's still not walking, but much happier.
The only advice on bladder control I can give you is that slowly you will see he is able to hold it longer. Some dont regain it fully, as my dog didnt. He holds it longer, but we still have to stay on top of him to let him out and express his bladder before he comes in. I think every dog is different and the only thing you have on your side is time. It's more important they are walking...that is such a great thing... and I wish you luck. Feel free to ask any other questions. I know how overwhelming it is.
We were on our usual Sunday walk through the farmlands when my 7 year-old Border Collie male fell over. He hadn't been doing anything except running ahead of us as usual. Initially it was his left hind leg and within 5 minutes the paralysis had spread to his right rear too.
We rushed him to our vet who found no deep pain responses in either leg, and immediately referred us to a specialist facility. We had him under proper care within an hour of the incident.
I'm still reeling from the shock of it and can really empathise with all "world falling apart" comments in this blog : mine has pretty much come undone.
He's still in quite a bad way. He never lost movement in his tail, and has anal 'tone' : so it's only his legs that aren't working.
He's going to see 'the' specialist tomorrow at 11, and I'll have a really good diagnosis and prognosis then. When we first admitted him, they were very concerned at his heart function, but this has since improved. I'm not sure we're even talking FCE here, but it must be for the symptomology - what they tell me is that he has a very strong pulse all the way to his kidneys. Just aft of the kidneys, the pulses die away until they're almost undetectable. Could this be a normal blod clot? His right rear leg is very swollen. I would be interested to hear if other FCEs were accompanied by swelling.
I'll post back here as soon as I've seen the specialist. This guy is world-renowned, so my poor little lad will be in good hands. Not that the ICU staff and vets at the hospital haven't been amazing as well, I hasten to add.
This is one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, but I'm trying to keep my spirits up when I visit my boy twice a day.
It's a good sign that his tail is not affected. But every dog is different. Some are affected with both hind legs, some one side and some even one front and one back leg. FCE's just seem to be very different. My dog was both hind and no tail movement and is now 80%back and it's over a year. Good luck to you tomorrow at the specialist, let us know what they say.
Excellent news today : we know what’s wrong with him, and I have confirmation from the highest authority that he’ll pull through.
I pulled the boy out of hospital yesterday morning and took him through to the specialist physician. This was the first appointment I could get, although I had wanted him involved from the start and told the other vets this – everyone in animals in this country knows he is a god, so there was no opposition. True to form, he diagnosed the problem in under 5 minutes : it’s as I first suspected and had told them clearly on admission – it could be a snakebite. And it was.
As with many professions – including aviation – people get tunnel vision, fixate on what they perceive to be the most important aspect and make subsequent decisions based on the poor initial diagnosis. This is why state-of-the-art airliners fly into mountains.
My boy presented with total paralysis of the hind limbs (no reflexes and no deep pain response) together with a heart that was contracting at 30% of what would be considered normal. The vets formed a hypothesis that the heart was the root cause -> poor circulation -> clotting / fibrocartilaginous embolus when it was the snake venom that had depressed heart activity when they first examined him. They put him on heart and blood-thinning meds and thought it was the drugs acting that gave improved heart function day by day, and all the while it was his own kidneys cleaning up. On day 2 when his right hind leg started swelling up like a balloon, it was explained away as an obstruction in the venous system – the clot theory. If they had paid attention to the massive subcutaneous bruising and necrosis – and had shaved some more hair away, they might have spotted the puncture wounds of the bite. The specialist had the entire history and bite exposed in 5 minutes.
Solution : stop the Heparin / Aspirin, start massive antibiotics for the necrosis, arnica tabs internal and arnica oil external, increase physio. He was very thorough and spent nearly 2 hours on us, although the initial diagnosis was made very early on. My boy was bitten from behind just above his knee in the fleshy/muscly part of his thigh, so he probably didn’t even see the snake which was likely to have been a Rinkals (a member of the “top-ten most venomous snakes on the planet” list).
He’s still not able to walk, but is regaining movement in the limbs. He has arterial blood supply and there is no neurological damage, so I reckon I could have him home by next Wednesday. I’ll have to do subsequent physio and rebuilding myself, but I am working from home so it is possible. He’s back in Hi Care for the next 48 hours at least.
I'm so relieved that this particular case wasn't FCE, although the symptoms were initially the same. For all of you working your animals back to health, good luck and god speed : there is nothing I wouldn't do to restore mine, and I can see you are the same.
So happy to hear your good news. It is amazing what we do for these little creatures who we love so much!! Great great news!! And also thank God for this wonderful site that gives us a chance to help eachother. Best of luck to you and your little guy!!
Ok. We are 3 weeks out from out chiuaua's diagnosis. So far we are doing great. He is stretching his legs quite frequently and is even trying to stand up at times. He has been doing hydro therapy which he loves and is going for acupuncture next weekend end. He is wagging his tail as well. We are very pleased with the amount of movement we are seeing in this short period time.
Hello again. I haven't posted since July 25th. Our 4 year old black Lab had a massive FCE on July 16th. (The MRI technician let slip that it was the biggest one she had ever imaged.) She was a week in hospital and went back for neurological reassessment on Day 28. That was pretty gloomy - no improvement and none anticipated. Paraplegic and incontinent - what you see is what she'll stay.
Well!! As Jeeves is always reminding Bertie Wooster, "You have to consider the psychology of the individual." Our girl is the same sweet-tempered, social, cheerful, enthusiastic, high-energy dog she has always been and very determined. We couldn't let her down. We had to give her the best chance we could so we got her her made-to-measure "Ferrari" (it took her a very few minutes to realize that in her wheels, she could Run!!!again) and continued with the therapies - massage, leg curls, daily swimming (with a life jacket and me walking behind her moving her hind feet), cold laser stimulation, accupuncture and Chinese herbs, practice standing over my knee, and hydrotherapy.
A month ago at Canadian Thanksgiving, we had a lot to be thankful for. For two weeks previous she had been able to pull herself upright from a prone position and 'hold' the stand for a few minutes. Then she started taking tentaive steps, spinal walking, falling down and trying again. She's still falling a lot, but that doesn't stop her. In fact, paradoxically, her partial recovery makes her now at high risk for further injury. Rather than accept help to get up on the couch or into the car, she 'throws herself' at it, lands in a heap on the floor and seems to think that if she just throws herself harder next time she'll make it. This afternoon, while chasing a ball in her wheels, she tried to jump a low wall! She missed, did a backwards somersault and landed on the ground under her cart with the wheels still spinnig. My heart was in my mouth!! Got her picked up and righted (apparently uninjured) and off she tore again.
Technically, she is still incontinent, but functionally, she is no more incontinent than a pregnant woman i.e. by the time she is aware of "needing to go", she needs to go almost immediately. She can tell us she needs to go out and once the door is opened she can walk down the ramp to the grass unassisted, but she cannot balance yet while squatting, so someone has to stand over her and help support her. A very small price. We nearly lost her and now she has proven her doctors wrong.
So remember, the doctors' prognosis is only a guess - an educated guess to be sure, but still only a guess and based on averages. Much more depends on the personality of your dog and the availability of rehab. therapies. Get as much physio as you can find and afford, even if it means going to different clinics for different treatments, which is what we've had to do. Ask them to teach you exercises you can do at home and do them intensively. For nearly four months, her rehab has been nearly a full-time job, but we are seeing reults and she is so worth it.
Best wishes all,
Marj
That is so good to hear. I agree 100% that you cannot only listen to what the Dr.s say. They also told me it was hopeless with my dog, and yet he is here today, walking. A little wobbly, but he is walking. He also, does not have total control of his bowel and bladder, but that's a little sacrafice we put up with to have him around. He is worth it. You did the best you can for him, and gave him a chance to come back, and he did. I agree about the wheels. My dog only needed them for about 2 months, but when he had them...OMG.. he loved them. He would fly everywhere. He adapted so well. I am very happy for you and wish you much more progress in the future. The acupuncture Dr. told me that after 6 months whatever progress he has made will be the most he will have and THAT information was correct. So you still have a ways to go. Best of luck to you and keep us all posted.
Boz is a month 1/2 out from his FCE. We were told that he would not recover since he did not have deep pain sensation. He's been doing hydro therapy and acupuncture. He we went for his follow up appointment yesterday morning and they were amazed at his progress. He is trying to stand on his own, but can't quite get there. It appears he is slowly getting control of his bladder, and when we have him standing to express him he will take a step or two with his hind legs. We are very pleased with his progress, and he does have his deep pain sensation back.
Wow! What a web site. Our Boxer Archie came home from the hospital last Tuesday afternoon after we rushed him in the Friday before. You guessed it. FCE. Like everyone else, we were devastated. Me more than my wife. He's my buddy. He rides in the sidecar on my motorcycle and is well known throughout the biker community in a wide area. He's making improvements every day and has already come further than we were lead to expect early on. In fact early on, it didn't look survivable. Thursday was Thanksgiving and were we ever thankful! Archie has a long way to go but every little improvement is s step toward being back to 100%.
Hi Tom, hang in there and know that his progress will be slow. Read the blog and you will learn alot of information to get help for him. There is so much out there. Many websites for handicapped dogs, wheels and treatment. Acupuncture and physical therapy works wonders. My little guy's prognosis was not good at first either, and here he is today, walking, a little wobbly, but he is walking. He has little effects that still linger with his urine and bowels, but that is a small price to pay to have him here today. And like you, on Thanksgiving.. it was my little Eddie that I was so grateful for. Good luck to you.
Thanks so much for the encouraging words Gina. We've received so many good wishes and prayers for Archie from friends and family but it means a great deal to read it here from those who have been through exactly what we're dealing with now. If you'd like to see a video of Archie Google dailymotion riders stories tom & archie. H-D sent a guy out from NY who made this video. Just excuse the ugly old fat guy who isn't used to being in front of the camera. Archie is the one who is usually in front of the camera. When were on the road every fuel stop is a photo op for others who gather around. Good luck to you and Eddie!
I am so glad that I found this site! Up till now I felt alone and that we had a rare case and my dog was the only one that could recover from this. October 6th of this year we woke up to our nightmare with FCE. Everything everyone has written about has occured for us as well. I am very encouraged that my DU will recover beautifully! I have a suggestion... I accidently found that when I was washing my 115 lb labs hind legs it stimulated hime to urinate! So now I try to let him get himself to the door without pressing on his bladder with the towel and once he is outside I squeeze the hind leg muscles and rub them. He inevitably urinates! Hope this tip helps others. Maybe my dog is just weird. Its been 8 weeks and he is using his left leg to walk and he wobbles the other. I just got him boots to protect his pads from get cut up. I know it hurts too because he tries to hold the right leg up instead of using it. Any suggestions on how much playing he should do. We have a puppy and DU wants to play tug of war. I am so afraid he will hurt himself again if he plays. We are doing accupuncture. It does help. Homeopathic meds too. My vet pretty much told me that if he didn't improve in 24 hours prognosis was "gaurded". Thank God I have more faith in my maker and in my "boy". Love to encourage anyone or hear encouragement. Thanks for the site!
Archie continues to make excellent progress, He's walking on all fours now although pretty wobbly and not for long stretches of time or he starts to get pretty weak. He's regained his bladder and bowel control and is going outside to go potty once again. It's all good. We have an appointment next Tuesday with a new doctor who is certified in hydro therapy and acupuncture to see what she'll recommend and decide where to go from here. Archie's future looks so much brighter now than it did just a few weeks ago. Life is good. Continued best wishes and good luck to everyone dealing with FCE!!
Its been a little over two months since DU's onset with FCE. He is hobbling around outside by himself for long periods of time! His right foot is getting much better. His bladder is getting better but his bowels are still not there yet. He lays down to poop. I hope he gets this back soon. The big deal is he can get on a mattress now and he loves it! (on the floor). I never thought I see the day he would just get up and come to us in another room. Things are getting easier. Tom, let us know how the hydrotherapy goes. I wish there was someone in my area that did this. Acupuncture and homeopathic meds. First it was Arnica then he is on Hypericum perforatum. Good luck with your buddy~
Hi Tammie, glad to hear your dog is doing better. Two months is still early, but it's a good sign that you are seeing progress. Hydrotherapy can just be done in your own tub. Not sure if your dog is large or not, but if they are small, you can just fill the tub until their back legs rise and they start kicking on their own. It worked for mine because he is a jack russell. But acupuncture was wonderful. Keep being positive and do the physical and water therapy on your own if you can. It will help and Im sure he will continue to get better everyday. My dog is not 100% and never will be. I'd say he came back 80%. Still wobbly and not in full control of his bowels and bladder. But he is happy and we are happy he is still her. Patience and love goes a long way. Good luck
Gina, thanks for the encouragement! The tub wouldn't work. He is 115 lbs! The tub would be a puddle for him. LOL! Thanks for the suggestion though. Question. Does your pup back up on his own now? I was wondering what exercises I could do to strengthen the legs to lift and back up.
Wow...115lbs...dont think the tub would work! Yes, he can walk backwards now. But like I said, it took months of therapy for him to walk on his own. The larger the dog it must be difficult. I use to excercise his legs while he laid on the couch. I would stretch his legs all differnt ways like range of motion. I would do each one about 20 times each and do it a few times a day. Keep me updated. Where do you live?
Today's the day. Appointment at noon. We got 4 or 5 inches of snow last night. At midnight I let Archie out to go potty and he went just off the front step. That's OK. A couple times yesterday he forgot he's not as able bodied as before and tried to jump and play. That says a lot about his attitude but doesn't help his legs recover. Tammie- I don't know what breed your buddy is but if he could get down a bit on his weight it might help his recovery. Archie started off at 98 and I changed his diet to a more restricted one and last time I had him on the scales (a week ago) he was down to 83. I think he's down another 5# or so now. I'm positive this is helping him recover and he's getting used to not getting treats just for the asking. I might post again when we get home this afternoon. Good luck everyone!
Tom & Gina Tom, well how did you make out? I know what you mean about the front step! I am just happy when he makes it to the door without an accident! Snow... man NOT looking forward to that. I live in Delaware. No snow here yet! DU is an American breed Yellow Lab. I have created a blog. (inspired by this blog). Check it out! I have video on there. You will see there is nooo chance of loosing weight. He's a small beast! Good news though. He came into me this morning at 5 AM to let me know it was breakfast time! I couldn't believe my eyes that he got up on his own and walked to other side of the house and through the hardwood floor kitchen! Progress!!!! Gina thanks for reminding me to exercise his legs. Since he's been up I haven't been doing much but I realized that his hopping isn't giving all his muscles a chance to work!
Tom and Gina Oops I forgot to leave the link.thelifeofafcecaregiver.blogspot.com
Tom and Gina Oops I forgot to leave the link.thelifeofafcecaregiver.blogspot.com
Hey, Tammie, I truly understand that a yellow lab is ALOT different than my jack russell!! But you are doing the right thing. Snow is a killer when you have to go outside and get them. Eddie couldnt get up the deck and I was out there all winter picking his little butt up to get in the house. My son made a ramp.. .and its a miracle. He flies up...still not in control of his bladder, but we express him a few times a day. Keep up the good work.. and keep me updated. Tom...let us know how you did at the Dr.
Dang it!! I had a post ready but forgot to run spell check. So rather than clicking "Publish" I clicked on "Preview" hoping to do spell check. It wouldn't work from there so I clicked "back" and the whole thing went away. Oh well, trying again...
All went well yesterday. We met Archie's new doctor, Dr. Soni Gilbert who runs the Animal Pain Management Center in Spokane. She examined him and we've decided to begin a program of acupuncture and hydro therapy starting in early January. She's going to be gone next week and with the holidays nearly here, and the fact that Archie is doing quite well now, it seemed the best thing to do was to put it off until we can follow through on a very regular basis. Her fees are very reasonable. We can do a six week program for only $200. Not a tough decision to make at all.
Best wishes to everyone!
Tom, All good news! I wish I could find someone around here for hydrotherapy. Archie sounds like he is progressing well!! I loved the video, so did my family. Your right about being your buddy. My husband was devastated when we thought this was fatal! So glad we didn't listen to the doctors. I just get frustrated when he stays the same for any period of time. I have to remind myself these days are brighter than a week ago and there are even brighter days to come. Anyone out there have progress stories for when there pups had FCE for about two months or so. I know it is silly to compare because they all are going to heal differently. Its just encouraging to hear other success stories. Tom keep us updated on Archie's progress! I'll do the same.
It's a deal Tammie. I might not post a lot until we begin the series of hydro therapy and acupuncture unless there's something out of the ordinary meantime. But I'll be here daily looking for your posts as well as everyone else who comes here. FCE has become such a big part of our lives now and it seems so has this web site more than any other I found when searching for everything I could find on the subject...
Continued best wishes to DU and you and your family. And Gina and Eddie and all who are helping their FCE stricken buddies.
Well, you people out there that have snow... SOOOO do I! You all jinxed me. We are suppose to get up to a 1 1/2 feet!! I haven't seen that much snow since I was 12! Not happy! Now DU wants to go out and play in it and guess whose out there with a sling again! I feel soo bad for him he wants to chase the puppy around and he can't stay up on his feet! It was getting easier and now I feel like its getting harder again.
So funny Tammie...but that shows his determination and spirit. They dont feel bad for themselves...we feel bad for them. That is one thing I learned through my experience with FCE...they never see themselves as disabled, they just do what they have to do to get what they want. People should learn from them! We in NY are getting alot of snow also and Im sure Eddie will be out there wobbling and trudging through the snow like DU...feeling as "normal" as they are!! Enjoy
It must be your turn this winter. This time a year ago we were the proud recipients of record snow fall and were dealing with all the joys of being snowed in and running on generator power. Our snow now has turned over to rain so we have patches of ice and a muddy muddy mess. 36 degrees outside as I write this. Archie continues to do well and I'll gladly clean up a little mud when he comes in after a trip outside. Beats the heck out of what I was cleaning up not so very long ago. Here's hoping your snowfall comes straight down rather than sideways, your power stays on and your DU makes steady progress...
You guys... thanks for the positive attitudes, it helps me keep things in perspective! Du ate sooo much snow he threw up all over my carpet and had bad gas! The joys of snow...it could be worse. He could not be walking at all:> Blessings to both of you and your families and of course Eddie and Archie.
I just had a thought Tammie. Sitting here re-reading the posts on this blog and thinking about Archie's recovery. When Gina was saying you could do hydro therapy on your own but Du won't fit in the tub, it sticks in my mind you live on a farm. Maybe, just maybe, if you have a place that's warm enough, what about a stock trough? Maybe a ramp to assist him in and out? Just a thought. Archie doesn't go in until Jan 5th but maybe when we see how his hydro therapy goes, we can suggest something a little more refined. Hope the snow storm passed you by without too many added dificulties...
Thanks for thinking of us! Live stock trough would be possible, but I don't have one deep enough. We had pigs for a few years so their troughs were lower. But you have my wheels turning. There is the issue of the cold and getting him into something... He is a big baby fraidy cat! Snow actually helped DU yesterday give him traction to play in the snow with Diesel! So Im not soo ba hum bug about the snow now. Let me know if you think of something else to help DU! Im glad I have people who understand my situation!! Thanks
Ok you FCE survivors... Any feedback on your dogs when they were recovering. Did they ever seem like their legs were weaker than the day before? I get discouraged sometimes because it doesn't seem like he's improving, sometimes worse, but then some days hes better. Is this normal? Is it ok to let him play with other dogs, tug of war, light wrestling. This recovery is taking forever... it feels.
Yes Tammie, everyday can be different and do not get discouraged. Let him play and do whatever he chooses. It will be good exercise and keep him happy. Some days Eddie is weaker than others and we have been through this over a year now. One thing I can tell you is they do not feel bad for themselves. They see themselves as fine...so let them be and just hang in there and be patient.
Hi Tammie and Gina (and everyone who comes here). I'm still amazed at Archie's progress but he seems to have hit a bit of a plateau too. My son and his family has come a couple times to help us move into the house and they bring Sid with them. Sid is their chocolate lab and a big boy. He and Archie are great buds and it does Archie good to play with him as long as they don't over do. Usually the initial excitement winds down and they play somewhat more calmly. But then Archie is really tuckered out. He's sleeping on his couch now. Tuesday we start the hydro therapy and acupuncture sessions. It will be interesting to see how that goes.
Good luck to all... Hang in there...
Just back home from our first acupuncture/hydro therapy session. The acupuncture went very well. Leads to falling asleep and snoring. Very relaxing. The hydro therapy is going to take some getting used to. Made him very nervous so today was just an introduction to the idea. Next week we go in hungry with hot dogs in hand for motivation. Once he gets used to the idea of walking on the treadmill, it should carry over to our treadmill here at home. We've tried without success in the past. Today, just the water made him uncertain, the treadmill was even more scary. But I'm very happy with the prospect of better things to come...
Thats great news Tom, keep up the good work....you will be amazed at the results!!
Life is good for DU right now! He is curled up on the sofa with Dad! He has been getting up on the sofa for the last 3 days just about by himself. We have to help his back legs swing around just a bit! Less accidents in the house, but it takes lots of patience being out in the cold and all...I finally got a number for a therapist about 10 minutes away. I haven't contacted her yet, will be working on that next week. Tom I am happy for the both of you, can't wait to hear how he begins to recover! Question Tom, is Archie wearing a belly band? Or is he not having accidents anymore?
No belly band and only rare accidents. But we're still mostly living in the shop as we move into the house. Yesterday we were working out in the house while he was in the shop. He had done both jobs when we came back in. I'd offered to let him out earlier and he didn't want to but when the urge hits, it hits. Not a big deal because he simply goes on the concrete floor. He went with us when we went into town yesterday for a load out of storage but stayed home when we went back for the second load of the day and the final load out of the large storage unit. The small one is still as full as ever but it's the bike and related stuff that will come to the shop when we're not living in here any longer. I have to lift him into the truck and help him into the car when he goes with us. Sure glad to hear that DU is doing better!
Archie did a little better with the hydro therapy this second time around. Still isn't something he looks forward to but we're getting there. Food motivation while he's in the tank didn't work but the treats when he got out were great. Maybe that will be motivation enough, knowing what awaits. We'll find out next week, but hopefully it will go well. It wasn't quite as scary today as it was last week... And the acupuncture went just as well as before- total relaxation. The Dr. said not all her patients get so relaxed and she wishes they did.
That is great! I have great news also! I found a place for DU to swim! Get this 10 minutes down the road and $6 1/2 hr. It is the state fair grounds where the horses train! They open the pool up to dogs for a couple of hours a day! Du you went Thursday and did pretty well.Someone should have told Du that he was a water dog because he does not like the water! We suit him up with a life vest clip on two lead ropes and two people guide him into the water and once he cant touch anymore he SWIMS! I run to the other side and cheer him on. He did four laps and was exausted. He got a warm bath afterwards and was ready to get in the car! LOL. We go back tomorrow. Treats I agree are not as reinforcing as I had hoped but are helpful! LOL Any changes that you see in Archie since his therapy has started?
I have a 5 almost 6 month old great dane, Argos. He was playing at the dog park yesterday, suddenly fell down, with a shreak of pain and lay motionless on the ground. We scooped him up and ran him to the vet, and then the the Neurology Specialist. He has been diagnosed with FCE. Within the first 24 hours, he has improved and can walk with assistance using a harness. I have read all of the information available on this just to better understand. My only question is if he wants to try to walk, should he undersupervision? Both of his front feet knuckle under, but he can walk some if he is fresh. He has complete bowel and bladder control and only the left rear leg is slightly affected. I just dont know how much I should let him do since it is so recent of an event. When tested yesterday, he could barely stand and had relatively no feeling in both front legs. Any suggestions? The goofball wants to run and chest the other dog, but falls and knucles as he goes.
My best advice to you is to let him rest as much as possible. That is what I was told. My dog was much worse than yours and couldnt get around at all, but I was told to keep him calm and rest. I think the signs he is showing are so positive and he will come to a complete recovery or at least a good recovery. I wouldnt stop him from walking at all, it is good to get him moving if he wants, i just wouldnt have him running around with other dogs. That might be too much so soon. But I think the progress is great and you will see wonderful results like the rest of us. Hang in there and be positive.
Tammie- That's great news! I'm so happy for you and DU. I've been worried since it's been a while since we heard any news and that was sure worth the wait. I'm not seeing any real improvement in Archie directly related to the therapy sessions but I see improvement in the sessions themselves. Last Thursday was only his second session and he did somewhat better on the underwater treadmill. Maybe by the end of the six weeks he'll actually look forward to going. He enjoys the acupuncture because it's so totally relaxing.
To the person who just came on with Argos. Good luck to you and Argos. When Archie came home after four days in the hospital when he was stricken with FCE, we were told total rest for two weeks. That was fairly easy because he couldn't walk and had no bladder or bowel control so he didn't know when to want to go out. It seemed like an eternity when we were going through the initial stages but looking back it only took 14 days go get through that two weeks. (lol) From the sound of things, a month from now, you'll look back and be amazed at the progress Argos has made. I'm still amazed at how well Archie is doing. We went to the HOG meeting this morning and the people who knew what he'd been through were amazed too. Others who didn't know thought he was walking a little more unstable than last time they saw him and attributed it to age. We told his story many times while we were there. I'm so incredibly thankful that he'll be my best good riding buddy again when spring comes.
Thank you for your suggestions. I will try to keep him down, although puppies resist this notion. I will keep you posted on his progress. Thanks again :-)
I need help! Everyone I am reading about has had trouble with back legs, bowel and baldder issues. Argos' event was between
C6-T2 (he is only 5 and 1/2 months old. Although he can walk, he has no feeling in his front right paw and little in the left front. He tends to cough and clear his thoat frequently. We are having a very difficult time keeping him calm, with low activity, for any period of time. He only sleeps in 2-3 hour sperts through the night. Any recommendations for helping keep him down and calmer. (Putting him in a crate just makes him go bezerk) We bought him numerous chew toys to help with the frustration. He is very frustriated. I do know that he is young for this conditions, but any suggestions if helpful.
My thought would be to do what you can to keep him from injuring himself as active as he is. Gina will have better advice I think. Spend as much time with him as you can and be totally calm youself so he's not feeding off your anxiety. And just hang in there, the days will pass and he'll make it through this.
We are fortunate that we can spend 24/7 with him. He slept better last night (first time) and I think will be better today with quality sleep.
I will suggest not letting him eat or drink lying down! DU contracted Phnemonia and they attributed to steriods and laying while eating. With this affecting his front legs it may be more difficult to get him up to eat, but we even hand fed DU at times to avoid him lying down. Hang in there... It is really scary and they sense your frustration and anxiety... He sounds sooo much better than DU was so be encouraged! Check out my blog of daily trials it may help you keep the hope! thelifeofafcecaregiver.blogspot.comI slept with DU for weeks, it has just been lately he will sleep well without someone in the living room with him. Keep the faith! Patience Patience I will put Argo in my prayers!
Another thought, Check with your vet and see if Benidryl could be given to him to keep him sleepy and subdued. Have you found someone that does acupunture for dogs? The sooner the better! I am tellying you it works... Also getting Arnica homeopathic medicine helps with inflamation.
Although still not sleeping great, Argos is making a miraclulous (sp?)recovery. He is walking well, he has feeling in both front legs although not full feeling and is muuch more responsive. Our only set back was today as he had to see the vet today due to an eye issue. He has swelling behind the cornea, very red, and has been diagnosised with uvitis. The neurlogist is not sure it is due to the FCE, but the Opthomologist thinks that it is. He is on steroid drops in his eye and oral steroids. Has anyone else heard of this happening the FCE.
About a year or so back and way before FCE, Archie had a problem with one of his eyes. Our local vet got us into the Veterinary Eye Clinic in Spokane. He had the steroid drops as well and they seemed to solve the problem although we never got a real definitive diagnosis. Until then I was unaware the Vet Eye Clinic existed. It amazes me what fine veterinary facilities we have close by. Good luck to you and Argos. It sounds like he's well on his way to recovery.
Back home now from the third of the series of hydro therapy and acupuncture sessions. This one went extremely well. He finally caught on to the idea of walking on the treadmill in the water tank. He might actually start thinking it's fun instead of stressing out. Maybe we'll have to go for a second six week series. If the doctor think it would do him good, that might become the plan. We'll decide when the time comes.
I guess the third time is a charm! Yea!!! Go Archie GO! Let me know what kind of changes you see in his physical state with the therapy. Du gets confident on his legs and cuts his feet up sooo bad and it sets him back again. Argo sounds like he is much better off than DU was... We hope he is up and well soon!Is Argo getting any kind of therapy?
We finally got moved over into the new house yesterday. It's been a long process and until yesterday we were still eating and sleeping here in the shop. So last night was Archie's first night sleeping on the back porch. First time since he's lived with us he wasn't sleeping beside our bed. He actually did very well after he settled down. At first it was obvious that wasn't what he had in mind. I thought if he'd be happier, he could sleep on the couch in the shop but we needed to give the back porch a chance. I'd moved his bed and blankets over so all the right smells were there. By this morning when I tried to let him out to go potty, he wanted to stay put. That is until he found out I was headed for the shop because that's where his food and water dishes are still. And our two cats are permanent shop kitties now. Actually once again. Barb doesn't want any animals in the house because of the hair. It's going to take some getting used to.... Tomorrow afternoon we go back in for our weekly hydro therapy and acupuncture session. More then.
Well, this fourth trip to hydro therapy went very, very well. She did extra time in the tank with him today and no acupuncture. He has it down so pat he tried to head to the acupuncture room first because that's what we've done every time so far... Next appointment is a week from tomorrow at 10:00 AM.
How is he doing? Any changes? DU has had a set back.. He needs to get to the chiro. and get his acupuncture and adj. Cant get him in till Thursday. Early this morning DU went exploring and went behind the compost pile and fell on a pitch fork! I was freaking out! He put a hole in his right front foot! Blood everywhere! Poor guy just can't get a break. Seriously looking into a set of wheels. I commend Barb for her sticking to her guns... but I don't know if I could leave DU with his condition ... He is such a baby.
Hey Tammie, so sorry to hear about his setbacks. They try so hard you hate so see them go backwards. I did get the wheels for my dog and it was wonderful. He only used them for a while but it was a godsend. I found them on line. They were made of PVC so they were more reasonable. I forgot what kind of dog DU is. These wheels are not for large dogs. The larger dogs need the metal wheels. But if you need information or help on the wheels feel free to ask. Good luck
Hey Tammie, so sorry to hear about his setbacks. They try so hard you hate so see them go backwards. I did get the wheels for my dog and it was wonderful. He only used them for a while but it was a godsend. I found them on line. They were made of PVC so they were more reasonable. I forgot what kind of dog DU is. These wheels are not for large dogs. The larger dogs need the metal wheels. But if you need information or help on the wheels feel free to ask. Good luck
Gina, DU is an American Yellow Lab he is taller than the normal English breed, almost as tall as a Great Dane. I have contacted Eddies and looking at K-9 Wheels, the pricing is about the same, K-9 you can rent to own or rent, and Eddies is waiting for his measurements they may have a used one they can sell me cheaper. I have read how they can speed up the recovery because their spine isn't always out of wack from straining to walk. I just wished money wasn't always an issue. Let you know how it turns out. Ps Its snowing here AGAIN! Have I mentioned how much I hate the snow? Haha
Poor DU. Doggone it, he needs a break, he deserves one- a big one and so do you. Falling on the pitch fork reminds me of one time when I was a kid. I'd finished forking hay into the rack for the cows and threw the pitch fork back at the hay stack intending to stick it into the hay. Well, it fell a little short and nailed our dog Toby right in the hind leg. Fortunately the one tang that hit him went through the skin in the middle of the elbow (?) of his hind leg. He didn't seem like it hurt too bad but I felt about as low as it was possible to feel at the time. Toby was as much a family member as any of us kids. And I'd grown up with him from the time I was three. I was maybe 14 or 15 then. Good luck to you Tammie and continued best wishes to DU! Have you looked at the wheels on www.handicappedpet.com? Pretty pricey but maybe they'd help DU begin to see some improvement.
Archie is doing pretty well. We've started taking rather short walks since he has to spend so much time either on the back porch or in the shop when I'm in the house. It makes his day to be able to go for walks again but they take a lot out of him. He loves the smells and the chance to explore along the road again. Comes home happy but pretty much exhausted and it really shows in his hind legs. But by the same token, it probably does him good physically as well as mentally....
I'm thrilled to find you all here, Not so pleased to read about so many of our friends with FCE.
I want to invite you to join http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9FCE_Support/ and share your stories.
The dog pictured on the main page was my Greyhound, Hasty. He slipped in Spring snow and mud, and was paralyzed from mid-spine. He stayed down for a couple of weeks. One day he wagged his tail. I cried. From that moment on, I knew he'd recover. He came back about 90% and lived another six years. He was my miracle boy.
I have a grey that had FCE 3 years ago. I designed a sling type harness that my girl could wear 24/7 to assist her in walking, going up and down stairs and holding her up to potty. I make these on a regular basis now and have sold them to hundreds of owners of handicapped greyhounds, using all the money to support my greyhound adoption group. If anyone is interested, the cost is $45 which includes the first class shipping with delivery confirmation. You can see the harness at http://tinyurl.com/ytzm8c
or I can email you some more pictures to see more angles.
My addy is godsgreyts@mac.com
My girl partially recovered and she can walk now. It's not pretty, but it's something! She can urinate by herself, I just have to hold her up when she poops. She is 10 y.o. now and the harness has saved my back!!!
Best wishes to all of you dealing with FCE.
carol becker
www.godsgreyts.com
I went through all this with Karen, my 9 1/2 year old greyhound, many years ago. We kept her in an exerpen as it was much easier to be able to keep her quiet and clean in there.
She never had to spend any time at the vet as when she first went down and was rushed to the vet's they did spinal xrays. They saw no problem with her spine or discs but her spine did show narrowing of the disc spaces. So they started her on steroids right away.
Karen was never able to come off of steroids due to having been over bred but she did last almost 2 years after her FCE attack. We had to let her go when she had a problem high in her neck with spinal degeneration.
I did physical therapy on her from day one lightly massaging her rear legs and stretching them plus a range of motion. I used a towel to help her stand to eat and move around. I used baby wipes to keep her clean and when she finally knew she had to go potty we would use that towel to help her walk out side. I found a sling that was adjustable with handles that were adjustable for people plus got paw protectors from www.doggon.com for her. Bonus was that sling will fit my other greys if they ever need it.
We never got acupuncture on her as that wasn't done on dogs then but we did get Reiki for her (that is like a laying on of hands). She loved it so much and improved so much that I even became a level one Reiki healer.
I found adult diapers at Kmart for her so when we traveled I could cut a tail hole in them then take the elastic sides and duct tape them into wings to fit her. They never bothered her and they kept the urine from burning her skin.
She never got full use of her left rear leg back and would drag it. She always ran with a funny hop, walked a little lopsided but never once gave up on life. She ruled the roost and kept all the other (5) greys in line. Even our vet cried when we let her go as she was in good health except for her spine giving way.
Does anyone know anything about Chinese Medicine? There is a remedy that I would like to try. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Health-Concerns-AC-Q-Tablets/105007.aspx. Thanks
Hi Tammy, I did use herbal chinese medicine for my dog while he was getting acupuncture. I cannot say it helped or didnt help. I know the acupuncture did and Im sure it had to help in some way. I would try anything because they deserve every chance they can get to get better. Good luck.
I'm with Gina, it's all worth trying. I sure hope DU starts showing some major improvements soon. Are you still taking him for a weekly swim? Archie hasn't had acupuncture the last two times we were at therapy but he's spending more time in the hydro tank and I noticed she raised the water level higher without freaking him out on our last visit.
Good luck and best wishes to DU!!
Hi friends! I think I will give it a shot. Du is going swimming 2 times a week mostly sometimes once. I have set up acupuncture every other week. Somedays he looks good others his right leg looks weak. He sat down with both feet under him today slowly but he did it, then the right legs kicks out. I look for any sign of improvement. The problem I am running into now is we just had the snow storm of the century and he can't even move in the snow peeing on the front step is it! Hopefully we can get the tractor out today and clear a space for the puppies. Have I said how much I hate the snow!
We are having the most open winter we've had for a long time. Pretty wet but it comes as rain. You're getting what we had the last two winters. Last year we had record breaking snow fall and nearly so the winter before that. Roofs collapsing, power outages and all the fun stuff. And I was still driving school bus. Fun, fun, fun. Now I re-retired and only drive occasionally. Oh well...
At least Du makes it out the door even if he can't go much further. That's a good thing... Continued best wishes are being sent your way even as the storms move in...
Tom, Check out Facebook I have posted some pic on there of the first storm and the start of this second one. The state has lost over 50 chicken houses and about 20 or so other buildings! Holding our breath and praying alot.. Hows Archie? DU is getting lots of rest, probably not going to get to water therapy tomorrow... The boys are playing risk and D.U. is on the sofa between them.. too cute ... Touch base soon, Tammie and D.U.
Didn't know you guys were on facebook. It would be nice to be friends so we can share pictures of our special "friends". Look me up, it's Gina Pretino Irwin from New York. It would be fun to see our furry best friends!!
I sent you a request! Or shall I say I hope it was you.
Friday was Archie's last therapy session of the six weeks we signed up for. No hydro, but a long acupuncture session. Then I signed him up for another three weeks. Today I spent all day at the bike show and he couldn't go. His legs wouldn't have held up all day anyway. Mine almost didn't. Did ride the bike in though. But alas. The sidecar was empty. Missed my buddy. He sure was happy when I got home even though Barb took good care of him. In April I've got a four day out of town bus trip to make. Taking the FCCLA to their state function in Wenatchee. A good group of kids and a good run. They asked for me and I'm honored. But I'll sure miss my little buddy. Too bad he can't come on the school bus.
Hope the snow has stopped and spring is on the way for all you folks back east... It was sunny and nearly 50 here today. More rain coming tomorrow. Oh well...
Curious Tom,,, Acupunture, do they use the needles or wet Q'tips probes with electro pulses? Do they have him lie down or stand up? I know what you mean about leaving your buddy. My husband will be changing jobs soon which will mean noone will be home from 7-3. I am nervous for him. Especially since he is really moving around good now. I am afraid he will get stuck somewhere or fall on the hardsurfaced floors... or poop and make a mess... What to do? What to do? I guess, like I have everything else, deal with it one day at a time.
Until last Friday the acupuncture was about nine or so needles on his left side. He was laying down and most of the time would fall asleep. Last Friday she hooked a slight electric charge to two of the needles. He didn't fall asleep because there was some remodeling going on out in the other room and even though the door was shut the bumping and thumping kept him from totally relaxing.
When we have to leave Archie home by himself, I leave him in the shop with music playing on the TV. We get lots of XM radio with our DirecTV. He has his couch and he has the cats to keep him company. That doesn't happen too often and only once did we leave him overnight. He did fine. Actually better than the time several years ago we took him to a kennel when we had to be gone a couple days. I resolved not to do that again.
I'd think Du will adjust to his new routine just like Archie is adjusting to his. It just takes a week or so for it to become routine. Good luck and best wishes...
Archie and I had a very fine afternoon. We rode into his therapy appointment on the motorcycle. That in itself made both of us quite happy. Dr. Gilbert decided no more hydro was necessary so after an acupuncture session, we rode back toward home. I've been driving bus this week but not on my old route and haven't had a chance to visit with the kids on my old route. We got back into town just before school would let out so we went up to the bus garage and visited with the other drivers briefly then sat on the bike out by the corner of the bus garage where the kids come out from school. Quite a crowd gathered. Kids from the route I'm subbing on this week (except this afternoon), kids from my old route and kids that I know from other connections at school. Even lots of kids who I don't know but were impressed with Archie sitting there in his sidecar with his motorcycle jacket and goggles on. We left just before the busses pulled out and on the way out of town, stopped by our local vet's clinic. She hasn't been directly involved with his recovery from FCE but has known and treated him for a long time and has offered advice through out the FCE situation. Her and her staff were pleased that we stopped and Archie was happy to see his old friends there as well. Excellent day! One more therapy appointment to go and she made it for two weeks from now. March 9 we go in for the final acupuncture treatment. All his doctors are very impressed with his progress. So am I for that matter.
Good luck to all of you as well!!
Hooray for Archie! and of course you too! Sounds like it was a wonderful day! So tell me what changes have you seen? Do you think he will be 100%? I am happy for the both of you! Stay in touch!
Hooray for Archie! and of course you too! Sounds like it was a wonderful day! So tell me what changes have you seen? Do you think he will be 100%? I am happy for the both of you! Stay in touch!
I don't think he'll ever be 100% like he was before but he's come so far back up from the bottom he amazes me. We and he can happily live with things the way they are right now if he was to stop improving from here. But I don't think that will happen. I've worried a few times that he'd re-injure himself sometimes when he jumps off the porch (hasn't done that for a while) or like yesterday, diving out of the sidecar at our local vet clinic instead of waiting for a bit of assistance. He just continues to amaze me and I love him more than ever. Good thing we made our m/c ride yesterday. Woke up to a bit of snow this morning. All gone now but it sure was a wet morning. Not complaining though. This is the winter that wasn't. You got it all back there.
How is DU doing? I sure hope he's making some improvement as well.
Yesterday Archie and I rode on the Frosty Bunz Run out of Post Falls, Idaho with a thousand or more of our best friends. What a great day and a great ride. Archie finally caught on to letting me help him get out of the sidecar. He'd been letting me lift him in but he'd jump his front legs out then drag his back legs over. That works but he's realized if he just waits a bit I can lift him out as well. A bit different than in past riding seasons when he'd just sail over the side effortlessly. I had the camera along but never took a single photo. Shame on me. But at every stop, people would gather around taking his picture. A most fun day. We both came home pooped.
Hi all it has been inspiring to read all of your stories. My Bernese Mountian Dog is suspected of having FCE or wobblers syndrome the vet favouring FCE. Getting an anwser has been frustrating and expensive. He had a mylogram yesterday where they inject dye into spinal cord and found nothing decisive and spinal fluid was also clear. His condition just came on no yelps nothing! He can still walk but is very wobbley and he is putting all of his weight on front legs. He has started prednisone today and we will keep him on for two weeks then wean and see what happens. all your advice is very much appreciated.
Good luck to you and to your pup Tasha. Hang in there, he will improve and it sounds like he didn't get stricken as bad as a lot of FCE dogs so he'll have a head start on recovery.
Just don't get discouraged. It may get tough for a few weeks but hopefully you will work out of this and things will get better soon.. The first couple weeks are the worst. Hang in there.
Hi everyone! Just want to say thanks for all your posts you'll never know how much they helped me! Last Sunday I found my cat hiding underneath a chair unable to use both her back legs! Taking her to the hospital, it was two days before she was diagnosed with FCE as its more common in dogs than cats. Thankfully her paws were still warm and pink and there was a pulse. MRI confirmed the FCE at the L4/L5 area of her spine. She got a steroid shot tuesday morning after the first sunday. Giving her gentle physio every two hours and letting her rest, she is slowly recovering! All of her tail now moves and she is walking although sometimes she has the odd hiccup! Not yet jumping or climbing the stairs but everyday she is getting stronger. Vets are hoping for a close to full recovery in 3 months! I've had 2 accupuncture treatments as well which I believe has helped! So for others out there both dogs and cats keep with it hope is out there!! xx
Calling on anyone that can give me some insight... I thought my dog D.U. was coming up on 5 months since his embolism, but its his 6 month. Vet said in the beginning that 6 months is usually about all they will recover... Has anyone seen there dog recover past this magical 6 month number.. I am disheartened, he is doing well, but still little control over the bowels, and still has days if he has cut his foot where he will fall down alot. Any words of encouragement here? Much appreciated...
My 13.5 yr old Baylee has just been diagnosed with FCE - she is at the vet now getting steroid IV and will stay overnight --- Friday evening she had an acupuncture treatment, I brought her home and within 10 minutes she was howling and racing around - this lasted for 6.5 hrs - when she awoke she had not control on her back legs and is cannot control her bowels. I haven't read this complete blog yet - but looking for answers and words of encouragement --- got any?
Hi Kathy. Good luck to you and Baylee. It will seem like a long haul for a while but take it a day at a time and soon you'll be amazed at the daily progress. Hang in there!
Hi my name is Angela. 2 weeks ago my 3 year old 90lb Old English Sheepdog Gus jumped out of my car like he always does and began to walk and scoot in the yard. I figured he was having trouble with his anal glands. I took in the backyard and he pooped and peed. That night he was really after his butt, we still figured it was the anal gland. He would not pee that night or the next morning. We took him to the vet at 1pm that day. She went to pop the anal glands and noticed Gus had no rectal tone. She did blood work, an ultra sound, and xrays. They all came back without a problem. The vet expressed his bladder. We rushed him for an mri. They put in a catheter and left it in so we could get him to pee. We quickly got the results...well if u could call them that. They said it could be a tumor on the spinal cord or it could be a blood clot. Big Difference. We took him home to have steroids given in his IV and in his behind. It was a long night the catheter leaked, gus was uncomfortable and we didn't get much sleep. 2 days later we had the catheter taken out. They showed us how to express his bladder with a towel and remove the poop manually. Gus was very good about everything he just let u do it all. A few days later Gus became very bothered by the expressing of the bladder so the vet put a bigger catheter in and made us an appt. the next day at Red Bank Animal Hospital in NJ with Dr. Glass a neurologist. We were doing fine with the new catheter, we were ready to get some sleep, until I ran out to my car and Gus had the catheter pulled out in the 5 mins I was gone. We could not express the bladder. He was holding back. I can't figure out how he can control that but not pee. We arrived at Red Bank. They were WONDERFUL from the moment we walked in the door!!! We met with Dr. Glass who viewed his MRI and could not give us a specific diagnosis. He said the MRI would have to be done again. We could go back to Allentown for the mri, do a battery of other tests to rule things out or he would do another MRI but it would be more $ b/c he was doing it. We didn't care. We just wanted answers. We had to leave him over night, which made me very upset. The next day we met with Dr. Glass and he told us he was able to get a closer picture on the problem area. He told he was very sure it was FCE. We went home and our vet showed us how to run a catheter so it can be done 3 times a day and not have to be left in. The only problem Gus has is that he can't pee or poop. He runs, plays with the other dogs, jumps in the air and eats. It will be 3 weeks on Tuesday. We saw a little change but not much. He marked a few trees 3 days ago but hasn't done it since. He stops and leans forward thinking he is peeing but nothing comes out. He asks to go out so he has the urge and he will poop, but he doesn't squat like he did. He goes to his spot and walks back and forth and stops and poop will come out. If u try to get the poop he is not as still as he was b4. He knows you're there and sometimes he will tighten up and wont let the catheter pass. Im hoping thats a good sign that he is getting feeling back. I know we are very lucky after reading all the other blogs seeing he only lost control of going to the bathroom.It could be a worse case. If anyone has any insight I could really use it. Could he get control again? How long would it take or has the window closed? Thank you in advance!!!
Hi Angela...im so sorry about what Gus is going through. This site will be very helpful. It is kind of unusual that he is ok walking and only lost his bowels and urine feeling. My doge, Eddie a jack russell, lost his ability to walk also. His walking did come back 85% but his urine and bowels didnt. But hopefully you will have better luck since it is so soon. Do the acupunture and therapy. It will help. His feelings did get better w/ time so hopefully that will happen for you too. Have faith and stay positive for him. I sware by the acupuncture and so does everyone I know who used it. Good luck.
Angela my name is Tammie and I thought I posted something already but I don't see it here so I will try to reiterate it again. Acupuncture asap. This will help get blood flowing around those nerves that have been compromised. Also wierd idea to try with Gus. Rub the back of his legs lightly to see if he will pee. If this doesn't work massage the back thigh muscle (good for his muscles as well) I stumbled on to this with my D.U. when messaging his legs while he was standing. It may not work, do to where the embolism is but its worth a shot! Let me know if it worked. Hang in there, I know how hard it can be but take each day as it comes... don't get caught up in the days ahead just focus on Gus today. Tammie
Hi Angela,
I had written a response but the site wouldn't publish it for some reason. Lets try again.
Hang in there and remain positive. The first few weeks are the biggest challenge and taking things a day at a time is the only way to make it through while doing the best for Gus. Archie went through hydro therapy and accupuncture and that really helped him get back to where he is now. He's not 100% and won't ever be back to where he was before but he's doing quite well. Much better than a few months back. Gus will get there too. Good luck. This site is therapy for us as we find the best therapy for our pups...
Hi: My 6 year Boston terrier had this happen to him today. he cannot really use his back legs at all and his front legs are weak too. I am happy to have found this site because the doctor said he wouldn't get better. I want to try physical therapy. Can someone tell me what to do? I am a grad student and don't have the money to take him to one. But I am sure if some one could explain to me what to do I am sure I could do it. Other than not being able to walk he can still go potty when I carry him outside and he is eating just fine too. Will this get any worse? I hope not he is on prednisone. Thanks tarinn
Hi Tarinn, you can do physical therapy and water therapy yourself because he is small. Just lay him on his back on your couch and excercise his legs. Rotate them in and out and around. The point is to keep them moving. Push down on his paws to see if he pushes up against you. That helps. Same w/ the water. I put my jack russell in the tub about twice a week. Fill the tub until his back legs rise and he will automatically start moving them. He was able to stand on his front legs so I am not sure how your dog is doing yet. The most important part of this is acupuncture is you can find it. It isnt super expensive, but is is very very worth it. Try to find a Dr. that does it. I and many others feel that was the key to their recovery. Most importantly stay calm and remember each day gets a little better. The recovery is slow, but its worth it. I also got wheels that were made from pvc so they were not expensive either. Hang in there and I hope that I helped. Gina
Gina: thank you so much, I am trying so hard to keep it together, he is all I have, so not just a family pet... I am doing what what you said and I will try to find an acupuncturist here in my city.. He is having good days and some bad ones too, I am afraid he will feel pain eventually, I hope not. I really appreciate your help Thank you tarinn
My 5 year old Yellow Lab was just diagnosed with FCE today. It happened right before our eyes. He was sitting on the living room floor and when he got up, he turned a few circles and then was no longer able to move his rear legs. No signs of pain or distress. We were shocked. He does have a deep pain response and is not incontinent, so I am hopeful. For those of you that have used acupuncture, can you tell me how many sessions you went and the duration (how many times per week)? I have called around and pet acupunture in my area ranges from $45-$65 per session, so I am curious as to how long I am going to have to keep it up. Thank you so much!
My 5 year old Yellow Lab was just diagnosed with FCE today. It happened right before our eyes. He was sitting on the living room floor and when he got up, he turned a few circles and then was no longer able to move his rear legs. No signs of pain or distress. We were shocked. He does have a deep pain response and is not incontinent, so I am hopeful. For those of you that have used acupuncture, can you tell me how many sessions you went and the duration (how many times per week)? I have called around and pet acupunture in my area ranges from $45-$65 per session, so I am curious as to how long I am going to have to keep it up. Thank you so much!
Hi Angela...my dog went for about 6 months for acupunture. It started with 2x a week for about a month and half to 2 months...then once a week for the same and then every other week. That price range is correct. We paid $50/per session plus some herbal medicine. He was not continent so the pills were for that. That is what will help the most. Go for it! and good luck...it's worth it!
Hang in there and Im glad I can help. I know how you feel. I was completely devastated. I felt like my world fell apart...but believe me they are alot stronger than us and there was not a day he ever felt bad for himself. WE feel bad for them!! I truly believe humans should learn from them. Even today he is not completely healed. He is 85% good...and he never looses his spirit. We have a ramp in the backyard so he can get onto the deck by himself. He amazes us. If you ever want to email me...feel free. My email address is ginadave717@aol.com I feel good helping others because so many helped me when I needed them. What city do you live in? There must be some vet who does acupunture. Good luck and feel free to email me anytime.
I am so happy to report that 12 days post-FCE, my 110 lb Labrador is back to about 85% functioning in his hind legs! He spent the past five days at a rehabilitation facility at our state's vet school where they exercised him on the aquatic treadmill everyday and did various other rehab with him. He was a new dog when we picked him up today! We are so thankful that this is turning out to be a happy story when just 12 days ago we thought we might have to let him go. Reading stories like those posted above and watching videos of FCE dogs on youtube gave us so much hope! We empathize with everyone that is going through this with their dog and wish you the best of luck and speedy recovery.
Thanks so much for creating this blog about FCE and also to those who have shared their stories and support. Less than 48 hours ago, our 4 1/2 year old black lab, Ziggy, was happily chasing a soccer ball when he yelped twice and fell to the ground unable to move the lower portion of his body. Many caring hands were immediately there for him, with most feeling that he had displaced his hips. Murphy's law was in full-swing as all three local vets in our small town were off attending a conference and unreachable, so we placed Ziggy on a padded board in the shade and I delivered water, homeopathic remedies Arnica, Hypericum, and Rescue Remedy plus soft ice packs until we heard back two hours later from Ziggy's vet. Once at the vets office some three hours later, Ziggy had x-rays, anti-inflamatory and pain meds until the doctor's return at 10PM that night. The vet's late night call came with the good news that Ziggy had deep pain sensitivity (imagine!), but thought it may be a ruptured disc that could require surgery. Time is essential when it comes to spinal injuries, but we live in a very rural area with resources for mylograms and surgery two hours away. We fetched Ziggy early in the morning (now 18 hours since the event)~his tail once again wagging and trying to stand up to greet us, and transported him to a wonderful vet who diagnosed FCE. I'm writing 40 hours later as Ziggy is pain-free and weekending in the "big city" with a loving and skilled staff who is delivering deep, ongoing physical therapy to our beloved pet. The prognosis is bright although we are aware of the intensive hands-on care that awaits all of us. Ziggy's current gains are that he can stand (weight-baring) on three legs, though one standing paw wants to curl under. His fourth leg hyper-extends forward, but has strength, deep pain sensitivity and mobility and is expected to retrain well. I'm not sure of his bladder or bowel control issues yet, but feel better prepared by the doc and this blog as to how to manage his comfort once home. I look forward to taking this next journey with Ziggy and the great support of our new doc we've dubbed the "kissing vet" because of his amazing kindness and love for each critter we watched under his tender care yesterday. Wishing all of you seeking information and guidance for your beloved canines the very best in support for FCE.
Best of luck to you and Ziggy...sounds like you are doing everything right...he will be fine because he has you!! Keep us all posted
I wanted to thank all of you, my little Oreo is now walking again after he has had 3 treatments of acupuncture. He is playing with his ball and running a bit too. God bless all of you for being here and offering help that our didn't even care to tell us about. I have my happy little silly dog back, I couldn't be happier. Tarinn
My 6 year old border collie was diagnosed with this roughly 3 months ago. The. Et said there was nothing that we could do apart from at the early stages try to keep him as still as possible and they also had a hyperbarrick chamber which is concentrated oxygen which he went in every day for about a week. I think this really worked. He is probably about 90% better now. He can chase a ball, go for runs with us, walk up and down stairs but after quite physical exercise one of his hind legs gets a bit tired and he can drag this leg a bit. The main problem we are having now is that at times he can't seem to control his bowels. I thought that is was an obedience thing but prior to his FCE he would not dare poo inside or in our car and he has done both of these things quite often. At least once a day we are cleaning up after him inside our house. You can tell he is trying to get outside but it's like the urge comes on too quickly and he can't control it. Does anyone else have this issue and if so did it get any better for your dog?
Our Shiba Inu was diagnosed with an FCE after something happen at night where we happen to be in the bedroom and Bubba (our shiba) in the kitchen. He yelped something loud I had never heard come from him. He was walking on his front legs and his back legs under him. His heart was ready to burst out of his chest from panic. He was so scared and looked around aimlessly as if he'd seen a ghost or an intruder.
After about half and hour of calming him he fell asleep. All his legs shaking. This continued for the next few days. The next day he regained some strength, but had another yelping cry which lasted for 30 seconds and pretty much got the attention of the apartment buildings surrounding us. We brought him to the vet after he regained some more strength to his back legs. He was walking slowly. The vet did a rigorous physical test and he didn't bulge. We thought he was way better and later in the day she told us he had FCE.
I did some online research and was prepared to do what it takes. It's been a week and it's pretty incredible he's almost back to normal. He's never been an active dog, but he's almost running again, but we are going to take it easy with him and other dogs. He's 10 years old, but man I thought he was a goner that somehow he had some kind of crazy debilitating stroke of some kind. I'm so happy he's almost back and healthy again. We were so sad and scared for those 4-5 first days. I hope everyone's dogs recover as well as Bubba.
Oh this is so inspirational! My doggy just got diagnosed with fce two days ago and we are devasted! We keep positive but this has definitely been the most challenging thing we have ever faced! I was wondering if it was normal for my dog to peed himself. It's only been two days but he can't move to another area to evacuate.
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