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Our post on how to keep your dog out of rehab sparked a conversation here at Scout’s House about some of the most common conditions we see. We were sure we knew what we saw the most, but after running a few statistical reports, even we were surprised at the results.
Number One complaint? Osteoarthritis–by a landslide. Not surprising when you think about it–most animals coming in for physical rehab therapy are bound to have arthritis, along with other ailments, but we thought we saw more dogs with neurological issues. We were wrong.
We were wrong, too, about the second most common complaint: knee problems related to the cranial cruciate ligament, or CCL. Many of the dogs we’ve seen were recovering from one of the various surgeries used to fix a CCL rupture–TPLO, TTA, tightrope, or extracapsular–although a handful were hoping to avoid surgery with conservative management. Of course, some of them had had surgery years before and were having problems with that knee (or stifle) now. Can you say arthritis?
And while we would have guessed stifle problems were the third most common complaint amongst our patients, disk issues win there. Intervertebral disk disease, disk ruptures, laminectomy surgeries–we see them all.
Wrapping up our Top 6: unidentified “rear limb weakness,” hip dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy.
Coming up next: Some of the unbelievable predicaments our patients have gotten into–and ended up in rehab because of!
Having started a rehab therapy center for animals, I often get calls from friends–and friends of friends–about sudden-onset health problems their pets are having. In the last month, though, I’ve had a run on those calls, all from people whose dogs suddenly couldn’t stand or walk. They all wanted to know what to do. And to be honest, I want to scream into the receiver: TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VETERINARIAN!
If your spouse or parent or child suddenly couldn’t walk, what would you do? Would you call a friend to ask what she or he thinks you should do? Would you just “wait and see” because maybe it’ll get better on its own? No, I don’t think you would. I think, at the very least, you’d call a doctor, who would probably tell you to call 911 as it would clearly be a medical emergency.
Likewise, it is a medical emergency when your dog or cat suddenly can’t stand or walk.
There are any number of reasons for sudden paralysis in pets, but I’m here to tell you, none of them are good. And for most of those issues, time is critical. If it’s a disk rupture, for example, you have a 24-hour window to have a surgery performed that may give your pet a chance to walk again. And if it’s a saddle thrombus, your pet is in excruciating pain and needs to be treated immediately.
So if your dog or cat suddenly can’t walk or use even just one of his or her legs, please call your veterinarian immediately. I guarantee you, it will save you money, time, and heartache in the long run.
Great article (albeit a little technical for us lay people!) in Veterinary Practice News by veterinarian Dr. Narda Robinson on the use of low level laser therapy in dogs. One finding cited: ”Studies in dogs suggest that LLLT improves neurologic function after IVDD.” For dogs with disk disease, that’s exciting news! Read more:
1) Get non-slip dog boots (we have a couple of good ones to recommend)
2) Put down area rugs or carpet runners (yoga mats work really well, too)
3) Use stick-on paw pads
4) Strengthen your dog’s legs with rehab therapy (had to put that in!)
5) Use baby gates to block off the rooms with hardwood or tile
6) Carry your dog everywhere (not really an option for those of us with big dogs)
7) Put a RuffWear harness on him and hold on to the handle (labor intensive but it works)
8) Use an anti-slip spray (created for show dogs to keep them from slipping in the ring)
9) Carpet the house, bathrooms included (because dogs always follow you to the bathroom)
What would your #10 be? Post ideas by clicking Leave a Comment above or in the box below
We’ve had more than one client ask us to explain the neurological exam that their pets have undergone, both at the veterinary neurologist’s office and at the initial exam at Scout’s House. Although this article was written for veterinarians, it’s a pretty clear explanation of what your vet is looking for during your pet’s neuro exam:
Making Sense of the Neuro Exam from Veterinary Practice News.
If you’re not sure about the effectiveness of rehab therapy for animals, just check this video out!
Videos Posted by Scout’s House: Before & After at Scout’s House: Spinal Cord Trauma [HQ].
Ever wonder what causes a pet to get weak rear legs? Learn more about Rear Limb Weakness in our latest newsletter:
by Lisa Stahr
Almost on a daily basis, I am awed by the quality of rehab therapy at Scout’s House. The difference our therapists make in our patients’ lives can be downright job-dropping–and I think you’ll agree after watching these new Before & After videos of some of our patients: http://www.scoutshouse.com/health-resources/our-videos
Two of them are dogs (one big, one small) who had difficult recoveries from hemilaminectomy surgery, another dog who refused to use her rear leg after a successful extracapsular repair of a torn CCL, and an older dog with weak rear legs who walks like a youngster now!
All are wonderful testaments to the benefits of rehab therapy–and to the incredible knowledge and dedication of Krista Niebaum (the head of our rehab program), Andrea Mocabee, Debbie Eldredge, and Misa Tsuchikawa. Prepare to be amazed!
Great show last Tuesday with veterinary neurologist Dr. Anne Chauvet about vestibular disease. Until I talked with Dr. Chauvet, I didn’t know:
– cats could get it (I’ve just seen it in old dogs)
– a few days on flagyl can trigger it
– that you should always have your pet checked for high blood pressure when a vestibular attack occurs as that could be the cause (and if it is, it’s treatable)
– and you can help alleviate the symptoms in your pet if you apply pressure to the base of the neck and shoulder blades on the side your pet is leaning to.
All great information–and something we all hope we never need to practice. If you’d like to hear the show, go to http://scoutshouse.com and click “Listen to Our Podcasts” in the upper right corner of any screen, and click Episode 31.
Did you know that only 5-10% of dogs infected with Lyme disease actually show symptoms? Or that some dogs diagnosed with arthritis or neurological disease are really suffering from Lyme disease instead? Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, July 13th, at our new time, 1:30pm Pacific, when Dr. Richard Goldstein of Cornell University explains the mysteries of Lyme disease–and what you can do if your dog has it. Only on Special Pets, Special Needs. http://www.specialpetsspecialneeds.com
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