n7yo Kelpie/ Border Collie
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DIAGNOSIS: Thoracolumbar Disc (Spinal Injury)
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nWell it is very difficult being on the other side of the fence!
nMy little missie was running at the beach on Tues 25/1/11 and suddenly yelped and came towards me dragging her back legs
nThe worst nightmare for any dog owner.
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nI instantly splinted her and carried her from Shelley Beach to Moffats (Caloundra) and drove straight to work at North Coast Veterinary Specialists (NCVS).
nDr Richard Mithchell saw her straight away and we suspected a disc problem in her back.
nAn Xray and Myelogram confirmed this. He diagnosed her with a TYPE 3 disc which is quite rare. This is a high velocity disc extrusion that did not require surgery as there was no disc material to remove or decompression of the spinal cord required.
nI was very happy to see that Missie had sensation to her feet which is a good prognostic factor.
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nSo Physiotherapy was recommended!! And lucky for Missie I have been throwing everything at her.
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nShe is a star patient (I may be biased) and with the help of pain relief medication, acupuncture daily and Physiotherapy, she is now slowly starting to get some movement back in her legs. I put her in the Underwater treadmill on Day 3 and could see a flicker of movement. Of course this made my day!
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nI always tell owners there are many ups and downs with any rehabilitation and I am now understanding the difficulties of handling a paralysed and incontinent dog at home. Let alone the need for a physio for myself with all the lifting!
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nI am keeping very positive and will keep you updated of her progress on my blog.
nWe expect her to make a good recovery with walking within 4-6 weeks but no more balls at the beach!
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nThanks Missie for being my best patient – I hope to help you get back to full quality of life as soon as possible.
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