Guest 8_Greyt_Greys Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Sand is 10 1/2 . He has no use of his back legs. We have been to the vet and did a week of preds. The vet feels with his age they are not going to come back. We had x-rays done nothing. His one back leg was swollen but it is now down. Sand is our seizure boy . Has low thyroid. He has been on meds 9 yrs. He take phen,potassion bromide and soloxine. He is tryingto get up. 2 weeks ago he could not stand at all. Now if i stand him up he can stand for about 2 min. Can not walk. Is there anything else we can try? this boy is so alive .Still talking to us being his self except for his legs. The thought of letting him go rips my heart out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies_Dad Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 No answers unfortunately, I am just very sorry you and Sand are going through this. I am sure someone on GT will have some good suggestions. Hang in there. Quote Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge. Gus an coinnich sinn a'rithist my boys and little girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Has he seen an orthopedic specialist? I'm so sorry for you and your boy. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carronstar Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 No advice, just lots of good thoughts and prayers. Gentle cuddles for Sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlueCrab Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I would vote for a visit to an ortho, too, and take a good long look at the spine and perhaps up to the neck if you find nothing in the spine. We had a GSD who showed some rear leg dragging as he advanced in age, but nothing major until he lost complete use of the rear legs rather suddenly. An MRI showed a congenital defect in the spinal column that had essentially collapsed a couple vertebra onto the spinal cord, pinching it off. We had to open him up and essentially clean out the matter that had collapsed and caused the pinching. It was a rough couple days of recovery, but once we were on our way back, he was 90% improved. Absent the MRI and ortho visit, our vet had always "assumed" that it was age related or the early phases of hip dysplasia (this was a GSD, after all). But we needed the MRI and ortho to figure it all out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greybookends Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 OH Belinda I am so sorry. I will say a prayer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandysMom Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 No advice, just prayers for Sand. Quote Beverly. Missing my happy toy-flinging boy Sammy (Where's Mandrill), (8/12/2009-9/30-2021) Desperately missing my angel Mandy (BB's Luv) [7/1/2000 - 9/18/2012]. Always missing Meg the Dalmatian and Ralph Malph the Pekeapoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 8_Greyt_Greys Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 He has been to an ortha vet. X-rays show nothing in legs or back. Right now i lift him with a towel. get him on legs and then he can stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kelli123 Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I'm so sorry this has happened. Its so hard i went through this with my 11yr old boy it was unexpected and quick. one day he was fine the next day could not walk. The vet could not find any problems xrays xrays meds pain pills with no avail . We carried him like you say you are to use the bathroom and i would also pic up his rear legs and like wheel barrow him around on his front legs, witch where fine and strong. I still till this day do not know why this happened to him and it was not fair and i so wish we could have found out why this happened. I beat myself up constantly about him and wish i could have fixed him. I so hope you can find a reason and find help for him. I will pray for him and you. I so wish i could help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Might want to contact Dr Couto or crew at Ohio State. You could also send the films to have them reviewed. Pretty sure Dr Couto is out of town right now but, the other Drs there will be able to help. Your hound may have had a thrombo event (clot)--Dr Couto treats that with aspirin. Please consider contacting them before you consider letting him go. Might want to contact joejoesmom for OSU contact infor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Sending gentle hugs to all. Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 No advice, just lots of hugs for you and your boy. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyt2love Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 I have nothing to add that might help, just prayers coming to you and your boy. I'm so sorry this is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TeddysMom Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Could you use a doggy wheelchair for him? They usually get around very well in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevdog Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 I'm sorry to hear this..I agree, send them to OSU. I know he's one of your special boys..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joejoesmom Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Might want to contact Dr Couto or crew at Ohio State. You could also send the films to have them reviewed. Pretty sure Dr Couto is out of town right now but, the other Drs there will be able to help. Your hound may have had a thrombo event (clot)--Dr Couto treats that with aspirin. Please consider contacting them before you consider letting him go. Might want to contact joejoesmom for OSU contact infor. Indeed, Dr. Couto is out of the country until October 5. But I'm sure someone else in his team could help you. Here is all of the contact information: Here is info on how to contact Dr. Couto and his team. The email or phone consult is free, however a few people have been told they must sign up for the website ($50) and submit the request that way. Dr. Couto tells me that this is not true. However, if you are a member of their website, please submit your request that way because it will automate things and make record keeping for them easier. Certain chemo drugs are free; you would need to pay to have them administered. Greyhound Health and Wellness Program Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine 601 Vernon Tharp Street Columbus, Ohio 43210 Phone: (614) 247-6757 or (614) 247-8490 Email: greyosu@osu.edu Website: http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/GHWP.htm (registration and fee now required to get full access to this site) This email goes to the team. If Dr. Couto is traveling, you may get a quicker answer from one of his team members. Drs. Marin and Zaldivar typically respond to greyhound owners. The consult is free but if you can afford to support the program please do so. You can sign up for full access to the website ($99 per calendar year) or donate through the giving page on the website. If you decide to donate, you can double your money by giving through the Greyhound Project. Just go to this website and scroll down to the appropriate donation button: http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/donate.shtml. They will match the funds that you donate. The Team: Dr. Couto, Department Head, Greyhound Medicine, Oncology and Hematology Dr. Lili Marin, Greyhound Health and Oncology Dr. Sara Zaldivar, Greyhound Health and Oncology Dr. William Kisselberth, Oncology Dr. Cheryl London, Oncology Dr. Cristina Iazbik, Blood Bank Director and Hematologist Dr. Bridget Urie, Oncology Resident Dr. Matt Sherger, Oncology Resident Dr. Joelle Fenger, Oncology Resident Dr. Roberta Portela, Oncology Resident Dawn Hudson, Vet Tech Ashley DeFelice, Vet Tech Stacey Gallant, Vet Tech Drs Marin and Zaldivar are originally from Spanish speaking countries. If you have trouble understanding them over the phone, you might ask for one of the other vets or vet techs to “translate”. Dr. Couto's direct email is: couto.1@osu.edu His phone number is also 614-247-6757. If he is in town, he typically returns emails in the early hours of the morning. You should know that (in my humble opinion) they need more staff. Unfortunately finances do not permit it at this time. They do 20 to 30 greyhound consults a day along with all of their "in canine" patients. Depending on their workload there may be a wait for the consultation. If you are contacting them on an emergency basis, please let them know. If you want to make an appointment to be seen in person/canine, you can call the main number to set up a date/time. The main number for the veterinary hospital is 614-292-3551. If you decide to visit OSU please contact me. I may be able to put you up in a local home, provide moral support, or just help with logistics: Finewhipador-drool@yahoo.com Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vahoundlover Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Boss lost the use of his backend due to a bulged disc. My vet would use something like a Tins (sp?) unit and work his back legs for him daily. She said his back end didn't receive the messages from the brain so we had to reteach him. After 2 weeks at the vet we brought him home and started acupuncture and herbs, holy cow, what a huge difference! I can't remember for sure but I think we did treatments a couple times a week then weekly then every other and so forth. He wore an assistance harness 24/7 and never completely recovered but he lived two years happy and able to enjoy his walks and car rides while his admirers doted on him. Sending Sand lots of good thoughts and prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MP_the4pack Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Could you use a doggy wheelchair for him? They usually get around very well in them. I was just going to suggest this too. (after he gets checked by an ortho) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlueCrab Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 one other thought - aren't there things that don't show up on X-rays but do show up on MRIs and CAT scans? I mean, I don't know much about medicine, but I know with people the different tests show different things. Perhaps whatever's effecting him won't show up on an x-ray, so the ones you have don't show anything. I know it means more money, but if an MRI or CAT hasn't been done, can one be done? (I was the earlier poster with the GSD - the only way we found his problem was MRI - didn't show up on x-rays if I remember back all those years). So sorry it's happened...prayers for your boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 (edited) Someone mentioned acupuncture and it has kept our 9-1/2 year old going strong the last two years with lumbosacral stenosis. For your dog at this point I think I'd go with the MRI and then see where you stand. It sounds like a disk or a nerve problem. I'm so sorry this is happening, but it may not be at all hopeless! Ten and a half is not really old for a greyhound. Edited September 29, 2010 by greyhead Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kelli123 Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Just checking up on you and Sand? How is every thing today? I cant stop thinking of you. As i had mentioned we have been through this also. I hope things are a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyKarma Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Sometimes Postassium Bromide (KBR) can cause hind end weakness. Have they checked his levels? When my friends' Shepherd was on it her rear end was very very weak. Quote CAROL & Molleigh (Queen Molly)My Angel Girl (Slippy's Molly) ~ Thank you for sending me your namesake ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jerrybird Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I'm sorry that you and Sand are experiencing this. My old guy, 11 years and 95 lbs. had the same problem. We carried him up and down stairs in a sling for almost 10 months. We had to let him go after my husbands back gave out from slipping on icy stairs during what we called 'the lift'. So, take care of your own back and we wish you good luck with Sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 8_Greyt_Greys Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 UPDATE: Sand is getting some use of his legs back . I massage them a couple times a day . We walk him with a towl. We have an appt. for accupuncture Tuesday. She works at our vets so she has looked at his x rays and knows his history. Sands Pottasium bromide levels are good. He has been on this for 8yrs. Please keep him in your prayers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meandmy Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 So glad to hear that things are improving! I hope they continue that way. Best wishes to you and Sand Quote Jenn, missing Shadow (Wickford Big Tom), Pretty Girl (C's Pretty) and Tori (Santoria) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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