Old injury?

Question

Our two year old Chiualua was paralyzed back in Februaury of this year. We nursed him back to health and he was fine. He bagan walking and playing as normal. The vet. said it was probably just swelling causing the temporary paralasis, we counted our blessings and moved on. Until yesterday when all of a sudden he couldn't walk again. When we put him in water he can stand and move his legs and when we touch them we can tell he feels them. However he just drags his legs behind him just like he did during the initial injury. We were with him when the problem began and did not see anything happen to cause it. The weather is getting colder here so at first we wonderd if the injury could have caused arthritis. The not walking part scares us. Tail still wags, nose is still wet and he responds to sound and touch so we see no other underlying problem. Please if any one knows what might be the problem and what we can do it would be greatly be appreciated.

Answer 1

I recently had a similar situation. I tracked two dogs, Newfoundland mixes. When I got the one she was partially paralyzed. I brought her to the vet and vet wanted to euthanize her. I fought with the vet and suggested instead a cortisone injection and cortisone tabs to take with me. This vet never even offered me anything. Within 6 hours or so the dog began to move. I was pretty upset with this vet who argued with me in front of the whole clinic telling me this dog would never walk again. We actually had it out.. I didn't take the dog back to her but I did take her to a small animal teaching University where they diagnosed her as having a spinal ebolism. Like a blood clot in the spinal cord. Not at all that uncommon.
You can opt for an MRI to determine the cause of your dogs problem.
In my dog between the spinal ebolism and the fact that she had been running for so long, so hard and starved all of this contributed to the swelling which caused the nerve to be pinched creating the temporary paralysis.
The whole time her tail was moving a little and their was a hint of movement in her legs and feeling in her back and hind end but she still couldn't walk. She ate and drank. Although this stray had been traveling for weeks and she was weak and emaciated.
There could be several other reasons for the paralysis, too many to list here. You really need to see a neurologist. I would search in a small animal teaching universities or specialty vet hosipitals.
I hope my story gave you some light. Moral to this story is some vets are great and some are not. Don't always trust that the vet knows more than you or what is best for your animal. Ask questions, hang on to hope and if in doubt always get a second opinion.. Take your dog to a neurologist.
I won't bore with another story. But my brother's dog also had a temporary paralysis, also corrected over time.
PS my stray, now my dog has been with us for over 2 months now and she is almost 100%. I feel great because this dog is only about 1 year old and she has her whole life ahead of her because I argued with the vet. Good luck and God Bless...

Answer 2

Although this has already been said the vet should have had a more definitive answer than 'probably', or maybe he couldn't answer you properly because you didn't take the dog to the vet while it was paralysed. If so shame on you and you should give your dog up to a loving home, if that's not the case sorry for the attack. If the vet checked the dog out while it was paralysed and couldn't supply you with an answer go to another vet or an animal hospital.

Answer 3

You REALLY need to take this dog to a vet!

This is potentially far too complex a problem for unqualified strangers on the internet to be able to help with. We can't even see the dog. Dragging hind legs sounds like a lot more than arthritis, it sound like spinal trouble. Bad arthritis usually causes extreme stiffness in the limbs.

So we can't know what the problem is, but we can know the solution - vets!

Chalice

Answer 4

There could be some nerves to his legs being pinched, maybe a hip problem.

Your vet should've done more diagnosis back then to get to the bottom of it other than to say 'probably just swelling...' So if that's all s/he did, I'd recommend finding another vet. It's not common for a dog to experience that so there should've been some tests.

But you should get him to a vet for testing. I'd expect them to at least do some blood work and an XRay. If they don't do that, find another vet.

Answer 5

Take him to a veterinarian neurologist. The best one (Dr. Berry) is here in Southern California, but if you don't live here you can probably call them and get a reference. The tail wagging is a good sign that his back is not injured.

Answer 6

I don't no if dogs can get this but it could be a staff infection. You should take your dog to the vet and if it is something cerious like a staff infection then he would need surgury!
My older brother got a staff infection and he needed surgery on his leg. He is fine now tho!

Hope i helped,

Gabby!
e-mail address [e-mail] e-mail me if anything happens! :(

Answer 7

confident, there are 3 forms of arthritis: Rheumatoid it somewhat is led to via a malfunctioning immune gadget, Osteo it somewhat is placed on and tear or age and stressful it somewhat is the effect of harm.

Answer 8

you needto take your pet to different vet and have ax.ray on his back and legs there is really something wrong

Answer 9

tave him to a vet