Rfalconcam Forum

My almost-puppy (best friend's 12 1/2 year-old dog) had a stroke Tuesday morning. She is improving, but she is unable to walk, and can only barely stand at the moment. Whoever had her as a puppy 'taught' her that she was not allowed to eliminate in or near the house, so she has been holding it (bless her poor bladder and bowels!). At 70 lbs, she is quite a bit to move, but we have been carrying her out to her designated area so she can go. This works great when there are two people, but that's not always possible.

Has anyone heard of anything to help move a dog of this size to make it possible for those not as physically strong to help? There are about 3 steps that need to be negotiated, and then about 100 ft to the edge of the field...

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

I should probably add that there is no sidewalk or driveway to move her across - it's out in the country quite a ways from 'civilization', so anyone moving her would be coming off the porch and directly through the grass, which is not of your rolled, even lawn variety. Due to all the recent rain is still quite wet, with more rain in the forecast...

Fortunately, she's trying to move on her own... unfortunately, a wheelbarrow is too unstable for her when she is trying to be active...

Janet, thanks so much for the suggestions! I'm trying to think of somewhere local to him where he might find something with big enough wheels to keep from getting stuck...

I'm west of Rochester, so I'm not as familiar with possible sources. Suggestions for 30-60 miles south of Rochester?

Lowes has this. You might also find it or something similar at a local Ace Hardware.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_37909-302-BWB6_0__?productId=3265505&Ntt=garden+cart&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dgarden%2Bcart (http://www.lowes.com/pd_37909-302-BWB6_0__?productId=3265505&Ntt=garden+cart&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dgarden%2Bcart)

It is possibly that her weight is keeping her from standing & walking.  She seems to have the desire to "help".
I suggest you make a sling from a beach towel or bed sheet to hoist up her middle. leaving her legs free
to "walk".  If a person "carried " her weight with the sling, she might be able to get outside to take care
of business.  Lucky you.... she is a female and the sling won't get in the way of her relieving herself.
Your best bet is to help her move, at 70 pounds, it will be unlikely anyone could lift her to put her in  a
wagon, wheelbarrow, etc.  Good luck.

http://www.vetrxdirect.com/product/view/supportrx (http://www.vetrxdirect.com/product/view/supportrx)

It looks like she needs size XXL.

Has the vet made a firm stoke diagnosis (rare in dogs) or could this be the more common vestibular syndrome?

http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-canine-vestibular-syndrome-a51752 (http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-canine-vestibular-syndrome-a51752)

If the latter, symptoms will likely improve soon, so permanent ramps and aids may be unnecessary.  Our 13 year old chow mix, Molly, had an initial vestibular episode about a year ago with many symptoms commonly associated with stroke.  Our vet diagnosed vestibular syndrome of the idiopathic variety (as he put it, "We (Vets) are idiots and don't know what causes it!")  Thankfully, she never lost bladder or bowel control, and at her 50 pound weight, I was able to carry her outside when she needed to go.  She was pretty much back to normal within a week or so, with just a slight hitch in her gate.  A couple of months later, she had another episode and, again, in a week or so, she recovered most of her physical strength.  This second go-around left her with some permanent disabilities (a little trouble negotiating steps and doorways, loosing footing and falling at times, especially on tile floors) - we sometimes lovingly refer to her as "Drunk Girl" (think Saturday Night Live).  Though her pace has slowed, she's still the same Molly we've known and loved for years - wanting to raid the cat litter box (eeew!), exploring the yard and garden, meeting and greeting visitors, but still protective of her home.  Your 70 pound guy will be tougher to deal with but, hopefully, it will be a short term situation with more improvement coming each day.             

I used a big bath towel and put it under my dog when his legs gave out. He was about the same weight. It helped him walk on his own without putting his weight on his legs. It really does work. Just fold it a few times for strength. So sorry and good luck. I know! A sheet will work also.

Gosh, this brings back memories of my sweet Harley.  Thankfully a good friend of mine helped me with him.  Is there a rehab center where you live?  Here in Rochester, there is water therapy and chiropractors (for dogs) who have worked wonders after strokes.

We did the towel thing with great success when one of our dogs had knee surgery on both of her back legs. :dogwag:

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions! I had encouraging news that today she got up and wobbled about 8 feet, trying to follow my friend back to work, which is her normal routine. Although she could not go, she continues to improve bits at a time.

I have passed along the information you all provided... canine vestibular syndrome sounds like a good possibility, so he will be discussing it with his vet, as she does have a history of pesky ear infections.

She was directing me to massage around her head and ears most of Tuesday night, instead of her usually-preferred butt scratch (base of the tail)...  it is truly amazing how animals can communicate their needs if we pay attention.

I was a bit hesitant to post, as she is not technically my pet (I have always called her my almost-puppy), but I am truly thankful I did, as you all have more than met my hoped-for expectations!

Thank you, and best wishes to all!
ezsha

Good to hear on her improvement and hope it continues!  Keep us posted!

Thank you again for your suggestions. It does appear to be canine vestibular syndrome, and so the prognosis is much less scary than originally feared. A quick update:

My almost-puppy is still improving, albeit slowly. She is capable of walking a very short distance on her own, but the rain has made outside difficult because she travels like a drunken soldier. The outside steps are too slippery, so she gets picked up for those. Other than that, she navigates on her own, and rests often. Today she found a space under a bush to hang out, to enjoy the cool air while staying dry. Her head tilt is mostly gone, and she appears much more comfortable now.

She still is eating very little, but she drinks like a fish, so we aren't too concerned, as she has some reserves.

She has yet to bark or talk, but rapid head movements and loud sounds make things worse. (She shook her head and couldn't stay on her feet, so it makes sense that she doesn't want to give herself a disabling headache by barking.)

All in all, things look much better from this end of the week!

Thank you again!
ezsha

Ahhh poor girl, I feel bad for her. Hope for more improvements. Thanks for the update.

 goodnews: Glad she's doing better. :thumbsup:

Glad to hear of the improvement.  Molly had the same appetite problem during recovery - we think crunching her dry kibble caused more dizziness and distress.  We put her first on stewed chicken and then moved her to a good quality canned dog food until she regained interest in kibble.  If you go the chicken route, make sure you get the minimally processed, no added salt kind - sodium 80mg or less per serving.  Most supermarket chicken is injected with salt to enhance flavor and is hard on a pet's system.  Strip the skin, cut up, crock pot with plenty of water for a few hours, cool, then pull meat from bones.  Save the broth, skim the fat after chilling, dilute with water, and give as a good source of fluid if water intake is down.     

Further update on my almost-puppy:

Got to stay with her during the Tree Peony Festival, and she has had some downs and ups. She was doing considerably better, until, due to her excessively thick triple coat, the very wet weather, and her difficulties moving because of the vestibular symptoms and her age, she acquired a nasty infestation of creepy-crawlies...YUCK!

As a result, she is now shaved quite a bit, has been on additional meds, but has made leaps and bounds, and is now 'back to work' when the weather isn't too hot... and ravenously hungry, which will continue until she is done with the steroids.

She is back to talking, and whining, and looking for water in the ditch to wade in (which is what we thought she had done until she stopped eating again... poor girl.) All in all, things look bright. The bonus is she's a lot cooler than she would have been, and she's pretty intelligent about staying out of the sun, so she's not getting sunburned. Also, we found out she's part llama, which explains why she has never liked being brushed...

It's pretty neat to be able post a question about a scary moment in life, and have a community of people I've never met rush to help, comfort and educate me, and make a dog's life so much better!

It doesn't seem adequate, but thank you all again!
ezsha