Paralyzed Pet Nursing Care
If your pet is recovering from a serious back injury, you have an important responsibility to see to the needs of your pet during the convalescent period. Please remember that your pet may be painful or guarded during certain activities (despite the pain medications prescribed) and may act unexpectedly. Be careful and if you are concerned contact our office for advice on safe handling of your pet during recovery. The following instructions for home care will aid in recovery.
Your pet should be confined for the next 4- 6 weeks. A small cage or playpen (turned upside down if necessary) will suffice. This area should be kept clean and well padded. Clean blankets over a foam rubber pad, water bed, or air mattress may be used. Daily bathing may be required to keep skin dry and free of urine and feces. Please do not submerge any skin incisions under water until after suture removal. Baby wipes can be used to gently clean areas around the incision.
In handling your pet, care should be taken not to bend the back. This can be avoided by putting one hand between the back legs and one hand on the chest between the front legs (for small dogs) or one hand just in front of the back legs and one hand just on front of the front legs (for larger dogs).
It is important that your pet void (urinate) at least 1-2 times a day. There is a potential of permanent bladder damage and an increased risk of an infection of the bladder if large amounts of urine are allowed to accumulate. Your pet may not be able to do urinate on its own. If your pet cannot urinate voluntarily you will need to express the bladder at least three to four times daily. To accomplish this, apply gentle pressure with both hands on the abdomen with the dog in a standing position. You should have this demonstrated to you before you leave the hospital. If your dog is urinating, it is not necessary to do this. The ability to urinate usually returns before limb function. A good indicator that your pet is urinating voluntarily is if they are dry and then have a large amount of urine. If they are dripping urine continuously they most likely cannot urinate voluntarily and have an overfull bladder.
Range of motion exercises to all the joints of the paralyzed limbs should be performed three times a day, 25 repetitions to each leg. This entails slow, full flexion and extension of each joint in each limb. Once your pet is strong enough to support some weight with the rear legs, you can increase the muscles’ strength by encouraging standing for several minutes and helping to maintain balance during this exercise.
In some cases, recovery will be hastened by swimming 20- 30 minutes daily. A bathtub full of lukewarm water, deep enough so your pet’s toes cannot touch bottom, is adequate. For larger dogs, a swimming pool or lake may be used. Please always directly monitor your pet while swimming as they are not as strong as normal. Do not begin this activity unless directed by your doctor.
After the 4- 6 week initial confinement period, towel slinging your dog may aid in physical therapy of the hind limbs and stimulate the pet to urinate (if not already walking). With the dog in a standing position, place a sling (if you do not have a sling you can make one out of a folded towel, sheet, or plastic garbage bag) in front of the hind legs under the abdomen. With the toes barely touching the ground, walk the dog around for 10- 15 minutes 2- 3 times daily.
Some cases may require longer to recover than others. This depends on the severity of the back injury. For these cases, a cart may be used to aid your dog during the recovery period. Your doctor will discuss this option with you if your pet may benefit from a cart. Generally carts are not used for most patients unless recovery is very prolonged or the injury is so severe that significant leg strength is not expected.
If you notice any problems, such as blood in the urine or bowel movement, problems with the suture line, depression, vomiting, loss of appetite, etc, please call the hospital at (541) 726-1100.
