Spinal op Mums

[Sheryl]

I have a couple of things I want to ask....(compare).  I noticed that mention was made of skin flaking.  Lyla has this quite bad on her back.  Not just on the op site but also where the dressing was and beyond.  Is it the same for your dogs?  The other thing I wanted to ask was about the way they walk.  Lyla isn't knuckling anymore but she does seem to keep one of her back pads less flat on the floor.  She also walks with a really defined sway.  I am hoping that both of these things start to even out when she starts getting stronger in the legs but I would feel a whole lot better if I knew it was normal at this stage

[coopersmum]

Hi there,

My Cooper had a spinal op and he definitely had a lot of flaky skin both around the incision site as well as the area around it.  I'm guessing it's from being clipped for the op and then the dressings they use.  His cleared up quite quickly, within a few weeks if I remember correctly.  The disc he had removed was the L7 S1 disc which is right at the bottom of their backs near the pelvis.  He wasn't knuckling over or swaying before the op ( just had pain) so I cant really offer any personal advice on that aspect, except what I know as a vet student (still a couple of years to go) and also what I was told by the physiotherapist who did some hydrotherapy with him.

She told me that recovery for some dogs who have spinal ops is measured in months not days and weeks and to take comfort in the fact that if there is some (even slight) improvement every week then you are on the right track. I know how scary it is, watching every little thing they do, hoping and praying for some sign that they will get back to the normal, active, happy dogs they were.  I think it's a really good sign that she is not knuckling over anymore( it means her proprioception is returning)   and as her muscles regain their strength i'm sure the swaying will improve.  Good luck with her recovery, you are in Cooper's and my thoughts and I'm sure she will do just fine

[Sheryl]

Thank you so much for that.  I am not going to worry too much about the flaking then.  I do worry about the swaying, rolling gait she has but I suppose it is only under a week since she was allowed to come out of her cage for a wander around.  She definitely doesn't knuckle but she does seem to stand with one back foot flat and one almost on tippy toe but only when she stands, not walking.

She has done so well, so quickly that I am almost waiting for something to go wrong!

[minimoo]

 Hi , Kizzys left leg was knuckling over quite alot at first and she did the wobbly swaying , are you doing the physio where you work from the feet upwards and sort of massage her legs to get the blood circulating i found that seemed to help her alot , i did short massages lots of times a day and little walks short and often without tiring her too much , it sounds like Lyla is doing well, it took time but kizzys walking just got stronger and stronger, i think the flaking skin must be from being shaved and will clear up quickly as kiz was exactly the same

[8 Hairy Feet]

Hmm I wonder if the bio-oil
that we might use for scar tissue
would be helpful for dogs too
Can't see that it would be a problem
but then again eventually any
scarring will be hidden under furs.
steffxxx

[Maria n Dennis]

Yes Dennis had the flaky skin around the dressing area but all that's cleared up now.
Dennis actually walks better now than before his second surgery , but does still have a bit of a sway , more if he's standing still. I can't ever imagine Dennis ever walking like a normal dog again , even on his really good days I think you will always be able to tell , I'm just glad that he's walking 

I would say for lyla the sway is perfectly normal at this stage , I think she's doing amazing 

I will try and get some videos of Dennis walking , he had his surgery 8 weeks ago tomorrow.

[catcmartin]

Hi Sheryl I cant remeber whether Charlie had flaky skin after his op was so long ago.  He does still walk with a refined swaying gait.  He always has done since his op 7 years ago.  Having said that the vet is astonished at how strong his back legs are.  We were given what they call Passive Movement exercises to do with him at home 4-6 times per day to strenthen his legs.  I can send them on to you if you would like. 

[jennyspin]

Hi Sheryl, just about to put Jem's update on now as she's been "signed off" by Andrew who did the surgery. 

[Sheryl]

I did have exercises to do with her Cathy. They were fairly simple, move the toes up and down.  Then the paws, then the lower part of the leg and then push the leg right back and then stretch toward you.  Is it something similar you have?

[Maria n Dennis]

I did have exercises to do with her Cathy. They were fairly simple, move the toes up and down.  Then the paws, then the lower part of the leg and then push the leg right back and then stretch toward you.  Is it something similar you have?

Yes we have these exercises along with sit to down then down to sit . Leg lifts etc

[KellyT]

I have a couple of things I want to ask....(compare).  I noticed that mention was made of skin flaking.  Lyla has this quite bad on her back.  Not just on the op site but also where the dressing was and beyond.  Is it the same for your dogs? 

Yes, Jennie has quite sensitive skin, but I thought perhaps it was a combination of shaving + the hibiscrub that they probably used to 'clean up' the site before surgery, and possibly after too.

The other thing I wanted to ask was about the way they walk.  Lyla isn't knuckling anymore but she does seem to keep one of her back pads less flat on the floor.  She also walks with a really defined sway.  I am hoping that both of these things start to even out when she starts getting stronger in the legs but I would feel a whole lot better if I knew it was normal at this stage

Jennie hasn't been paralysed at any point throughout this (which is a miracle in itself!) However, so does do this kinda of wobbly 'penguin' gait at the back, not all the time, but occasionally. 
She also seems to stand with her back feet too close together which makes her sway - it's kinda like she isn't sure where they are  however she doesn't knuckle over, or trip.
We weren't given any exercises to do.

She's been doing cocker 'wall of deaths', spinning jumping circles and snuck all the way up the stairs in the last 2 days ...  so glad she is feeling better, but it's only 12 days since her op  ... struggling to keep her calm and her pain killers have now run out, but back to the vets on Friday to have her stitches out :-/

Hi Sheryl, just about to put Jem's update on now as she's been "signed off" by Andrew who did the surgery. 

That's fab Jenny

All our little cockers are amazing, bionic cockers 

[Sheryl]

Yes!  Lyla has the back feet together stance too.  Then her hip goes off to the opposite side and she usually falls over or plonks her butt down.  I keep her harness on first thing, last thing and when Kali is in the room because they are the times when she is likely to go ape and I have no intention of ending up back at the surgeons!  It is easier to grab her harness and keep her quiet.  She has had a couple of little runs which John says is ok and she has tried twice to jump on the settee which she is most definitely not supposed to be doing ............ but I am getting pretty good at heading her off at the pass now

[catcmartin]

Sheryl I dont know if you have these exercises yet but when Charlie started to get mobile we were told to practice him standing on all four legs, rear legs apart a bit to maintain balance then gently with the palm of our hand on their spine where the back legs meet at their rear just above the tail press down very gently and hold for 2 seconds so they would try and push up with their back legs against you.
Another one is having the dog again standing on all fours gently lift one back leg just a bit bending at the knee, so they are standing on 3 legs this is to strenthen each back leg in turn, hold for only a second to start with and build up over time.  I have to say Charlie was never fond of this one and I got some dirty looks when I did this but although he still has a quite a stagger his back legs are really strong.