Update: lame leg iin lurcher

[Karinka200]

Good day...

First of all, thanks for the "well wishes" and concerns....Sorry, it has taken so long to update, but it has been a "long couple of days."

We were advised to take our lurcher to an Animal Referral Center nearly 2 hours away last Friday so she could be evaluated by a spinal surgeon. The following Monday, we had to return for an MRI. The MRI indicated no tumors on the spine but disk damage was suspected. Surgery was scheduled for Wednesday. A "dorsal laminectomy" was performed. This revealed that a disk was protruding and putting pressure on the nerve roots. The offending disk was removed (essentially a part of her spine has been removed). She stayed overnight and we brought her home on Thursday.

She was clearly distressed the entire night, despite a fentanyl patch, tramadol, and miloxicam for pain. She wouldn't eat, drink, or urinate. So, on Friday, we were back at the Emergency clinic for evaluation. The attending vet increased her pain meds and expressed her bladder.

So, here we are....she is eating and drinking now...small amounts, but at least she is eating. She is able to get up, but the lame leg is still lame. The vet is concerned there may have been too much nerve damage for her to ever completey recover. He is optimistic that she should gain at least some movement. I'm not as optimistic. The leg just drags and gets all tangled up. The vet said it could take weeks for us to see any results. In the meantime, I have to do physical therapy on her 5 times a day. While I think she may recover some upper leg movement, everything below the knee seems "dead".

So between her spinal surgery and my broken pelvis....we are quite a pair. We are even both going through physical therapy! I have a feeling it is going to be a very long summer......

Will keep you posted on her recovery.....
Karinka

[BostonRott]

The lame leg may not fully recover, but it will also take a good long time to recover whatever function it is going to regain.

George had an entrapped radial nerve after improper healing of a fractured elbow 2 years ago. He had resultant lack of movement in several fingers. The surgeon told him that after the nerve was released (via surgery and a lovely frankensteinian scar running up the inside of his arm!), that nerves regain ability at approximately 1/2 to 1" per month. So if the nerve that is affected is 6" long, you could be looking at 6-12mos for it to regain function.

Hopefully he will regain use, I wish you both a speedy recovery!

[Karinka200]

Thanks for your reply and the info. BostonRott. I had no idea nerves take THAT long to recover. The vet said several weeks, but I never thought in the terms of months. Knowing that now, I can relax a little. It just seemed that she was no better after surgery than before. And of course, I am going through all of the "did we do the right thing?" ordeal.

Thanks again....