I wouldn’t be too quick to assume that the dog has not been given corticosteroids, simply because he is not currently on them.
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As a vet tech who worked with a vet who did acupuncture in addition to meds/surgery, I second this. Acupuncture seems to make a difference in cases like this. It won’t cause any issues and may well help.
We had one client whose daughter suffered a traumatic spinal injury who got acupuncture started very soon (within 48 hours?) of the injury and she regained more function than the docs originally expected. The family sought out the acupuncture for her based on their experience getting acupuncture for their dogs.
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I’ve used acupuncture with good results as well. We have an appointment Friday and I’ll ask. Doc did reiterate this is a two or three month haul. He’s not a cart dog, but I’m thinking of getting one for him for the next few months.
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I think the minor tail wag and toe movement are very encouraging signs. I would take that as a positive that things can improve with time and healing.
Besides the stroke victim cat that I rehabbed back to walking and getting around on her own,
I also took care of a human stroke victim family member. I incorporated daily strengthening exercises, excellent diet and vitamins and read volumes about “neuroplasticity” and re-teaching the body and mind to function again. Many of the nerves can re-generate in the body and brain.
Many Jingles for your boy.
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Please try and forgive yourself. Accidents happen.
I ran over one of my dogs when she laid under the truck ( unknown to me) when I was unloading shavings.
It felt like I went over a huge bump and as I thought " what the ???" My dog ran off screaming for who knows where. I have never felt that awful, but she came back the next day and lived many more healthy years.
I pray your dog will recover and the tail and leg movements are encouraging.
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Just a little update: It’s been a month. He’s regained bladder and bowel control, which is huge, since we can now sleep through the night. We’ve got the sling figured out. He can balance for a few seconds when I have him up and put his hind feet in position. He’s back on regular food. He’s started licking his back legs.
We’ve done two acupuncture sessions. During the first he almost slept through it, napped when we got home, but then was restless during the night. Yesterday during his session, he was more animated, one of the needles really vibrated at one point, and he slept soundly all night.
We’re doing strengthening exercises every couple hours in the daytime, I routinely move his legs to simulate walking while he’s lying down, and my vet wants me to start helping him actually “walk” his back legs when he’s up. That’s a two-person job, and I have a friend lined up to help.
He stretches his back legs when he stretches his whole body. Today I’m going to let him roll on his back as much as he chooses when his little buddies visit to give him tummy rugs.
We’ve gotten some great snow and he loves to be out in it. When it’s not too cold, I set him on a pad and he watches me clean the barn or shovel or haul wood. His attitude seems great.
@QuestionMark, do you know the time-line with your friend’s dog?
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Oh this is terrific news.
What the vet suggested is what I did with our stroke victim, paralyzed momma cat.
I know it’s much easier with a small cat but nevertheless, once we did the fake walking while on a
towel sling, our brain damaged cat started operating her legs on her own.
After some time, she was strong enough to actually walk on her own, albeit very cautiously.
She was capable of doing her business outside on her own also.
sounds like you’re on a great forward path and I’ll send some more jingles your way.
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Excellent update! Keep up the good work!
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So glad he is making progress!
I think timeline for my friends’ dog was between one and two months. Possible factors are that he was much younger and I know they didn’t do acupuncture.
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Great news
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It sounds like he’s making progress, that’s great!
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My pit mix had 2 bouts of coonhound paralysis. It’s an autoimmune reaction to raccoon saliva that affects the neurological system and causes paralysis. The first time he was paralyzed basically from the neck down. He was on prednisone. He made a full recovery but it was about 6 months before he was back to normal. These things take time. Sounds like your pup is going to recover, just be patient. Even after he’s feeling better and moving on his own, restrict exercise to leashed walks, no running or jumping for 6 months. I recommend Dodger’s List, a Facebook group. It’s primarily for dogs with ivdd but it has lots of tips for paralyzed dogs.
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So happy he is making progress!
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Glad to hear good news! Still jingling.
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That’s fantastic news!
I commend you for your love and dedication for your dog.
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I’m glad to hear there’s progress! Do you think swim therapy would help? It seems like it could get him to use and strengthen his legs without having to carry weight.
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Wonderful news ! Jingling like crazy for a continued and full recovery.
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He LOVES to swim and as soon as the ice is off our closest lake (well, when things warm up a bit more than that), we’ll be in it. In the meantime, can’t think of any place warm enough that will let him swim.
Yesterday my little buddies helped me “walk” him; the youngest kept him from moving too quickly, the older one held the sling, and I moved his legs. We all did a fantastic job, him included.
Sitting next to him right now as he dreams and flails his back legs. 
I’ve had dreams that he starts walking and they’ve occasionally been so vivid that it’s been disorienting to wake and find him not able yet.
After reading the FB group IVDD I’ve ordered a cold laser therapy light. I remember when there was someone in town promoting it for horses. My equine vet was supportive of it.
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1st - HUGS from a fellow “rolling a dog under the car”.
I did that a few years ago to my flatmate’s labrador except I had to drive the car off him. I dont know how I lifted that 40kg dog off the ground and into my 4WD. Got to the vet, he climbed out of the car and staggered into the clinic. Which shocked everyone 'cause you could see the tyre mark on him. He had bruised his lungs, liver and kidneys… and we found out that he had serious arthritis … got to love a stoic labrador. He spent 4 days in the clinic just so they could monitor the bruising as it could have caused complications. It didnt.
We found laser therapy helped immensely in his recovery. We reckoned it cut it down by 50% - very unscientific. And it is backed up by science! The laser warms the water in the cells which encourages the mitrochondria to generate more healing stuff. (My terrible interpretation of a Nature magazine article.)
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I just bought a hand-held cold laser therapy light and I’ve used it every day since. What was the damage to your dog? Was he paralyzed? What kind of timeline did you have?
