Spinal Surgery

Bless his heart.  I have not been through this but you have come to the right place.  Just wanted to say welcome and I am sending good healing vibes his way and ((hugs)) for his human!

I groom a Shih Tzu that blew a disc, years ago. He has recovered extremely well, but it was a bit of a long haul, for him. I think that is a very individual thing. When he was incontinent, they gated him in the kitchen, so they could just clean up after him, and he got a bath, every evening. Not ideal, but it worked, for him.

I don't know, for sure. I only see him every 8 weeks. It took time for all of his faculties to come back, and he'll never be 100%, but he's great, now. He goes for walks, every day, wags his tail like crazy, and is basically a normal dog. He slips on tile floors, and has uneven wear on his toenails from slightly dragging one of his back feet. That's the extent of his special needs, now. When I met him, he couldn't stand, at all, and he was progressively better with each appointment.

Try this site: http://www.dodgerslist.com/.  You are definitely not alone in dealing with this problem!!

Here is their forum:  http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dodgerslist/

Also see this site for products that could help:  http://handicappedpets.com/www/index.php

Don't do yourself a disservice asking that -- EVERY dog would be individual.  It all depends on what type of damage, how he heals, etc.

If I can suggest one thing to you -- look at http://www.tcvm.com -- there's a locator on the left.  It's a qualifying agency for acupuncture for dogs, horses, etc.  Not saying to leave your vet -- ADD acupuncture.

It is incredible for aiding healing in this type of case.  You may want to have your vet contact Dr. Roger Clemmons at the University of Florida Vet School in Gainesville -- Dr. Clemmons is the head neurosurgeon at UF and HE uses and teaches acupuncture AT the vet school.  He uses it extensively in his practice at the school with neurosurgery and all sorts of stuff. 

In particular acupuncture helps "healing" take place in cases like this -- it will really help give your dog THE best shot he has and it will minimize the problems.

OKAY, PERSONALLY I HAVE NEVER BEEN THRU THIS WITH ANY OF MY DOGS....BUT.I CAN TELL YOU OF ANOTHER DOXIE WHOSE SITUATION SOUNDES JUST LIKE YOUR'S.

BACK IN OCT. 2003 MY BELOVED GOLDEN RETRIEVER, HUNTER, WAS IN ICU WITH AIHA DUE TO PROHEART6 INJECTION.  BECAUSE MY ET AND I ARE GOOD FRIENDS I WAS ALOOWED TO COME AND SPEND TIME WITH HUNTER ANY TIME I WANTED TO.   I WENT 3 TIMES A DAY.

AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A DOXIE IN ICU BEINGT BORDED WHILE HER "PARENTS" WERE ON VACATION.  HER NAME WAS DAISY MAE AND SHE PARALIZED IN HER REAR LEGS DUE TO SPINAL SURGERY.  SHE POOPED, BUT THE TECHS HAD TO HELP HER PEE.  BUT SHE WAS A VERY HAPPY DOG AND I ALWAYS WENT AND PETTED ON HER AND TALKED TO HER SOME.   

HER SURGERY HAD BEEN DONE A COULE OF MONTHS BEFORE AND I HAD THE IMPRESSION SHE WOULD NEVER USE HER BACK LEGS AGAIN.  HOWEBERT,  I LEARNED SOME TIME LATER THAT SHE DID REGAIN THE USE OF HER LEGS.  I ALSO READ OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO MALE DOXIE ON ANOTHR FORUM.  SO DO NOT GIVE UP HOPE.

You don't have a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room you can gate him in? I usually crate my dogs when I'm gone, but in the case of a pet that can't hold it, I will gate them in a small, safe, non carpeted room. If you don't have such a space available, an ex pen with a bottom, or giant crate should be ok for him.

Ex pens are 4' by 4'. If you can put it on tile, great. If not, tarps are mighty handy. Tarps with washable pee pee pads, or the pads meant for human beds (pee pee pads have attractant, you just want to absorb, not encourage, unless he's used to pee pee pads).