Our Dachshund's rear legs are paralyzed almost overnight

something similar happened to my dog recently but with his front legs.
we think that something fell on his back beetween the front legs. we brought him to the vet and he also gave him ´steroids´ and he was ok in a few days.
he might be very calm after that but he will start running in no time.

sorry if im too late :(

My moms dog had that and vet said it was a stroke

Get to a veterinary teaching hospital asap.

It's called "Dackellähme" in German.
Typical health problem with this breed.
[link to en.wikipedia.org]
The breed is known to have spinal problems, especially intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), due in part to an extremely long spinal column and short rib cage. The risk of injury may be worsened by obesity, jumping, rough handling, or intense exercise, which place greater strain on the vertebrae.

Treatment consists of combinations of crate confinement and courses of anti-inflammatory medications (steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like carprofen and meloxicam), or chronic pain medications, like tramadol. Serious cases may require surgery to remove the troublesome disk contents. A dog may need the aid of a cart to get around if paralysis occurs.

A new minimally invasive procedure called "percutaneous laser disk ablation" has been developed at the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Hospital. Originally, the procedure was used in clinical trials only on dachshunds that had suffered previous back incidents. Since dachshunds are prone to back issues, the goal is to expand this treatment to dogs in a normal population.
[link to en.wikipedia.org]

Anonymous Coward, YOU ARE AN ASS! There are special places for people like you. I rank you right up there with my exhusband, you should meet him, you would be great friends! An please go listen to that song "Were you born an asshole" because I think he must have written that song just for you. lol

To FoJ - I came here becasuse I saw your question. My dog is doing the same thing now. I didn't know all the things that dachsunds are prone to. I took the dogs in because my now ex was abusing them. I am so sorry u had to put your dog down. I hope we don't end up with the same results. My prayers go out to u.

OP, I've only read your first post. This happened to my dog. Our vet sent us to another vet, a specialist. It was a slipped/ruptured disc. Immediate surgery is critical.

Maybe you shouldn't say that, since it's wrong. Tick paralysis starts at the back legs, but spreads and paralyses the whole animal. Once the lungs are paralysed, death soon follows.

And just taking the ticks off is not necessarily enough. The poison in the animal already might be enough to kill it. You need to go see a vet.

Yes,

5 weeks ago my 4 1/2 doxie, ruptured his disc and was paralized, he was in so much pain, I took him in asap, but I didn't have the 3 to 4 thousand dollars they wanted up front for surgery, and it wasn't guarented it would help him or he would ever walk again. They gave him steroid treatment and pain medicine, but it didn't help him either. Unfortuntly, I had to put my little man down the following morning, I couldn't stand to see him in so much pain. That was the hardiest thing I ever had to do,I miss him so much my heart broke into when I had to put him down, but I knew I did what was best for him, and I know my little man, would not have been happy pulling a wheels around, he was such a active dog, he was the best dog ever. I will miss him the rest of my life. Please don't let your dog suffer.

Have him checked immediately for antifreeze poisoning. My dog ingested antifreeze a few years ago, and had the exact same issue. We caught pt early enough to save him, but if you don't they will die from kidney failure.
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My dog, after we realize, so it got antifreeze poisoning, we immadiatelly go away in a banian-hospital. Luckily it has a chanse, so survive it. But, vainly it has got very big desire to live and its kidney is just meanly bad, it lean 4-5 kg (before antifreez poisoning it was 15 kg). Unfortunately it hasn't got appetite, than I must feed it with hosepipe since 8 days. My dog's survive the poisoning, but what's the all convalescence chanse?

Idiot. Do you think God cripples dogs for the fun of it.

my dog did that years ago.

it was a spinal injury, like a slipped disc. they can get if from just playing too hard, or in my case when the dog jumped off the bed.

if the swelling goes down it may recover. the electircal impluses controlling movement are being blocked by the swelling.

otherwise it will mean expensive surgery. the steroids help inflamation go down.

i had to put my dog down, sadly.

your vet should have explained all of this to you?

That's not how it works. Paralysis ticks inject poison into the dog. The poison causes paralysis. Once the paralysis stops the heart or lungs from operating, the dog dies. They do not "bounce back in no time at all". An animal paralysed by a tick needs to go to the vet as soon as possible.

[link to www.vetstop.com.au]

You should search all over the dog, including under the collar, between the toes, and any folds of skin including the ears, to find any ticks. If you find one, you have to remove it or poison it as soon as possible.

I'm so sorry about your dog. My Dachshund has this same problem right now. I don't know what to do! I went to the vet and he gave me steorids to help but it has been three days and my dog is not getting any better?

toxic poisoning, either from a tick or from something he ate

jesus this post is from may of 2009 folks, that dogs most likley dead.

Last Edited by PParanoid on 02/09/2011 04:53 PM

Hi! I know this is too late for the person who asked, but if this happens to your dog, please consider trying animal chiropractic. I am an AVCA certified animal chiropractor and have many patients come in presenting with sudden rear limb paralysis, most are able to walk again (regain bowel and bladder function if it was lost too) with treatment. I can't say it will work in all cases, but my clinic has a very high success rate. Check AVCAdoctors.com to find an animal chiropractor in your area, everyone in the directory is either a licensed chiropractor or licensed vet who has furthered their education in animal chiropractic and is board certified.

Unfortunately, due to their long backs, this happens. You can always ask a dog chiropractor to assist..perhaps a disk is out of place and pressing on nerves. If the steroids aren't working, the Outlook may not be so good. Give the drugs a few days and are what happens. I'm not sure if all outcomes are positive, but its worth a try.

it's a lower spine injury most likely a slipped disc. It's serious if untreated.

agreed. good post. with people, a slipped or ruptured disk can cause the same symptoms. My sciatica put pressure on my disc and chiropractor adjusted me and I was able to walk. I could not move before he worked on me.

it could also be a kidney/bladder blockage aka stones but this is not common.

So what...it may help someone else.

About two months ago my Great Pyrenees was trying to play with my miniature dachshund, stomped on her neck. Over the next day she gradually lost the use of her back legs. Took her to the vet, xray showed swelling in the neck, causing pressure on her spinal nerve. NSAIDS, muscles relaxer, and pain control for a week. ABSOLUTE rest, no activity. Two months later she is still a little wobbly in her back legs and has poor bladder and bowel control, but is walking and wagging her tail again.
Good luck with your sweetie, hope its temporary.

How Old? if he's up there, 13+...put him down. It just gets worse and worse for your best friend. I waited about 6mos to long on my doggie, I had to carry him into the vets, couldn't hardly walk, pee and poop covered...really bad for a dog owner to let it get that far. It's hard, just a stupid dog and this grown man had tears driving home from the vet. So hard.

This happened to a good friend of mine's dog. He was at a special hospital and it was very expensive. Dachshund's are susceptible to herniated discs which unfortunately can paralyze them and leave them incontinent.

She had to have her doggie in special diapers. It was very sad, but she loved her dog and didn't have him put down, during the time I knew her.

my 7 yr old mini-dach. this just happened to her and the vet said it was a disc pushing against the spine. she has kept her over the weekend and with steroid injection and kept in a cage and monitered, there is still hope. We visited her today (day 4) and we got her to go poop but no urination. while holding her, I could feel her push with her hind legs. Another good sign. Time and patience is all we have. Dr. recomended surgery right away, but cost is a major factor. She said Purdue University cost would be 2-3 thousand. Good luck, Keep the Patience. I been looking up wheelcart to strap her to on internet.

WWJD ?

Man I can wait till forums start allowing auto posting of peoples ip address... Cause a guy like yourself really needs his face kicked in. Fucking pussy. Real cruel behind a keyboard to kick a guy while he just put his best friend down.

Man what. Wouldn't give for 5 mins with you in a small room.

That breed is known for paralysis from disc herniations compromising the spinal canal.

They have little wheelchairs and also doggy diapers if you don't want to put your friend down.

The also have veterinarian surgeons that do decompressions but the surgery is very costly.