# Pralaysis, Left Rear Leg, Sudden



## talktoterrence (Nov 17, 2013)

Hello All,

Hate for the first post on this forum to be a health issue, but we're in need of any potential insight on what could be plaguing our 13 week old baby girl. I thank you all in advance for reading, and any wisdom/experience you may be able to share.

To quickly summarize, Kassidy is our second V, from a responsible, long-time breeder. She's been with us and Wyatt (our older 1.5 year old male) for 3 weeks now, and has been healthy, extremely active, with ferocious appetite. They're already best buds, and romp, chase, and play with each other just as one would expect from two young V's. Their play is always supervised, and aside from the occasional 'yip' from one or the other, never any injures. And that was the case right up until she passed out per usual last night around 9:30PM.

However, this morning pulling her out of her crate, and deep sleep for morning bathroom, we first noticed the most bizarre issue. Her left rear leg had gone almost completely useless, i.e., she'd run around, but that leg wouldn't quite respond, it would drag (her toes), or remain completely extended, and if she slipped on our wood floors it would splay out in different directions. My immediate thought was her leg was just asleep. I gently grab different parts of her leg, foot, and hip, and she expressed no pain. Everything seemed normal, sans it's proper function.

Well 30 minutes later after no noticeable improvement, we took her to Emergency Hospital. Not our normal vet, but he did extensive tests with reflexes, etc, watched her hobble around the room with the same symptoms noted above. However did not order X-Rays at this point, because she was in no pain, and he could diagnosis nothing at this point that would make him want to do that. Same with blood tests. A longtime vet, said he'd rather wait a day or two before continuing, but definitely suggested it was something neurological. Maybe bruised a nerve rough-housing with Wyatt last night. We're on instructions, with some ant-inflammatories, that if we don't see improvement to visit a local neurologist. We'll also be taking her to our regular doctor, as soon as she receives the report from Hospital should we see no improvement today.

I guess long-story-long, any one experienced anything like this? We're a little sick with worry for her of course, but our knowledge of V's is limited to no more than 3 years.

Thanks so much again for any thoughts. Grateful for your help and time.

Best


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

talktoterrence, so glad you are joining us, but sorry it is under these stressful circumstances!! I wish I could share some relevant experience with you, but I personally can't. Hoping some other members will be able to chime in and help. It sounds to me like you are doing everything right for Kassidy so far... and I will be keeping her in my thoughts and prayers! She is way too young to be going through this. Please do keep us posted.


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

talktoterrence said:


> However, this morning pulling her out of her crate, and deep sleep for morning bathroom, we first noticed the most bizarre issue. Her left rear leg had gone almost completely useless, i.e., she'd run around, but that leg wouldn't quite respond, it would drag (her toes), or remain completely extended, and if she slipped on our wood floors it would splay out in different directions. My immediate thought was her leg was just asleep. I gently grab different parts of her leg, foot, and hip, and she expressed no pain. Everything seemed normal, sans it's proper function.


What was her diet looked like before this happened? Was she given any hot (high temperature food by any chance? Since my grandma told me the stories of farm animals being rear leg paralyzed after eating hot food (sometimes, when re-heated, chunks of food may still be hot inside), I test my pups' food temperature by hand (like it is done for baby milk).


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## Big Rick (Apr 14, 2009)

Dexter experienced stiff leggedness in his rear legs off and on until he was about a year old. Our vet said it was probably just a result of bone and muscle growth. Apparently he just grew out of it because he'll be 5 in February and has had the problem in years. I hope yours is the same.


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## talktoterrence (Nov 17, 2013)

Thank you all for the input. We have seen a slight improvement in her, now 48 hours later. Not the she seems to know or care, but she is still dragging that rear leg. At least now she is managing not to drag the top of her toes.

Anyway, we're following up with an appointment with our regular Vet tomorrow for a second opinion, before seeing the recommended neurologist.

Thank you all for the read and well wishes.

Best


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Glad you've seen some improvement, and hope it continues!!


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

Hope she feels better soon! Good luck at the vet!


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

Best wishes for the speedy recovery! Please keep us posted.


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## KB87 (Jan 30, 2012)

Hope you get good news!


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## talktoterrence (Nov 17, 2013)

In an effort to knowledge-share for any potential future-benefit, I thought I'd take a moment this evening to update this thread.

Some 6+ weeks ago now, Kassi was diagnosed (thankfully we have a well-respected neurologist fairly local) to have had a small localized stroke in her spine. I believe the medical diagnosis for those looking for details is: Fibrocartilaginous Embolism.

Strangely enough, it is rarely seen in puppies. More strangely, they don't know why it happens exactly. It is not breed specific and it is not genetic.

Lucky for us, and more so for Kassidy, she had youth on her side. After our initial meeting with the neurologist, he knew exactly what it was, and because of her age did not order an MRI, and decided we go instead with the wait-and-see method. No reason to "baby" her, and we were sent home with instructions to let her wild again with Wyatt. 

As an aside, kudos to him for many, many reasons. We would have done anything to see her well at this point, and with a more eager doctor, and the risk of invasive surgery... 

Anyway, generally whatever recovery will happen, will happen within 45 days, and because she was so young at the time and rapidly developing he was very optimistic that nature would play a large part in the healing/correcting process. Unfortunately, as you could imagine, adult and senior dogs, do not have the same chances, as development is complete in these areas...not too different from us I would guess.

Well, we're happy to report, Kassidy had her follow-up appointment yesterday and nature did it's part through-and-through. She has healed nearly 95%. Sure she still has a little 'slop' in that left rear leg at times, and most likely will for the rest of her life, but it is barely perceptible now. (Hopalong?) Most importantly it will not interfere with her life. She's a bruiser with her older V "brother", and is developing muscularly 100%. She'll have no trouble with the long trail runs, hiking, and backpacking that await as soon as she is old enough!

All the best!

Krazy-K & Co.
Evergreen, CO


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