r/disableddogs • u/Dry-Elderberry-7965 • 8d ago
Pup with Spina Bifida
Hi! I posted our boy 129 days ago here, when he was just the size of 2 potatoes š„ŗ, and before we knew what was wrong with him. After many pricey labs and tests, that our damn insurance didnāt cover, we got the official diagnosis of Spina Bifida. He is now 5 months old, a big boy, and we are finding out from several vets in our area, that they really donāt have any experience with pups other than textbooks, and past a month or so, because all owners put them down š„ŗ so just posting here to see if anyone has any grown babies with this condition? Any recommendations, suggestions, tips to follow, or suggestions on recurring infections? What else to expect, etc. Our baby keeps getting UTIs ā¹ļø other than that, heās a happy happy mommaās boy, despite my husband doing all his cleaning and meal prep lol (donāt worry, our senior girl is absolutely obsessed with him). Puppy tax included. He was born with a teeny teeny tail that doesnāt work, for anyone wondering why heās in a human diaper. Pup diaper suggestions accepted!
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u/FieldPug 8d ago
Youāre part of a very exclusive club - welcome!
My Pekingese x has spinal dysraphism (aka spinal bifida). Although it impacts her mobility, sheās fortunate to have control of her bladder and bowel which along with her diminutive size, makes caring for her relatively easy.
She also has an unrelated condition which affects one of her front legs, leaving her with only one really strong, healthy leg out of four. Weāve worked with several prosthetists to devise mobility aids tailored to her needs which has been an enormous help. As a result, she was unable to walk as a puppy, but sheās been fully mobile (in her own unique way) since she was about a year old.
The silver lining with this condition is itās not painful and generally doesnāt worsen. For a neurological condition - thatās a win that Iām happy to take.
Iām happy to answer any questions you have or talk with you about what has and what hasnāt worked for my girl. Every dog with SD is different, but sometimes itās just nice to know youāre not alone.
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u/Dry-Elderberry-7965 7d ago
Hi! Omg yes! Idk what I can ask outside of a private message so mods donāt delete. But I guess Iād like to ask if you give her any supplements that have helped to perhaps prevent further deterioration of the limbs that do work, if you take her to therapy and has it worked, and literally that: what has and hasnāt helped from what you tried. Our boy is a much bigger breed (golden) so we really worry about his weight at full size being what affects his mobility. Weāre going to get him acupuncture to see if he benefits from it. There currently isnāt a need for a wheelchair, but all vets are agreeing that with him, we really wonāt know till we know. He has no control of his bowels and he is incontinent. He was born without a tail (itās a micro tail that doesnāt work at all) and I learned that all dogs born without tails are incontinent.
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u/Confident_Fortune_32 7d ago
Your darling bebe is clearly loved, and goldens have such a cheerful nature. Our golden was the happiest girl š„°
Regarding UTIs:
Our Newfoundland was born with a prolapsed vulva, so she is prone to UTIs (apparently it's an issue with all the giant breed girls). We've been dealing with them for years, until the weekend emergency vet suggested Crananidin cranberry supplements. It turns out not all cranberry supplements are created equal, bc we had tried others with no success. Zero infections since we started this brand a couple of years ago. Since then, our regular vet agreed with the emergency vet.
Note: they caused some stomach upset and bathroom issues a[ first, so increase the dosage slowly, and always give on a full tummy.
One of the issues we've run into with repeated UTIs is that our little girl developed a resistance to lower level antibiotics, so the list of available and effective antibiotics is shrinking, so we're especially happy to have found a solution.
(I'm not affiliated)
Our vet also gave us a prescription for medicated pads to wipe her lady bits, which also helps with UTIs. We wiped her nether regions after each bathroom trip. It would probably be a good idea at each diaper change. (We put daddy up front with a licky mat with peanut butter, but if your pup is used to diaper changes, it shouldn't be as much of a production...)
One other suggestion: for large/giant breed dogs, the research shows that the time to start joint meds is when they're babies, not when they're old and creaky. We've used a combo of glucosamine, chondroitin, and large doses of vitamin C since our little girl started teething, about four months old, and she's ten years old now and still gallops off when she sees a squirrel.
A dog (or cat) puts extra stress on the remaining limbs if all four aren't in use, so starting joint meds early is to their advantage.
Another way we've tackled potential joint issues is to have ramps everywhere: to get to the back yard, to get on the bed and the couch, etc. Ramps are far easier on joints than stairs.
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u/Dry-Elderberry-7965 7d ago
These are all great suggestions! Thank you! He actually is on cranadin, but his dose hasnāt changed, so maybe we should ask. Iām actually worried about antibiotic resistance, since this is the third time on a back to back uti. I did ask his therapist last week about supplements, but Iāll make sure to ask the vet. Iāve been trying to train him on ramps, but it somehow seems like he does better with steps? I have to stabilize his balance when going up or down the ramp. We have a ramp for our senior, but he seems to struggle a bit.
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u/Confident_Fortune_32 7d ago
Crananidin dosage is by weight, so as long as you have an accurate current weight, the dosage is on the bottle.
For ramps, sometimes the steepness of the angle is a problem. It also can help to add on peel-and-stick safety stair treads (from a hardware/home goods store) for a grippy surface.
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u/RevolutionaryWeb5657 6d ago
Never expected to see a dog with the same condition as me! Heās very cute š
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u/Dry-Elderberry-7965 5d ago
Thank you! And weāre sadly finding out that people put them down due to the care requirements, and assumed quality of life. But so far baby boy is having a good one š
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u/FieldPug 5d ago
Feel free to DM me. While Iām sure our dogs and experiences will inevitably be different, there will be underlying similarities Iām sure.
Having worked in vet medicine my entire adult life, Iām saddened that there isnāt more we can do for dogs like ours, but Iām so grateful to have a dog who genuinely enjoys her life, and is determined to live it to the fullest. When people say āthat poor dogā, I always tell them not to waste their time feeling sorry for her. Sheās thoroughly loved, spoiled, is out here everyday living her best damn life, and Iām not sure you could find a happier dog if you tried. Having been this way since birth, she knows no different and is just happy to be here for the party.
Even after all this time, I still nerd out about veterinary research. Thereās unlikely to be another study like this in the future, but it makes for a fascinating read.
https://www.ucdavis.edu/curiosity/news/stem-cell-treatment-children-spina-bifida-helps-dogs-first
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u/Dry-Elderberry-7965 4d ago
Oh wow! Thank you for this link! And yes, our baby is so happy and this is the true case of ignorance is bliss lol heās blissfully unaware he was the condition, and heās living his best life āŗļøš
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u/Previous-Arugula3693 6d ago
Does the vet think your pup is fully emptying their bladder? I have fostered dogs with spinal injuries before and they both came to be with raging UTIs and it was because they needed bladder expressions. First time, I smelled the UTI but she seemed to be peeing just fineā¦ except she was only half emptying.
Just a thought, on top of supplements and whatnot.
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u/Dry-Elderberry-7965 5d ago
The way he explained to us, is that his bladder is a water balloon that never fills up, and is constantly dripping- which we do see, as he is always dripping when heās without a diaper. But he still needs help expressing when itās time for his diaper changes. And sometimes he pees a LOT when we take off an already full diaper, and other times itās little drips. The therapist did recently explain to us he could still be half emptying.
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u/Bagel_chan 8d ago
I can see putting them down as a quality of life issue. I know dogs are resilient and don't always show discomfort or pain. I hope the best for you but please put their quality of life first and foremost
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u/Dry-Elderberry-7965 8d ago
Oh we do. We check him all the time, and he has biweekly therapy and massages. He is always being checked for reactions and nerve response. Weād never not put his quality of life at the front š§”
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u/Guzmanv_17 8d ago edited 8d ago
Youāre freaking awesome for not giving up on him. Youāll find ways to give him the best quality of life. Positive vibes only.
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u/Sad-Percentage547 8d ago
Hi OP! My beagle boy is currently recovering from a spinal cord injury (diagnosed AAPNE), he still in the process regaining control of his back legs, but as far as going to the potty, his āhelp me upā harness is amazing, youāre able to support his back legs comfortably and it makes peeing much easier. When he was on bed rest we also worried about UTIs. For us, puppy pads, immediate clean up of him and area, and a fresh bed worked wonders (my pup was not a fan of diapers). It is a lot of clean up and laundry but worth it. Have you considered a wheel chair? We havenāt started the training yet but we did acquire a doggy wheel chair for in case he doesnāt regain his legs, so he can still retain some freedom (he was incredibly active before the injury). I wish you and your pup the best of luck! Sorry if you were already familiar with my suggestions š«¶