Snoopy page one

This is a story about Snoopy. He developed Thoracolumbar Disc Disease over the weekend of 9/23/06. These pictures are dated to show his progress.

This is a picture of Snoopy on September 2nd. He was perfectly healthy. Starting on 9/23/06, it took 3 days from the 1st symptom to complete paralysis. On 9/23/06 he started walking like his rear legs where weak, on 9/24/06 he was dragging his feet behind him, by 9/26 he could not move anything in his rear end. We called Wythe Animal Clinic on 9/24 and took Snoopy to the office and left him overnight. On Monday he was only getting worse and we were advised that a MRI and posible surgery may be needed. We were referred to VA Tech on 9/26/06.

This was the day after going to VA Tech. He was diagnosed with Thoracolumbar Disc Disease. We were told that he was completely paralyzed in the hind quarters. This disease can happen in breeds with longer spines. Snoopy is mixed. It can occur in older dogs gradually or it can be very rapid.

With surgery he had a 50/50 chance of having ANY improvement, without surgery he had a 5% chance of improving. The surgery would have required that he was kept in a cage so he would not be able to move much. The recovery period was 3 months to find out if it had worked.

We decided against the surgery as we could not put him through it. I remembered seeing these little doggie wheelchairs and decided to pursue this choice.

Snoopy was not able to control his body functions and went to the bathroom without knowing.

Snoopy page two-->