Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

Daffodil · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Petaling Jaya

Hi there,

On Tuesday, my 10-month old schnoodle (schnauzer mix poodle) was hit by car. We found him lying by the roadside about 100 metres away.

Before you all judge me by saying that I am a bad owner and should not have let him out, let me explain.

The little fella, is quite an escape artist. We've covered every possible hole but he still manages to jump and squeeze through.

He was brought to Yeoh's Vet in Taman Megah with lacerations and unable to walk. The doctor took an x-ray and there is no spine damage or any other bone damage. His internal organs seemed to be intact as he is eating, drinking, pooing and peeing well.

The only problem now is that, he can't walk and it may be nerve damage as he has suffered head trauma. He is currently on anti-biotics and also nerve regeneration tablets.

My question is, is there a cure for nerve damage? Or is there any other way to assist him in walking again? Or is there a way to find out what is really wrong?

The sight of a previously active dog now lying down most of the time is unbearable. He is quiet and doesn't seem to have the will to go on.

Please help.

Thank you.

Mutt · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Kuala Lumpur

Daffodil,
I'm sorry to hear about your dog. How is he doing? Any improvement? Does he have response to stimuli in his legs? The doc will sometimes take a hemostat and pinch a toe to see if the dog can feel it. They will also sometimes do little pinches down the spine to see where sensation ends. Sometimes animals that are HBC (hit by car) just need time to recover from the shock. If there is swelling and inflammation from trauma it can take a while to calm down. If there are no broken bones or damage to the spine you can try doing the following things to help your pet: (1) do your best to keep him on his normal schedule. You say that he is eliminating normally so take him outside and have him eliminate outside. You can use towels to make a sling under the front and rear legs to help him stand upright to go to the bathroom. Do your best to place his feet flat when he stands. (2) Gently massage his limbs, back, neck and tail. Gently move his legs/paws up and down, back and forth, in and out to ensure he maintains a good range of motion. Gently move his tail about. This would also be a good time to apply warm compress to his joints. You can take a towel and make it SLIGHTLY damp, place it in the microwave to warm it and then gently place in the joints as you massage him. Just make sure it is not HOT.. you just want it slightly warm. You can also make a cheap relaxing compress. Take a square of fabric, place dry rice or wheat hulls in it, close it, and microwave to warm w/o getting it wet. You can also add dried herbs like lavender which might help soothe and calm your pup during the process. If at any point during the massage, moving the limbs about you notice your dog is in pain or uncomfortable please notify your vet immediately! Sometimes the best thing is just a lot of TLC and to give your dog time to heal on his own. My thoughts are with you......

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

Nerve damage is really a difficult thing. If a nerve is severed (completely cut through), then there is no cure for that. However, if the nerve is somehow intact and damage is little, then there is a chance. But, estimating how much damage in a nerve is a difficult thing. Swelling damage, usually caused by trauma like a car accident, usually have best chance of significant improvement once the swelling has gone down. Other than that, it is difficult to predict if there's any permanent damage.

As mutt mentioned, the pinch test is usually done to see if the nerves are still intact or completely severed. If it is still intact, then we usually give some treatment to see if it will heal later on. Treatment like some antiinflammatories or vitamin complexes may help. Sometimes, a little physiotheraphy each day will help also. And many times, it will take quite a long time to heal.

My advice is to discuss with your vet the prognosis of your dog's injury.