Chloe, a 7-year-old mini poodle, is recovering from a challenging combination of injuries. She’s dealing with an FCE lumbar herniated disc, and her recovery journey has been anything but easy. In June, Chloe underwent a bilateral tibial plateau lateral osteotomy. However, during her recovery, she suffered a spinal injury that led to bilateral hind limb weakness and eventually paralysis in both rear legs by July.
When Chloe arrived at my clinic, she refused to put any weight on either hind limb and remained in a flexed “fetal” position. Her hind limbs had severe muscle wasting, and her hip and knee mobility was extremely limited. This was a challenging case, but we immediately began treatment.
Two weeks ago, I started manual therapy, dry needling, and laser therapy targeting her lumbar spine, hips, and legs. Chloe responded quickly and positively. For the first time in weeks, she actively extended her spine, knees, and hips, as reported by her owner. This was a huge step forward in her healing from her FCE Lumbar herniated disc!
After just three treatments, Chloe has made significant progress. She’s now actively trying to sit up and even attempting to stand. She’s also using her left hind leg slightly to bear weight. This is a promising sign of recovery.
Chloe’s journey won’t be easy and may take several weeks, or even months. However, based on her rapid progress so far, I am very optimistic. I anticipate a full recovery for Chloe. She’s showing incredible resilience and determination. Keep up the great work, Chloe! You’re on the right track!
Check out our therapies we provide here.