Let me start by saying that I am very new to veterinary rehab. I have been working on rehabbing a dog that had an L3-L4 disc rupture and dorsal laminectomy in February of this year. She is doing great and is improving every day. She has both fecal and urinary incontinence which is managed by her owners very well as long as she is kept on schedule. She does spend some time in a cart to keep her spirits up. The front 2/3 of her body is exuberant beyond belief. Her surgeon was impressed with her progress on the last visit and said that she falls into a rare category of dog that does not appear to have pain perception but is rebuilding networks for walking in poorly understood fashion that is different than spinal walking. Her rehab has consisted of swimming in owner's home jacuzzi, estim, electroacupuncture, sit to stands, ROM, misc therapeutic exercises. I recently acquired an UWTM which has escalated her rate of progress hugely.
I would appreciate any feedback on a roadblock that is stumping me. We are having extreme difficulty getting her to stand up from down position because of rear limb extensor rigidity. Her legs loosen up after treadmill and electroacupuncture but the stiff rear leg posture is her GO TO when she sits or lays down.
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. We have been bending her knees and encouraging her to stand which is good but I do not see her bending her leg without muscle input from me or her owners. Once she is up and walking her right leg is less stiff than the left. Tha right leg intermittently seems to be aware of acupuncture needling or toe pinching. Her walking has seemed more disorganized as of late but I think that it is due to the right limb being slightly more aware and flexible that the left. She has started to walk (supported in sling) with the left abducted in stiff position while the right appears more normally positioned with a looser more normal ROM when ambulating. They seem to be crossing more recently but again I think it is due to the right progressing to more normal ambulation quicker than the left.
Does anyone have PNF or exercise (dry land or treadmill) or splint or other suggestions to help with rear limb rigidity?
Hey there!
So with these guys, I have found it best to work on 'static positions' that require flexion of the legs (i.e. sitting practice or sphinx lying). You can work on small weight shifts (i.e. cookies from side to side).
I would also recommend sit to stand to sit again exercises - maybe down to a step stool. Make sure that you practice with the legs properly set, and have someone 'ask' the dog to sit and then stand and so on, while you work to help the dog to do the task. (Stimulate the quads when going up, maybe pinch / squeeze the hamstrings to facilitate going down to a sit.)
I hope this helps... perhaps others will have some different ideas as well!
