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Speed/ Spirou Little paralysed spaniel at Carcassonne SPA- MIRACLE?!


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Hi all

I am posting this cos I really want you all to see something amazing.

About 2 weeks ago a little Brttany spaniel was brought to the SPA at Carcassonne. He appeared to be paralysed from the waist down, and could only just drag himself along by his front legs, although he could wag his little docked tail. The SPA vet just told us to wait and see. (although my next move was to be to take him to MY vet for some tests).

The volunteers and the staff named him Speed, and we have been encouraging him to shuffle between us. Every afternoon we have been massaging his hind legs, which seem to have no muscle in them, as if he has never used them.

He has an incredible lust for life and has been desperate in his attempts to reach us, when we stand a few feet from him calling his name (all of you who have taught babies to walk will know the drill.)

But life in a SPA is not easy for a dog like that, and the hammer was about to fall on Speed. I myself have had to put down a dog who got paralysed in old age (but Speed is only about 2-3). And he did seem to be getting better...

Anyway, on Saturday it was crunch time. Was he improving? I said yes, so did the staff. But we are not the ones who get to decide matters of life and death.

And just look at this!! If the link doesn't work, please go to You Tube and search for "epagneul speed, spa". It is like the end of a cheesy Hollywood movie! Except for Speed it is (hopefully) only the beginning.

Please pass this story on. By getting loads of publicity we can create a movement and maybe stop people making rush decisions before the animals have time to prove themselves.

I think it will be a long road ahead for Speed, but what a start!

And thanks to Merlin for offering to spring him before he could do any more than crawl.

Rowan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvxtdnNqL8s
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Well...

Until about an hour ago, Speed was going to a temporary home, just to get him out of the SPA. But this wasn't looking ideal. The family had made it clear that he isn't what they were after, and although they were kind enough to agree to take him as an emergency, it wasn't going to be for ever.

So....(wait for it....)

MERLIN IS TAKING HIM!!!

We are meeting halfway on Wednesday. I am so pleased and excited. And we can all follow his progress on the forum! Not sure what the cause is yet....Watch this space, I guess!

Yippee!!!

Three more cheers for Merlin!
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I am so looking forward to getting this little fellow and thank you all for your good wishes for him!  I have re-named him Scramble!  My husband is meeting Rowan half way tomorrow in Castres and bringing him home to a whole new experience, bless him.  Once we have given him time to settle down with all the other members of the 'family' and our daily routine, I will take him to a good vet I know and see just what he thinks is wrong.  Scramble will never be left alone and I have high hopes that with the right care, and his obvious determination, he may well come back to complete mobility.  I will definitely keep you all posted on here!  Thanks to you all for caring.

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Scramble has arrived and after a bit of a frantic first half hour getting to know everyone (I'm happy to say that all our eight dogs love him and have been more than kind) he settled down on a sheepskin by the fire to rest.  He devoured a tastey supper and slept the evening on the sofa, very tired little boy.  He spent the night in his basket by our bed and apart from a couple of wakings (wondering where is was no doubt) he settled each time after a stroke and soft words and never moved till morning!  Today he's been much more relaxed and done all the things he needed to do....!  Barked at the postman, ate a hearty breafast and had an explore with us round the garden.  We are making a sling to support his body in so he can use his legs outside and save our backs as he's no light weight!  He has run across the grass a few times to show us he can do it mind, before collapsing in an excited heap.  I shall be taking him to see the vet eventually when he's more settled and has shown us what he can and can't do so I can explain more to the vet.  It's very strange as whatever has happened to him has happened recently and suddenly we think - he toe nails are short and well worn, he has no bad or long term skin rub on his legs consistent with his having been dragging himself around like this for any time at all.  He's in very reasonable condition too, if a little thin.  I used to nurse some years ago and his lack of control  and head bobbing when he's excited, does remind me of people suffering from stroke paralysis or neurological trauma.  We love him and will do all in our power to help him and make him better and give him a life he can enjoy.  I am sure he is not in any pain......... sometimes he yelps a little when he falls badly on his back legs so there is sensation there and he's not incontinent.  He's lovely and I really don't know who anyone could have cast him out to fend for himself in this condition.  Sorry about the epistle - progress reports and photos will make it shorter next time!  Here he is meeting some of the family last night!

[IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/IMG_1288.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/IMG_1286.jpg[/IMG]

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So, what's the news, is Scramble home?

Merlin, apart from thanking you so much for him, I wanted to tell you about Saïka, a Rottweiler who arrived at the Angoulême shelter unable to use her hind legs.  So many healthy, gentle Rottweilers are being put down everywhere, but at Angoulême they were not going to let Saïka down.  They put out a call for donations to buy her a cart and you can see the smile on her face when she had it!  I happened to be there once when they were putting her on to her cart and asked if there was no possibility of an operation or something to help her regain the use of her back legs, but they said no.  So off she went happily for her walk with the cart, her hind legs moving slightly in motion, but not supporting her.

Now I don't know what happened exactly, but since walking with the cart, she now seems to be able to manage without it! Amazing!  Have a look on this link, first with the cart and then on the second page without it.

Saïka

Scramble's problem may be completely different, but I do so hope you have the same success with him.   [:)]

 

Edit:  Just seen your post while I was typing this one!  Lovely!

 

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Hi Merlin

How is Scramble getting on?  I posted his story on the Brittany Forum and a member has suggested a possibility re his paralysis:

"I wonder if he was given

Macadamia nuts as a treat...these can cause paralysis, either temporary

or permanent.  We discovered this after giving one of our Bretons these

nuts (only one or two thank God)  He recovered very quickly but it was a

total mystery to our vet.  It happened a second time and again a very

rapid recovery.  A little while after these incidents I read about

macadamia nuts causing paralysis in dogs and made the link....Just a

thought.....
"

A warning to all re Macadamia nuts anyway!

Jouals

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Jouals, thanks for that - all ideas welcome!  Heaven only knows what could have caused this, I just wish I knew and he could talk to me!  He's about the same but the more I watch his total lack of co-ordination and balance, the more I feel that is a neurological episode.  However, after doing quite a bit of research on the net, poisoning of one sort or another can certainly cause this kind of thing and can come right eventually............ so I'm not losing hope.  He's been so very good.  Eating and sleeping well but he yelps sometimes when he crawls about in doors (we carry him outside and are making a sling so he can use his legs without weight bearing to have a good sniff round the fields and perform his duties).  My husband, whom Scramble has attached himself to in a big way, thinks it's because he catches his 'bits'.........   At any rate we never leave him alone and are feeding him a special diet that will give him lots of vitamins to build up his immune system etc.   He's a bit stronger I would say and still busting with determination so we'll see how he goes till next week with rest, care and observation so we can give the vet all the help he might need to diagnose if he can.  It's heart breaking to watch him struggle about  but he's so happy just being with us it can't be wrong to give him every chance we can.

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Merlin, thank goodness you were able to take him!  He has the best chance with you and your husband to care for him!  I do hope he recovers, fingers crossed.  It does sound like something neurological - the cause could be any number of things.  Keep us posted....

Jouals

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Oh what lovely photos. I think little Scramble has found the best home ever!! It looks like not only have you made him welcome but your dogs have accepted him too!! Please dont apologise for the epistle, it's great to hear how he's getting on. I'm sure there will be highs and lows in Scambles and your lives, but where would he find a better caring home? We're all with you xxxx
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