Helpful Information if you are caring for a paralyzed animal.

Exercises

Passive Range of Motion

Bicycle each paralyzed leg through the full range of motion twice a day. Do a number of repetitions. This will take about 5 minutes. It is important to keep the legs flexible and avoid the development of joint deformities.

Stimulating the feet

Rub, squeeze, and tickle the feet, dig your fingers in between the pads, play with the toes. Do this at intervals throughout the day. This improves proprioception, which is the ability to feel the feet and know where they are in space. Following paralysis, the body needs to remap the pathway from the brain to the toes, and the more you stimulate the feet the more you give it to work with.

Massage

Massage the legs to improve circulation and promote healing.

Scratching

Scratch your pet all over the body hoping to find an itchy spot. Your pet may begin kicking a hind leg in response to being scratched. In any case, your pet will enjoy this exercise!

Resistance

With your pet lying on one side, press on the bottom of the feet while your pet resists you and pushes back.

Assisted walking

Help your pet to stand and walk using a walking harness or homemade sling (such as a bath towel or crib sheet) under the abdomen. It is important not to put too much lift on the extreme rear of a pet with a mid-back injury, so be sure to support the pet properly while walking. Sometimes tail walking is recommended (holding the animal up by grasping the thick base of the tail), however using a harness is easier on your pet's tail and on your back. It also supports the back more evenly and makes you less likely to lose hold and drop your pet's hindquarters.

Placing the feet

Bend over and hold your pet's ankles and place the feet correctly with the paws in a pads down position as your pet walks. This is helpful even if you cannot get the rhythm right. You can also let your pet lie comfortably on its back while you hold the ankles and move the paws in an upside down walking motion as if taking steps.

Incline therapy

Find a gentle slope such as a sloping sidewalk or long driveway and start your pet at the top. Encourage solo walking by standing down the slope with treats. This works well with two people, one to start the pet at the top and one to reward the pet at the bottom.

Step over

Lay down low obstacles, such as thin pieces of lumber, and help your pet practice stepping over them.

Figure Eights

Help your pet to practice turns and build strength on a weak side by walking your pet through a series of figure eights.

Surfaces

Let your pet practice walking on a variety of surfaces, such as pavement, grass, carpeting, and gravel. Be careful on any surfaces where you think your pet may slip or fall.