Intro in a Sad Mood

[Cafu]

Hi all,

My name is Nelson my user name is Cafu, my 1 and a half years old frenchie named after a brazilian soccer player. I'm not new to the world of dogs, I have an AmStaff girl, my brother two Boxers, my father two GSDs and my mother has a podle...
I'm sorry to say that I come to the group for sad reasons, my dog had recently an encefalitis and in the tests to find what he had, the vets found that he has a problem in the spinal cord, there is no space between 3 discs (vertebras). They haven't said anything about surgery, just that he will be paralised, should not make any kind of exercise, run or jump, and had to be apart from his adoption mother my AmStaff (4 and a half years) has they tend to play rough.
Martina has forwarded me to the list because some of you have had the same problem and might give me some advise as for what to do.
Thanks,

Nelson

[Olivier]

Hi Nelson,

I am very sorry to hear about Cafu's health problem. I had also a spine problem with my French Bulldog Athlon but fortunately the surgery worked even if things will never be like previously. What about asking another vet's opinion about a surgery for the case things get worse? About his advice (not playing hard, moving etc) my vet said the same thing.
You can read some posts about spine troubles at http://www.bulldogworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=300
I have been in your country, at Iguazu, and I have an aunt and several cousins living in Recife :)

Olly

[Kelly+Manja]

hi nelson
im very sorry about your news. I know how devestating it is as my frenchie manja was diagnosed with hemivertebrae about 2 months ago. I saw 2 vets (and an acupuncture specialist) and they also didnt advise surgery as they said it would be too traumatic a procedure with little gaurantee of improvement. Im not sure if your dog has the same problem but it sounds similar (with manja there is a narrowing of the spinal cord toward the end with one disc being shaped like a butterfly which causes pressure). His prognosis was also that he will one day be paralysed. The thing is manja is in no pain what-so-ever and lives life happily (but i always carry him up and down stairs now) . Is your frenchie suffering discomfort?
The thing i also believe is that vetrinarians will give you the worst case scenario and as long as there is no pain, your dog may still live a good while even if its not as active as before, no one can really ever say what will happen.
definitely get another opinion
Maybe you would be interested in acupuncture. Its good to start early before problems arise the rest of the body. Manja has had several sessions and whilst i know it cant reverse the problem i like to believe it will delay paralysis.
be positive

[Cafu]

Thank you for your help. I saw the pictures from Athlon's surgery and it it seams like it is in the same area. Right now he doesn't look to be in pain, but I don't know very well if when he was paralised was due to brain damage (meningo encefalitis) that he's being treated, or because of the back problem. Anyway I will try to see another vet to have his opinion.
Olly, I just came back from Brasil Saturday, my family is from Recife and João Pessoa, but I'm living in Lisbon (Portugal) since 1976.

[Olivier]

With Athlon, the day before he got paralysed there was no sign of pain. It's always very hard to give a diagnostic, even my vet isn't sure about Athlon now after doing the surgery as there are still several locations on the spine that might create a problem. Good luck!
Most of my family is from Belgium/France but my aunt moved to Recife 30 years or so ago and is a professor there. Lisbon is a great city :)