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My dashund was hit by a car 2 weeks ago and the vet gave him a 75% chance of being ok. He has 2 breaks in his back. My kids are very upset as am I as he seems to still be in pain. How long does it take for dogs to walk again if anyone knows please email me at [email protected]. THANKS :confused:
It really depends on the situation, the severity of the fracture and injury, and other factors that all go into it.
My cat recently got injured and has broken a hip and dislocated the other. She's been in pain for the first few days but has been walking and getting around. Ironically, it's her dislocated hip that is causing her the most discomfort.
My dog Scooby had a stroke almost 2 years ago. His Entire RIGHT side went "numb" and cold. He was in the hospital for a week and told he would only walk to the right for a long time. The first week it was nearly impossible for him to stand up on his own. BOTH his right limbs were paralyzed. However, within 2 weeks he started jumping on me again! He's still partially paralyzed but acts like he's not. :rolleyes: We've gotten close to 2 miles a day walking!
I've heard of your type of dog experiencing broken backs before. It's not completely uncommon. People step on small dogs accidently causing similar fractures. They do heal up but it does take time. I would go back to the vet if after a MONTH the dog is still in pain. 2 weeks of pain is normal for this kind of severe accident I would suspect. However, most animals do tend to heal within a 2 -3 week time frame enough to notice if there are complications. It's that 4th week that a decision should be made IMO.
I would keep feeding the dog supplement vitamins and avoid overfeeding. You do NOT want the dog to gain weight during this period of healing, just maintaining the weight it already has. More weight could cause more strain on the injury. Keep some pain medications close by and administer to the lable instructions. Let the dog rest as much as possible and give it a comfortable room outside of "high" attention areas. Don't ignore the dog, just keep it from where it can still be part of the action but not enough for it to get up and join in.
In the meantime, if things aren't improving much. You may want to do a "sit-down" with the children and explain things. This may be a good oportunity to discuss "death". Don't fool the kids and let them feel like they are part of the decision. The dog is a family member.
I think giving the dog atleast a month for reasonably marked improvement is a good period of time. Dog's will surprise you. Each one takes a different healing time. I still can't believe my cat was able to jump on the bed 3 days AFTER her accident! So be aware that out of the blue, the dog can just seem to get better instantly. I've seen it happen before.
This is a different situation, but I once had a dachsund mix who had a slipped disc and was paralysed. She recieved 3 accupuncture treatments and made a full recovery. I would reccomend checking with your vet it there are any veterinary accupuncturists in your area.
Good Luck