Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome

[CarolC]

Yeah, that, too! Only for whatever reason, he's decided not to do it the past 2 days.

[critters]

[CarolC]

I don't know how he did this, I didn't see it happen. The picture is taken from the doorway between the livingroom and kitchen. He likes to hang out next to the cat tree while I'm getting breakfast. I usually bring him in from potty and set him in the middle of the livingroom carpet and he walks/runs/hops over and settles next to the cat tree. He must have overshot because of his spasticity in his hind legs and somehow launched himself up onto the base of the cat tree. If he used his hind legs to stand up he risked his front legs not supporting him, so he remained. It's kind of cute but I'm glad he didn't hurt himself colliding with the posts. He can't lift his head much higher than that, so this was probably an uncomfortable position.

[critters]

He just adapts & goes on!!

[CarolC]

So he's been getting up and coming over to the playpen nearly every morning now. And he stands there, making it easier to pick him up. I haven't been able to get him to come when I pat my hands together and coax him, "Come here. Come here." That will be amazing if that ever happens. But for now, he sees me bending into the playpen changing his bedding and he gets up from his place by the kitchen door and comes over and waits, standing, till I put him in. Such a smart dogger.

[CarolC]

Happy dance this morning. Pip was hanging out by the cat tree while I got breakfasts ready, and I had his playpen bedding changed already because I did it while they were outside for morning potty. I gave Millie her bowl and then stood by the playpen and patted my hands together and called him. He barked at me. I squatted down and patted and called, he barked. I patted the floor, he barked. I put his bowl on the floor in front of me and called him and patted my hands together and patted the floor. He saw the bowl and me calling and I could tell he was thinking. I kept it up and in a few seconds he got up and started running in my general direction. He was veering off course a little too far to the right (front legs control the steering) but this is normal, who cares?! I was thrilled!! Made a big fuss over him, picked him up, put him in the playpen, and gave him breakfast.

His first vet record after being pulled from the shelter is 4-6-21 , so he must be nearly 4 years post paralysis (that we know of).

The vet estimated his birth date as 4-8-14, so he is coming up on 11 years old. And today he came when called! Yay, Pip!!!

[critters]

[CarolC]

Wanted to note another first for Pippy. Today he was running/hopping toward the back door and he noticed something (I couldn't see what) in the yard next door and began barking while he was running. He didn't seem to have any trouble doing it whatsoever.

Lately, about since he began coming and standing next to the playpen and waiting to be put in, he has also been coming to the back door. While he wants to be out, he will settle down facing the yard and watch things and bark at cats, etc. When he's ready to come in, he will get up and stand facing the door and bark, and I can tell he's barking to come get him. It's really neat not to have to guess if he's ready. I know because he's showing me.

[critters]

Isn’t it nice when communication flows?!!

[CarolC]

So this morning, he sort of came to me when I called. He was hunkered down by the cat tree where he likes to hang out. I put a new blanket in his playpen, and this is when he usually comes over to be put in, but he didn't. So I called him and patted my hands together, and nothing. Patted the floor in front of me, nothing. So I walked a couple of steps toward him, and he stood up (which he sometimes does to be picked up) and once he had stood up, then he walked over to the playpen in a weaving way and I put him in. So he sort of did it.

I wonder why he doesn't come when called. Maybe people at his old home never called him? I haven't tried treats...

[critters]

Maybe they didn’t.

[CarolC]

Pip can run downhill. You might think, "So?" The thing is, he does not have full use of his front legs, and his hind legs are overcharged, so he tends to bunny hop. His bunny hopping is overly large hops with his hind legs, and often his front legs are crossed at the ankles (not always), so it's a 3-point stance. Going downhill for a dog with weak front legs and overpowered hind legs seems like it would be a challenge. But he did it 2 days ago, chasing a cat, and he did it just fine!

[critters]

In my experience, and even seeing it on videos of spinal cord injured critters, at least most bunny hop.