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Dear Dr. T, My 3 year-old Labrador Riggs, jumped after a ball and when he came down he was unable to use his hind limbs! He initially yelped out in pain once, but he has not seemed painful since. Riggs tries to drag himself around the house, but he cannot seem to use his back legs at all for the last 2 days. Do you have any advice? —Allen, Woodbridge VA
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Dear Allen and Riggs, Since Riggs is unable to use his hind limbs, chances are he injured the thoracolumbar part of his spine (T3-L3). It is possible that Riggs suffered from a FCE (fibrocartilagenous embolism), or a “spinal cord stroke.” Since he is not painful and his neurologic signs occurred so suddenly playing fetch, this is the most likely cause for his hind limb paralysis. However, it is very important that Riggs be evaluated by a veterinarian and an MRI of his spine be performed. It is possible he herniated or slipped an intervertebral disc. The intervertebral disc is the cushion that lives between each vertebrae in your dog’s back. If the disc shifts out of its normal position and compresses the spinal cord, it can lead to sudden paralysis. A slipped or herniated disc that causes a dog to be paralyzed is a surgical disease, whereas an FCE requires intense physical therapy for recovery. The next step for Riggs would be to get him evaluated by your local veterinarian and a veterinary neurologist to determine the best treatment course.
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Dear Dr. T, Ellie, my 10 year old Cocker Spaniel suddenly lost the ability to move the right side of her face. She has difficulty drinking water and eating food without dropping it on the ground. Her head also appears tilted to the right. She does have a history of chronic ear infections. Could they be related to her facial problems and head tilt? —Bruce, Washington DC
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Dear Bruce and Ellie, I am sorry to hear Ellie has been battling ear infections! They can be very difficult to cure, especially in a Cocker Spaniel. It sounds like Ellie has developed a facial nerve paralysis and some mild vestibular signs (aka: vertigo) likely related to a deep inner ear infection. The nerves that control facial movement (facial nerve) and balance (vestibular nerve) run through a dog’s tympanic bulla. The tympanic bulla is the structure that contains Ellie’s inner ear. Ear medications and oral antibiotics may not be enough to eliminate this deep infection. I recommend that Ellie have three-dimensional imaging of her inner and outer ear structures performed with a CT or MRI scan. Ellie’s MRI will likely be followed by other diagnostic tests such as a myringotomy to sample the inner ear infection and determine the best antibiotic treatment. In some cases, surgical draining of the inner ear is required. If Ellie’s presumptive inner ear infection can be effectively treated, her neurologic signs should improve or resolve over time.
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