A Lanarkshire man has told how his dog was left partially paralysed despite running around on a beach just 24 hours beforehand.
Mark Walsh’s French Bulldog Lottie had been showing no signs of problems when on holiday during the festive period. However, he noticed that his three-year-old pooch began to have problems walking.
Before he knew it, Lottie wasn’t able to walk. Mark took her to the vet where he found out she had Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), a condition common in French Bulldogs. It occurs when the discs between the vertebrae in a dog’s spine become hard and fragile, and sometimes slip out of place.
Mark, from Wishaw, told Glasgow Live: “On Friday when we were coming home, I let her out for a pee and she was fine, but when we got home I noticed she was dragging her leg a bit.
“I thought she’s maybe just hurt herself, but there was nothing obvious. I woke up the next morning and her back legs were totally paralysed, she couldn’t move them at all.
“Obviously, we rushed her to the vet and they said she has IVDD. I moved her vets to the University of Glasgow vets and they’ve given her medication, which has improved her a little. But she needs to be in a crate all day and I have to help her go to the toilet.
“She’s not in pain and I take her to the vets weekly, and hopefully, she’ll get a bit better. But in the worst-case scenario, she’ll need an operation.”
Mark and Lotti.
(Image: Supplied)
Mark has been left with a couple of options to help with the treatment for Lotti. He is currently spending nearly £80 every fortnight on medication to help pain relief, which she will need for the rest of her life. Alternatively, he could have Lotti go through a surgical procedure, which would cost up to £7,000.
To help cover the costs, he has set up a fundraiser to try and help get Lotti back to her old self. So far he has raised nearly £700.
Mark added: “Crate rest can help them, but if it doesn’t she’ll need the operation.
“The vet said sometimes dogs can come back and walk again, but nine times out of 10 it will reoccur. There’s a lesser chance of it happening again if she has the operation, and she’ll need medication for the rest of her life.
“I don’t have insurance as it was £150 per dog a month and, I have another dog so it would’ve been £300 a month which is a lot.
“As well as the operation, she would need a MRI which might cost up to £4,000 and in total it’ll be a lot of money. I’m hoping with rest she’ll be able to walk again and control some control of her legs. I’d hate to see her not being able to walk again. It’s heartbreaking to see.”
Mark is also looking to do some of his own fundraising for Lotti. You can donate to Lotti’s fundraiser online here.
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