Coonhound Paralysis

[Katy]

Hi all -

I've done a couple blogs over on the HSO Insider, but this time I wanted to share my latest post here. I recently had a brush with a little-known illness called Coonhound Paralysis and, but for a great vet with excellent diagnostic skills, I believe my dog might not have made it this far. I wanted to share my experiences with y'all, because we all have outdoor dogs, so any one of us could run into this. Please, do read the blog, and if anyone has first-hand experience, please do share. I've been able to find relatively little valuable info online, except for medical texts, and I'd like to put some together for future owners who encounter this.

Thank you!

http://fishingminnesota.com/hso-reports/katy-light/coonhound-paralysis-part-1/

[corncob]

I have had numerous dogs contract Coonhound Paralysis....They all had contact with a raccoon while hunting...7-10 days after contact with a coon the first symptoms are noticeable. Loss of balance , difficulty barking , staggering, etc....There is no treatment for the ailment, only symptom mitigation to some degree...There is rapid onset of symptoms and there is widely varying degrees of disability. Some dogs will die of respiratory failure within 24 hours of first symptoms, others will only be moderately affected having difficulty walking ....I have gone through tending to a few that could not walk or move at all, and needed 24 hour care.They had to be fed and watered with a large syringe, and taken outside and held to relieve themselves.....The dog will slowly improve over a 2-6 month period depending on severety of the illness.....The only thing that seems to help somewhat is heavy dosage of dexamethasone( a potent steroid)and a slower release steroid injectable following the initial dose....Many vets are not at all familiar with the illness,and ,have difficulty recognizing it, unfortunately I have learned to recognize it quickly. Once having contracted CP your dog will be prone to getting it again,sometimes worse than the first episode.....This is a very strange illness and does not affect all dogs equally...One dog may be affected even tho 3 or 4 dogs were exposed to the coon in the same manner....Seems as tho it has some relationship to the immune system, although that has not be confirmed....I have researched CP extensively and have not found any manner of prevention or treatment other than to avoid raccoon and if infected quickly administer steroids.

[Katy]

Thanks Corncob, I sure do appreciate your input! Glad to hear I might have some improvement on the horizon...!

[bottomdweller]

Katy

So sorry to hear of your buddys dx. I know nothing about the disease but I was once paralyzed and told I would never walk again. Only through Gods good graces and intense therapy was I able to walk again.

My only suggestion and I dont even know if its relevant because my paralysis was from and injury and not a disease.

But one thing that helped me immensely was going in a therapy pool. Basically much warmer water than a normal pool. I believe it was 92 degrees. It helped get the muscles triggering again and took so much weight off me that I could move without to much struggling.

There are places for dogs to do whats called underwater treadmill. The water is warmer and basically it is a huge aquarium that the dog goes in and it fills up to wherever you wish and the dog walks on the treadmill. Something I hope could help.

I wish you nothing but the best