Day 37: To Spinal Walk or to Walk?

Throughout this whole experience I have found myself addicted to googling everything remotely linked to IVDD; it’s cause, prevention, rehabilitation and what the future may look like for us.

I have come across often the term; Spinal Walking. Sounds horrendous doesn’t it?, like a zombie and in actual fact when I look into it further that’s exactly what it is! - zombie walking.

My short non-medical description of the term is whereby a dog manages a walk but they are not in control of their limbs via their nervous system, their limbs just move forward and back allowing them to stand and walk through muscle/function memory.

How bizarre!

I’ve pinched the below from ‘The Pet Professionals’ website which explains it a little better:

Spinal walk is a type of acquired involuntary motor function seen in animals with varying degrees of spinal cord injury, even sometimes in cases of complete injury!

In essence, even though the brain is no longer sending any signals to the pelvic limbs, there are specialised structures in the spinal cord that can generate patterns and replicate a functional gait. We call this an involuntary motor function because the hind legs are not being controlled by the brain but instead there is a spinal cord reflex that allows for walking.

This type of walking is a bit uncoordinated and jerky but animals are able to walk unaided for as long as they want, and can get themselves back up in case they fall down.

This walk as you may expect, is generally somewhat awkward and nowhere near as agile as a controlled ‘normal’ method of walking.

I’ve read that one sign that your dog could be spinal walking and not ‘walking-walking’ is that they throw their legs underneath them.

So here’s my worry!!

Lloris definitely throws his weak right leg underneath him when he walks, hence the paw scuffing.

So my mission today is to find out;

Is this uncomfortable looking walk Lloris is currently doing and his bunny bouncing actually just spinal walking and he’s not really going to get fully better at all???

I feel my heart deflating just typing that!

One telling sign is that a spinal walking dog usual has little or no deep pain sensation in their paws.

I’m confident Lloris now does (he didn’t pre-op and was minimal post op) but let’s test that it is the pain he is reacting to and he’s not just getting fidgety with a reflex of me tickling his toes!

I’d say he felt that!

I’ve spoken to the ‘Holistic Vet’ who seems reasonably confident that Lloris is doing more than a spinal walk but he hasn’t convinced me enough.

I’ve watched an example of Spinal Walking on Utube - see link below

https://youtu.be/9wHQd2Dc-gk

That does resemble Lloris style of walking. Lloris is marginally more controlled but I wasn’t expecting to see the spinal walk able to be quite so bendy and actually it’s reasonably good!

Now I’m a little concerned.

If this is the type of walk Lloris is capable of and no more, then of course I shall be grateful he is even able to do that, it is still a miracle! but I really need to rethink our goals in all of this. The running on the beach will certainly ‘out’

I put in a call to the physiotherapist at ‘Davies Super Vets’ where he had his surgery to ask their opinion.

Whilst I’m waiting for the call back I take him for his morning walk around the park and am now staring intensely at his walking technique.

I’ve slowed it down for you… what do you think?

Hmmm, this is a tough one to make a judgement call on!

It seems like days later that I receive a call back from the physiotherapist but in reality it’s a mere couple of hours.

The answer…

“Lloris is not Spinal Walking and we can expect more improvement in his walking technique if we keep up with his physio exercises”

Phew! Sometimes I do have to ask myself if I go out of my way to find things to worry about??