Quadriplegic Springer Spaniel Learns To Run

Watching his mom see him walk for the first time in months is like getting hugged in the heart.

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=H0BPJ-p6lK8.

From Quadriplegic to Running….

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qfJRP24Wib8.

Sammi’s mom seeing him walk for the first time after months of intense rehabilitation.

Sammi was an active, happy 8 year-old Springer Spaniel who had suddenly become a quadriplegic, due to bone growing inside his spinal column and putting pressure on his spinal cord. Sammi needed intense rehabilitation following surgery, where his surgeon was unable to remove the excess bone.

The prognosis for Sammi’s complete recovery was bleak… He could not walk at all, or even hold his little head up. Nobody was sure if he would ever walk again… Full paralysis in pets is, just as with humans, complicated and challenging to treat.

After three months of daily rehabilitation to strengthen his core muscles, including electronic stimulation, electro-acupuncture, assisted standing in the underwater treadmill, and sensory rehabilitation over a therapy ball, Sammi was able to master sitting up from a down position. Treatment was continued to pattern his legs to walk again, while constantly fighting them, as they were stiff and rigid from his neurological condition.

Then one day it finally happened — he took his first steps, and although he could not even stand and balance on his own that day, through continued rehabilitation, patience and sheer determination, he learned to walk again and never looked back.

Today Sammi not only walks - he runs, jumps, swims and plays. You’d never know what he’s been through to look at him now!

Source: calanimalrehab.com  /  via: calanimalrehab.com