I just asked Google how many paralyzed dachshunds there are in the U.S. at any one time…
“A very conservative estimate of dachshunds paralyzed at any one time in the US could be around 25,000, though the true figure is likely higher.”
Imagine 25,000 dachshunds and their owners in one place. That would fill a stadium!
BTW, I have helped a lot of dachshunds that can’t walk get back on their feet. Here’s a video.
I have helped many dogs and cats that can’t walk and were diagnosed as having a ruptured disc, but I do not fix ruptured discs.
What else could be causing their mobility problems?
They could have back pain that is disabling them. They avoid the pain by not walking. If the vet puts them on drugs and crate rest and they improve over the next two weeks, back pain is probably the real issue. They still have an underlying back problem that Neuro-Energetic BalancingTM could help to prevent a relapse, but probably not a ruptured disc.
They could have interference with their proprioception. To understand proprioception just close your eyes and then touch your nose or navel. You can do that because of proprioception, messages from the body to the brain about the position and movement of your limbs. If the brain does not know what the limbs are doing it cannot send messages to make them move. There must be a feedback loop.
A ruptured disc can interfere with proprioception, but the animal will usually be in pain or have a painful reaction if you poke around on their spine. Many of the animals I have helped didn’t have any pain or tenderness in their back but were paralyzed. What else could interfere with proprioception?
Traumatic brain injury, Parkinsons, or Multiple Sclerosis, but what else could affect the mind-body connection? Since I have helped quite few of these cases of paralysis, I developed a theory to explain what could be happening.
Trauma, Fight/Flight, and Paralysis
I will illustrate with a story. A dachshund sees a squirrel in the yard, but he doesn’t know that the sliding glass door is closed. He runs into the door, hurting his neck and scaring him severely. The next day he walks like a drunk and two days later he can’t get up on his hind legs at all.
He tweaked his neck, and he also had a massive fight/flight response which locked in his physical and emotional state at that traumatic moment. Nerve pathway interference in his neck was amplified by the fear response which altered brain function and energy flow patterns leading to physical exhaustion, lack of proprioception, and then paralysis.
This scenario is a composite of cases of paralysis that I have helped in dogs, cats and even one horse.
If you have been to the vet and feel like you aren’t getting the help you need, you may want to explore Neuro-Energetic BalancingTM as an option for your pet. It can be done in the comfort of your own home via guided sessions over a video call. This method gently rebalances the physical and energy bodies and resets the fight/flight system allowing natural healing from within. Click HERE to arrange for a free consultation with Dr. Nels Rasmussen, DC. He will answer your questions and offer his perspective on your situation.
