Gracie had a very bad day. Gracie is at the Dallas Veterinary Surgery Center, rather than snoozing here by my computer.
I was playing with Gracie and the other dogs this morning on our agility equipment. Gracie took 2 jumps, powered through the weave poles, and began dragging her right back leg, then the left as well.
I got her to the vet and she sent us to Dallas Vet Surgical Center, where Gracie will remain for a few days. The myleogram of her spine was normal, so it is not a ruptured disk, no surgery required. The suspected diagnosis is a fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE). An FCE is like a stroke of the spinal cord. Apparently some disc material enters an artery causing an obstruction of the blood flow to the spine. A piece of the spine dies. Lots of dogs recover from an FCE, some don't. It is a painless injury. The good news is that the left leg still has a reflex response as well as feeling. Although there is no reflex response in the right leg, it does appear she still has some feeling - which is good. Hopefully Gracie will be able to walk again one day.
P.S. For those of my friends and relatives who can not believe I would go to this much trouble and expense for a dog (you know who you are), look at it this way - just doing my part to stimulate the economy... Love you!
