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Coonhound Paralysis

Discussion in 'Health & Nutrition' started by Bernard Marx, Mar 14, 2011.

  1. Bernard Marx

    Bernard Marx Pup

    Does anyone here have experience with a dog that caught this disease?
     
    Bernard Marx, Mar 14, 2011
    #1
  2. kalenhcc

    kalenhcc Big Dog

    I had a friend whose walker coonhound got it. But I don't know much about it. Im also interested to see what comes up on this topic.
     
    kalenhcc, Mar 14, 2011
    #2
  3. benthere

    benthere CH Dog Staff Member

    Not a lot of research has been done on it. So far I have been lucky enough to not have direct experience with it. But, I have done some research into it because I coon hunt with terriers and I want to be prepared if it happens. I have friends who have a lot of experience with it. It is supposedly closely related to this disease http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001704/
    From what I know, initial and immediate treatment with steroids (prednisone, dexamethasone) helps with recovery. Other supportive therapy and tlc is needed to help dogs get past the acute phase.
    I have some theories of my own for which I have no substantial proof:
    Guilliane Barre syndrome often follows some sort of infection. I think this is possible with CHP as well especially in cases where the dog is bit by the coon and it becomes infected. I think that it is really important to wash all coon saliva off your dog with a disinfectant scrub like betadine as soon as posssible after contact with the coon.
    On another note: I know a very good dog man who has bulldogs and he says he has had dogs get CHP when they are on their chains and never had any contact with a coon. Once again, the prior infection, reaction to the infecting agent might play a role here.
    If the dog makes it past the initial onset and recovers they are always more vulnerable to getting it again and should probably never be hunted again.
    Hope this helps.
     
    benthere, Mar 14, 2011
    #3
  4. lrk

    lrk Big Dog

    Seen it first hand and it sucks. Very debilitating disease! Unfortunately before the dog could be treated much he was killed in a kennel fire.
     
    lrk, Mar 14, 2011
    #4
  5. Bernard Marx

    Bernard Marx Pup

    My girl (pictured here in this thread on raccoons Dog Vs. Coon - Page 2 - Pit Bull Forums) currently has it. She has been on steroids since late January and is recovering but it has been a slow recovery and it was quite upsetting when she could not walk. Not too many vets up here know much about the disease so I have started my own research but like someone has already mentioned there is not a lot of information out there.

    Any info or stories anyone has about coonhound paralysis please share. The more I know the better.
     
    Bernard Marx, Mar 14, 2011
    #5
  6. lrk

    lrk Big Dog

    I will see if I can talk to a friend of mine who's coondog had it and see if he has any helpful info.
     
    lrk, Mar 14, 2011
    #6
  7. supertank

    supertank Big Dog

    We dont have coons in NZ but still have what they call coonhound paralyisis in other words it is a given name for something no one can figuire out what it is. I would try colloidal silver it would be worth a shot and harmless It is great for just about every thing else so why not. Some one on here might have or on the net somewhere must have tried it. Sounds like a horrible thing for dogs to get. Hope your dog has a quick and full recovery.
     
    supertank, Mar 14, 2011
    #7
  8. supertank

    supertank Big Dog

    OK so I'm home sick today and bored This sounded terrible so i thought I would have a look on google. Found these.

    My reasoning to use colloidal silver was that Coonhound Paralysis is an immune system response to (mostly) unknown agents. Colloidal silver is known to support and strengthen the immune system. And just in case this was caused by a virus or bacteria, it would at least have helped to keep their multiplying in check.

    DMSO has a great many uses. One of its strengths is to regenerate damaged nerves. And since it's the nerve conductor substance that is affected with coonhound paralysis, I am confident that it was indeed DMSO that has helped our little friend.

    Our little yorkie came down with coonhound paralysis exactly four weeks ago. The first two weeks she couldn't move at all, except for her head somewhat when propped up. Our main issue was with keeping her hydrated. Liquids and food made her gag and cough. We gave her colloidal silver from the start, to help boost her immune system, and we fed her raw egg yolk mixed with kefir. Everything was given drop by drop with a syringe. According to the vet she needed about 50cc of water per day. It was quite a battle getting that into her. After two weeks the coughing lessened, but she was not able to move her limps, yet.

    I use DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) - Dr. Stanley Jacob) quite a bit with our farm animals and for personal health. And I don't know why I hadn't thought of it earlier, but started Luna on it. I clipped her fur very short, and applied it (mixed with 50% [by volume] colloidal silver) to her whole body once a day. What happened then was miraculous! The next day she was able to roll on her back from one side to the other, 2nd day onto her stomach, 3rd day she could hold herself a few seconds on her front legs when propped up, 4th day she pushed herself up by the front legs (!), then came the hind legs for a few seconds...the seventh day she was standing up and waking a few steps! Today, after two weeks exactly, from when we started applying the DMSO, she is walking around, even downstairs. The way she's going, she'll be running around in another week or so!

    Sounds like that person put it on the dogs skin I was thinking of ingesting it. all the best:)
     
    supertank, Mar 14, 2011
    #8
  9. Bernard Marx

    Bernard Marx Pup

    Just thought I would give an update on the situation with my dog. The coonhound paralysis caused just that, it moved up from her rearend all the way to her head even paralyzing her vocal cords at one point. She became very atrophied. We took her in to euthanize her and the vet recommended waiting a day or two. She initially got better but then started getting worse again. Took her in again and in the vet's office she showed some signs of wanting to continue trying so we gave her that chance. Since that time she got better and better and has now made an almost 100% recovery (she lost a bit of muscle in her one back paw - like a fallen arch).

    My vet said she has never seen a dog with as strong as a will to live as my dog. I am convinced if she was any other breed of dog she would have died.

    For anyone else who is unfortunate enough to go through this, predisone really helped. It stopped to a degree, her body from turning on itself and let the disease run its course. Tapering off the steroid is a long process and had its own side effects (like hairloss) but once they are off it, everything comes back. The disease took about 10-12 months to fully run its course with her.
     
    Bernard Marx, Jun 27, 2012
    #9
  10. bgblok68

    bgblok68 CH Dog

    Glad to hear she's doing ok.
     
    bgblok68, Jun 27, 2012
    #10

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