Dog Coonhound Paralysis Symptoms and Treatments

Canine Coonhound Paralysis is a neurological condition which can affect any dog and manifests as a paralysis affecting the fore and hind legs, the head and neck, and the muscles of the chest which control barking and breathing i.e. the intercostals muscles between the ribs, and the diaphragm.

It is sometimes caused by a reaction to raccoon saliva particularly if the dog has been bitten or scratched, or it can be triggered by a stimulant to the nervous system such as physical stress from a viral or bacterial infection, or a course of injections. It was originally seen in the coonhound

The first signs of this paralysis will be what look like stiffness in the joints and a change in the breathing patterns and voice. This can develop into an inability to breathe because the muscles involved in breathing are not working and air cannot be passed in and out of the lungs. There may also be facial paralysis where the muscles will slacken and lose all tone, including those of the eye and the mouth. Coonhound paralysis will affect both sides of the face and body, and the dog is also likely to lose muscle control of his bladder and rectum and will be incontinent.

Diagnosis is made on recognition of the signs and a neurological investigation. Some dogs will then need intensive help while their nervous system returns to normal whereas other dogs may bounce back quite quickly. There are no medications which are useful in treatment of this condition simply because there is nothing to fight - it is not caused by a bacterium or a virus and its exact cause is as yet unknown.

In a dog with severe symptoms recovery may take several months with support in the absence of any muscle strength or ability to breathe properly. Treatment in the acute stages will be best given in a veterinary hospital where his breathing can be done for him by ventilation and all his physical needs met. He can then be discharged for home nursing once he has regained some muscle tone in his chest and can breathe unaided.

He will need hand feeding and watering plus constant hygiene care so as to keep his body in as healthy a condition as possible and constant care to make sure he does not develop pressure sores from lying on one side for long periods of time. Some owners advocate a sling or hoist that can be used to give him a change of position and so that he can be cleaned and looked after whilst his bedding is changed regularly. He will need physiotherapy to keep his muscles moving and his blood circulating properly, and this will also give him human contact that he would normally be so used to but isn't able to enjoy whilst he is paralysed.

Once he starts to recover the prognosis is excellent, and although he may have had some muscle wastage because of his inactivity during recovery, this is likely to respond to gentle exercise in the first few weeks together with swimming exercises and short walks.

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