New treatment can prevent paralysis in dogs

Dogs with paralysed hind legs regained the ability to walk after getting a shot of anti-freeze that helped repair their damaged spinal cords, scientists reported.

Dogs with paralysed hind legs regained the ability to walk after getting a shot of a chemical cousin of anti-freeze that helped repair nerve cells in their damaged spinal cords, scientists reported.

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Purdue University researchers who led the project hope the approach can soon be tried in people, but caution that there are significant differences between human and canine spinal cords.

The treatment only worked on dogs given the injections within about three days of their injury.

Some dogs not given the injections eventually walked again, but those getting the new treatment had a dramatically higher recovery rate.

In one case, a dachshund named Oscar was initially sent home with a wheel cart and little hope of recovery after a serious injury.

Soon after the dog got the chemical treatment, he began walking, although his back legs work in unison, giving him an unusual gait.