Sparky the dog came in for his first visit to see Dr. Royal at the Royal Treatment Veterinary Center in Chicago on March 20th, 2011. Sparky’s owners had not seen him actively use his legs since the day before his surgery three months before. As you can see in this video, Sparky just drags his hind legs behind him:
Now, take a look at Sparky moving his hind legs and walking during his first Underwater Treadmill Therapy session!
Sparky can’t walk on land yet, but throughout his session, we saw that he can move his hind legs when the pressure is taken off in water. With continued therapy at The Royal Treatment Veterinary Center, we expect he will regain his ability to walk on land. Go Sparky!