'The prognosis wasn’t good, but his spirit never died:' WSU Vets help dog walk again

From having just a 10% chance to walk again, to now being able to chase a squirrel, the veterinarians at Washington State University (WSU) have nursed a dog back to a happy life.

Noodles, a 7-year-old dachshund-schnauzer mix was first introduced to Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital three years ago with an injury that had left him paralyzed in his back legs.

Surgeons gave Noodles a 10% chance of recovery without surgery and 50% chance if Noodles went through with the procedure as well as a lengthy rehabilitation program, that would have been stressful on Noodles, and his owner Tony McBride.

After the surgery, he just kept wanting to get better and better, and little by little, he has kept improving," McBride told WSU Insider. "We are thankful every day for WSU and for how they helped Noodles."

It is unknown exactly how Noodles became injured, but McBride suspects that the injury occurred during Thanksgiving of 2020. 

"He wouldn’t jump up into the backseat like he always does," McBride said. "I thought maybe he’s just tired from playing."

McBride helped Noodles in the car and everything seemed to be back to normal, until the next morning. On the way to do their normal morning routine McBride found Noodles frozen and then, along with his wife, rushed the dog to a clinic who recommended they take Noodles to WSU.

At WSU, it was found that Noodles had a herniated disk in his spine. WSU is also where Noodles went into surgery with neurologist Dr. Vishal Murthy and surgery resident Dr. Marjorie Owen on the job.

Six weeks later at his routine check-up Noodles had regained some movement leading Dr. Owens to tell WSU Insider that, "The most telling time period is that first six weeks, and so when we saw that we were cautiously optimistic that he would continue to improve."

As time has passed, it's been a slow but steady road to recovery for Noodles, but Owens is confident that he will make a full recovery.

"His owners were very committed to his care and wanted to do whatever they possibly could, and that makes a huge difference," Owen said. "Our part as veterinarians and surgeons is so small in the grand scheme of things, and these owners are really the people who make or break a recovery."