Determined Foster Mom Teaches Partially Paralyzed Dachshund to Walk Again

A determined foster mom named Sandy used all of the tools in her arsenal to help a partially paralyzed dachshund named Manny use to walk again.

Watch this injured dachshund decide he’s going to walk again

Manny had fallen off a bed and shattered several discs in his spine, which paralyzed his back legs. After surgery, Manny was placed with Sandy, who did everything she could to help little Manny use his back legs. This included handmade mazes, manual therapy, and a kiddie pool in her basement. When Manny outgrew the pool, she took him to hydrotherapy. After 16 weeks, Manny was walking again.

I think one of the best things I did for him was to encourage the water therapy. He started very very short, like 5 minutes cuz he’s like he’s got little legs. 5 minutes is actually a long time for him and now he’s using both legs and he’s at 20 -25 minutes in the pool he’s exhausted by the time he gets out but really is just amazing how much it has helped.

Manny is up for adoption through Albert’s Dog Lounge in Whitewater, Wisconsin. While he can walk, he still needs a little assistance getting around sometimes, particularly when going to the bathroom. He also needs a home that will treat him gently, as his back could easily be hurt again.

I am mostly recovered from my injury, getting stronger every day. Sometimes you may need to carry me because I get tired. Also, I still can’t go potty by myself all the way, so I need your help with emptying my bladder and bowels. …I love people, which probably includes kids, but because of my back, I need to be handled very carefully. …I can’t be allowed to jump up or off furniture or climb up or down stairs, and you will need to make sure I don’t fall off anything or I could reinjure my back.