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A dog's bark changes, then the back legs weaken, then the front. Coonhound syndrome is a sudden immune attack on the nerves, and most dogs come back from it with time, support and good raw material to rebuild.
A quick-acting immobilizer. Coonhound syndrome, or acute polyradiculoneuritis, can be a quick and devastating thing when a dog falls prey to it. The name came from an early belief that dogs caught it from raccoons: raccoon saliva, or ground and water tainted by raccoon urine. Opinions have varied, and there have been plenty of cases with no raccoon contact at all.
How it behaves. Whatever its origin, coonhound syndrome acts like an auto-immune disorder: the immune system attacks the nerves near the base of the spinal cord. The saliva theory is at least logical, since many animals carry oral bacteria that are harmful to others (a cat bite can turn into a serious infection in a person within a day). The result of the attack is a set of puzzling, frightening symptoms that arrive suddenly.
The bark changes first. Symptoms generally come on over one to seven days. Often the first thing a family notices is that the dog's bark sounds strange, because in some dogs the paralysis begins in the vocal muscles. Then comes weakness in the rear legs, which later spreads to the front. The gait stiffens, the muscles begin to waste, and some dogs become very tender to the touch.
Early on, the dog seems fine otherwise. Most dogs with coonhound syndrome keep a healthy appetite, stay alert, and otherwise look well, so owners may not be overly concerned at first. Before long the symptoms progress and it is plain that something is badly wrong.
Comfort and support, then time. There is no specific veterinary treatment for the condition; care is about keeping the dog comfortable and supported while the nerves recover. Symptoms range from mild to severe. Some dogs develop only mild signs and recover in a few weeks. In the worst cases the paralysis spreads to the muscles of breathing, and the dog may need respiratory support to buy the time it takes to come back.
Spike. One of our earliest success stories was a Bull Terrier named Spike. He suddenly went down in the rear, then in the front. The vets were stumped at first, then settled on coonhound syndrome. In desperation, his owner Linda reached out to us. Read Spike's story.
The Core FoundationSee the Core Foundation →Antioxidant Treats and Sprouted Granules together. Live-food nutrition for a body rebuilding nerve and muscle.
Raw material for the rebuild. Recovery from coonhound syndrome is the body repairing nerves and regrowing wasted muscle, and that work needs good building materials. The Antioxidant Treats and Sprouted Granules are the same sprouted whole-food formula in two forms; the body uses it to make its own antioxidant enzymes, which is how it eases inflammation around the injured nerves. Diet matters too: our recommended foods guide is where to start, and it is the first thing we go over on a consult.
If your dog has gone down suddenly and the vet is still working out why, book a free consultation.
Acute polyradiculoneuritis: a sudden immune attack on the nerve roots near the base of the spinal cord. The name comes from an early belief that dogs caught it from raccoons; cases happen with no raccoon contact at all.
Often a change in the bark, then weakness in the back legs that spreads forward to the front over one to seven days. The gait stiffens, muscles waste, and some dogs become tender to the touch. Appetite and alertness usually stay normal at first.
There is no specific veterinary treatment; care is comfort and support while the nerves recover. Mild cases improve over a few weeks. In severe cases the paralysis can reach the breathing muscles and the dog may need respiratory support for a time.
Most do, given time and supportive care. Milder cases have a shorter recovery of a few weeks; worse cases take longer. One of our earliest success stories, Spike the Bull Terrier, went down in the rear and then the front before the diagnosis was settled.
Recovery is the body rebuilding nerve and muscle, and that takes raw material. The Core Foundation (Antioxidant Treats and Sprouted Granules) gives the body live-food nutrition to make its own antioxidant enzymes while it does that work. Not sure where to start? Book a free consultation.
Tell us the breed, the age, what the food is, and how far the weakness has spread. A free half hour with the people who have walked hundreds of families through this.
The consultation is a scheduled half hour with the people who have walked hundreds of families through this, so you get real time and real answers. It's free, and it always will be.
