Paraplegic Dogs Regain Ability to Walk After Shots

INDIANAPOLIS — Dogs with paralyzed hind legs regained the ability to walk after getting a shot of a chemical cousin of antifreeze that helped repair nerve cells in their damaged spinal cords, scientists reported Friday.

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.

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

In the study, 19 paraplegic dogs were injected with polyethylene glycol. Within eight weeks, 13 of the 19 canines regained the use of their hind legs and were able to walk. The study’s findings appear in the December issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma.