Put a call into your vet, ask if a ramp might be better than steps at this point, you can do this easily, and cover it with carpet or material that he can grip with his pads and claws. When he's ready for steps, you can easily convert the ramp into steps (backside would be one board, two sides, front as a ramp..then just take off ramp and build steps). I'm rambling here, just ideas.
oh yeah...he loves to have his ears scratched...when I saw him attemtping to do it himself today, I let him try a few times, then I just got my fingertip in there, not too deep, just where he would be scratching...and he as in heaven..eyes half closed and the groaning began...hahhaa...then I just got both ears going and he was in total heven then!!!
we toyed with the idea of a ramp as well, but to be a proper/safe slope (handicap requirements), which is 3 feet long for ever 1 foot high, that would be way out into the middle of our living room...
if we did stairs, I could have them run alongside the couch, in front of the corner table, but the top would be at the couch cushion height...and if I did ech step with the run at about 12 inches and the rise at about 4 inches, that is not too high, and the steps would be deep enough for him to stand on...and they would be at least 16-18 inches wide...carpeted with a short railing so he would not even be able to jump down from the side of them...
Sammie is going more stir crazy with each passing day...and we have two weeks still to be crated...oh boy!!
Today when I opened the crate, he ran out again and I had to stop him...took him outside and he lifted his leg to potty and then turned to run up the stairs...lucky the leash I am using is a short one right now...
tonight on the couch beside me, I literally had to keep a hand on his collar because if I let go, he tried to make a jump for it...I finally just had to put him back into his crate...
We did get him some new duds at Petsmart tonight...we went to get a kennel cup so he could have water whenever he wanted rather than when one of us held the dish in there for him, and he ended up with a cool orange and black Harley Davidson collar, a new denim HD hat...we wanted to get him the black "leather" hat but they were out of smalls...
We were also looking at a brown "bomber style" doggie jacket for him to wear on cold days, and a yellow rain slicker for rainy day walks...
I told my husband if he starts getting those, soon we will need to assign Sammie his own closet...hahaha
Well, Sammie is feeling so good that he is once again burying himself under his blankie like he prefers to do..I guess it is a daschshund thing...all of my mom's have done that and Sammie did too until his back was hurt...
We go Tuesday for the staples being removed, and I cannot wait for his vet to see him...this is the local one, who the last time he saw Sammie, he was paralyzed...and now he is walking with just a slight limp, and trying to even run when he goes out for potty breaks...
and imagine...less than 2 weeks ago, he was in terrible pain, and could not walk!!
That's wonderful, Tambrey! Poor little fella is so excited to be feeling better, he just wants to run and run and run! It's a shame he doesn't understand that you're keeping him from doing that for his own good.
I know your vet will be thrilled with his progress!
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
We went and got the staples removed today...and yes, the vet was thrilled at his progress...he said that they consider it a good case if the dog can sort of walk at 3 weeks, and doing about what Sammie is doing at 6 weeks...
the incision looks great and has healed beautifully...and the surgeon did a nice job of getting it straight and along his spine, so when the fur grows back, it will hardly be noticable...
Sammie still has slight weakness in his right leg, but getting better every day...just every so often it will turn or slide out to the side...but overall, I am very happy with our results!!
