Managing Botulism Paralysed Giant Breed

[Nellienoodles]

I am hoping there is someone who has experienced this awful journey with botulism and come out the other side-

Nellie(Nelson) is an nearly 8yr old dogue de Bordeaux who crashed literally from standing a bit wobbly to paralysed In less than 2 hours, he was in ICU for 10days could not eat or drink for most of that time, raging temps up to 40.5 and initially could only breath and move his eyes.

He is now in our care and is tended to 24/7.

Now he can lift his head, squirm and wiggle, and if we put him into sternal recumbency can flomp to his side.

he was 50kg possibly 45-7 kg now and still has complete flaccid paralysis of all four legs.

He eats well, urinares and defacates by himself, we have to move him from lateral to sternal recumbency to eat, but he is "helping" now.

I guess what I would like info on is what you did to get your dog mobile, I massage and physio daily but, I am concerned he is "forgetting or unaware he can use his legs- with his sheer size and weight he is very hard to manoever.

Has any one made a sling? Or had success with a physio ball with a giant breed dog

Any help sugestions would be gratefully recieved thanks