Subject recruitment was initiated upon receiving funding. Potential study subjects were identified through the electronic medical database of the veterinary medical teaching hospital of the University of Wisconsin. In the past 10 years, 84 dachshunds were identified to receive surgery for intervertebral disc disease. 54 of these individuals were excluded due to advanced age. Of the remaining 30, only 1 individual was identified to enroll in the study due to lack of owner interest, complete or near complete resolution of clinical signs, or an inability to contact the owners. Prior to enrollment, we completed construction of a manual intermittent hypoxia exposure system and obtained materials necessary for data acquisition including nonslip mats and video recording hardware. Unfortunately the one subject we attempted to enroll had compensated his gait for longstanding severe paraparesis, thereby hindering our capabilities of assessing proposed outcome measures. Additionally, due to aggression, he was unable to receive intermittent hypoxia or rehabilitation training sessions. Subsequently the medical database of a nearby emergency and specialty care facility were similarly reviewed; however, no owners were willing to commit to the study schedule proposed.







