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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Feb 6, 2015 14:49:05 GMT -7
Baxter Boo is getting a new baby sister, her name is Lucy and she was born December 5, 2014, she is a solid chocolate long hair. <img alt="" src=" "> <img alt="" src=" ">
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Feb 6, 2015 17:10:11 GMT -7
How cute is she?!! What a little sweetie. She's a lucky girl to be part of your loving family. Best of everything with her!
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Feb 9, 2015 4:00:57 GMT -7
Thanks Marjorie. When Baxter Boo met her he did his biggest tail wag yet. Not quite a normal tail wag but a lot faster than the slow wag he has been doing.
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Mar 7, 2015 10:58:39 GMT -7
Baxter Boo peed on his own yesterday without being expressed. We were getting ready to take him to the vet to has his nail trims and we were getting ready to express him and he went all on his own.
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 7, 2015 12:20:33 GMT -7
Great news, Shari! Wonderful sign of nerve healing. Nerves can take a long time to heal but heal they can. Keep up the good work, Shari & Baxter Boo! Thanks for sharing the good news.
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Mar 27, 2015 7:21:18 GMT -7
Baxter Boo stood on his own the other day and actually took about three steps! I got so excited and like a toddler learning to walk, mommy got excited and he can move faster scooting, he stopped walking and scooted to mommy so he could get to me faster.
He is also wagging his tail faster, still not back to a full wag but very close.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 27, 2015 8:42:50 GMT -7
Shari, what wonderful news...that Baxter is busy healing his nerves.... love that he took three steps.... Go Baxter!!!
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jun 18, 2015 14:18:26 GMT -7
Baxter Boo has been taking a couple of steps for awhile but today he actually walked almost 2 feet. He was sitting on the floor and stood up and walked towards me before the strength gave out in his back legs. I measured the distance he traveled and it was 22 inches, just shy of two feet.
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Post by Pauliana on Jun 18, 2015 20:42:41 GMT -7
Hi Shari! Excellent news about Baxter walking 2 feet! I am so happy for you both!
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Oct 21, 2015 3:11:49 GMT -7
Update on Baxter Boo. It has been a year since Baxter Boo graduated from his last crate rest and I am happy to say we have had no issues and he has been pain free. He is still not walking 100% but is walking some. He continues with his weekly water therapy which has really helped rebuilding strength and muscle tone.
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
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Post by Marjorie on Oct 21, 2015 5:17:10 GMT -7
So nice to hear from you, Shari, and to hear that Baxter Boo is doing well. He went through a lot last year, but your loving care saw him through it. Please do keep us updated and please give little Baxter Boo a hug from us.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 23, 2015 10:07:35 GMT -7
Wonderful to hear no signs of disc problems. Can you tell us more about Baxter's walking now? Is there any knuckling or just wobbliness? How far a distance can he walk now? Which kind of water therapy... underwater treadmill or still swimming therapy?
This is how underwater treadmill works to expedite re-learning walking skills:
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Dec 31, 2015 18:29:37 GMT -7
Baxter Boo is learning to walk again. He is wobbly but slowing getting there. Here is a video of him working on walking.
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
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Post by Marjorie on Jan 1, 2016 7:59:55 GMT -7
Thanks for sharing the video with us, Shari. Little Baxter Boo is sure making every effort to get where he wants to go and looks so very happy about it, too! Please continue to keep us updated. We love hearing from our grads.
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jul 10, 2016 10:26:14 GMT -7
Since Baxter Boo lost all use of his legs in February 2014 he has made great progress is walking and standing. He can now standing for short periods of time and walks (still wobbly) more and more. Here is a recent video of Baxter Boo. When Baxter Boo became paralyzed no one thought he would ever walk again as he had no deep pain sensation. But with strict crate rest for 8 weeks and then patience for the past two years, he is on his way to 100% recovery.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 10, 2016 10:53:48 GMT -7
Shari, your Baxter has a lot to say! He looks so happy being with his family. Please do share and give hope & inspiration to those just getting an overwhelming IVDD diagnosis. We would just LOVE to have a current photo of Baxter and a couple of sentences for the 2016 photo gallery. Your continued updates are wonderful to see how Baxter Boo is doing over the years. Thank you for taking the extra effort to share! LOGIN www.dodgerslist.com/gallery/ : username: Dachsie password: dodgerslist14 Or you can email (owner's name, email addy, dog's name + photo caption) to : photogallery@dodgerslist.com
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jul 10, 2016 11:36:56 GMT -7
Just went to the site and uploaded a recent picture and how much progress he has made this year
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Feb 4, 2017 8:14:24 GMT -7
A little history and an update on Baxter Boo. May 2009, Baxter Boo had his first episode of IVDD after 8 weeks of crate rest he made a full recovery. January 2013, Baxter Boo had his 2nd episode of IVDD and after 8 weeks of crate rest he made a full recovery. February 5, 2014, three years ago tomorrow, he had his 3rd IVDD episode and the nightmare began. After 8 weeks of crate rest, he was in a cart and had a 4th episode only a few weeks after graduating. Eight more weeks of crate rest, then he graduated and still was not walking and in a cart. A few weeks later, his 5th episode and he graduated in late October 2014. He could not walk and was in a cart. During the year 2014, he was determined by a surgeon not to be a good candidate for surgery. We tried laser therapy which helped with the pain. When he graduated from his 5th episode in October 2014, he started water therapy. He does 15 minutes once a week. Current Maintenance Since October 2014: 25 mg Rimaydl (1/2 pill twice a day) 10mg Pepcid (1/2 a pill twice a day) and 4ml Gapapentin twice a day. And once a week 15 minutes of water therapy. Update: yesterday went to vet for yearly blood work to make sure the meds are not affecting his kidneys and liver and his blood work was perfect. And here is a video taken a week ago. We never thought he would walk again three years ago but look at him go.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Feb 4, 2017 10:17:55 GMT -7
Shari, the video at YouTube has been set to "Private" so we are not able to view until you set it to "public" Looking forward to seeing the new video.
What is the reason he is taking an anti-inflammatory and a pain med currently?
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Feb 4, 2017 15:46:42 GMT -7
Fixed the video link so it should work now.
In 2014 when we were going through all those repeat episodes, every time we took him on the meds, the flare up began again. So the vet said we would try keeping him on them indefinitely and watch him closely with routine blood work. If the meds did not affect anything, we would keep him on them and it has worked and no negative side effects.
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Feb 4, 2017 16:09:41 GMT -7
We can see the video now. He is really on the go!
Some dogs do need to stay on small doses of anti-inflammatories indefinitely, as long as the blood work is done routinely
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Feb 6, 2017 9:28:24 GMT -7
Shari, so nice to see Baxter moving about so nicely in that video!
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jul 17, 2017 2:54:58 GMT -7
[Suspicion of a disc episode July 14, 2017] Not sure what is going on with Baxter Boo. He has been on crate rest since Friday evening [July 14] and goes to the vet this afternoon.It doesn't happen every time but sometimes when you touch him on the upper back (the area near his front legs) he yelps. That is the only symptom he is showing. When we take him out of the crate to go to the bathroom, he is fine to be lift out and in as long as you avoid that upper back area. Then after he goes to the bathroom, he starts to wonder off (he is quick) but he is walking and moving like he normally does. Except to be tender to the touch (and I said it is not every time you touch him there just sometimes) he is like he always is. A couple things I have thought of, is his disc issues is moving into that area. Also during the 4th of July weekend, he would jump and move about more than normal because of the fireworks scared him and maybe he pulled something in that area.
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
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Post by Marjorie on Jul 17, 2017 3:34:53 GMT -7
Sorry to hear that BaxterBoo may be having another disc episode. Sometimes when a disc starts to tear, the only symptom will be pain. Also since the pain appears to be in his upper back, it may be a neck injury this time and often that presents with only pain as a symptom. Continue to strictly restrict the movement of his spine by carrying him in and out to potty with very few steps at potty time until you get in to see the doctor today. That will help protect his spine from further damage in case this is a neck disc injury.
We'll be anxiously awaiting word after the exam.
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jul 19, 2017 2:45:48 GMT -7
Baxter Boo went to the vet on Monday. Good news it does not appear to be a disc episode. He is still on crate rest for the next several weeks. he will go back to the vet in 3 weeks for a follow up. X-Rays were normal but the vet said it may be very early stages and not showing on the xrays. He also did not show any signs of pain for the vet, which might just him being stubborn. Until this morning, no signs of pain since Sunday night. This morning, a slight yelp when my husband patted him on the upper back.
Vet thinks at this point he may have strained something in that area. But the vet said it could be a disc episode in the very early stages as well.
In addition to his other regular meds he is also taking tramadol daily (1/2 a 25 mg tablet three times a day) Once he has not shown any sign of pain for five days we are to taper the tramadol to 2X a day then after five more days with no pain to 1X a day then five days of no tramadol.
If the pain increases in frequency at any point during this tramadol tapering, the five day clock basically restarts.
When he goes back to the vet, if there are still any signs of pain, he will order an MRI.
Baxter Boo is on rimadyl and to do steroids we would have to do wait between the last rimadyl and before starting steroids for the "wash out" period. We are trying to avoid that at this point. But if he still appears to be about the same (with showing signs of pain occasionally or the signs of pain increase) then we will stop the rimaydl and put him on steroids after the "wash out" period.
The vet is having me keep a journal of when he yelps or shows any discomfort and I am to call him next week to discuss whether to switch to steroids.
So basically he is on strict crate rest for now.
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Post by Julie & Perry on Jul 19, 2017 4:01:37 GMT -7
If for some reason Baxter needed to switch to steroids, if he started to lose neurological function for example, you could give him sulcrafate and pepcid to give him double stomach protection, and avoid waiting through a wash out period. However, that's just in emergency situations.
Good for you for being proactive in crating Baxter just in case it is an early IVDD episode!
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jul 20, 2017 2:41:19 GMT -7
Vet called yesterday to check up on Baxter Boo, we discussed more steroids vs. the Rimadyl. He said as long as he is not in constant pain, and only yelps occasionally when you touch that one spot and shows no other signs of pain or issues, we will stay with the Rimadyl.
Baxter Boo has been doing weekly water therapy since he graduated from his last disc episode and conservative treatment. Water therapy is on hold for now but he said we could do laser therapy. He did laser therapy several years ago with his 2nd disc episode and laser therapy can be done with conservative treatment.
The place we take him for water therapy also does laser therapy so we are going to switch to that while he is on strict crate rest.
For the near future it is a wait and see approach with strict crate rest.
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jul 21, 2017 3:19:19 GMT -7
Baxter Boo is all set up for laser therapy starting Saturday. It is the same place we take him for the water therapy. While his big sister does her water therapy for her arthritis, he will get laser therapy.
He is getting more and more fussy being on crate rest, but I know that is a good sign, he is feeling better.
If he stays the same or starts getting better, he will go back to the vet for a re-check on August 7th, if he gets worse showing more signs on pain, then we are to take him in immediately.
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Post by Shari&BaxterBoo on Jul 23, 2017 13:04:09 GMT -7
Baxter Boo is doing well, no signs of pain and he has started his tampering off the tramadol. He did laser therapy on Saturday and it went well. As stated before he is on crate rest at least until his next appointment. When we take him out to potty after he is done doing his business his walking and everything appears normal (we do not let him walk except for a small area where he chooses where to do his business) but no signs of any problems during this time.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 25, 2017 10:01:26 GMT -7
Shari, glad to hear everyone is being cautious and conservative with the unknown of why the back is so tender.
So had he been on Rimadyl long term for arthritis or some other reason before this issue happened on July 14. Or was Rimadyl first Rx'd on July 14? He is still taking the Riamdyl while Tramadol is being tapered off?
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