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Post by Sarah & Ella on Jun 14, 2015 6:02:41 GMT -7
Hi my name is Sarah, my dog is Ella. She has recently shown clear signs of IVDD this is the second major episode in 2 weeks. After the first one she had trouble walking, was on meds and rest for 2 weeks, we got X-rays done but no clear diagnosis. This time she was in more pain and loss more use of her back legs. I cannot afford the CT scan or surgery so we have opt for cage rest. Today is day 1, we didn't have a cage so set her up in a boarded up dog house. She chewed through and escaped within hours. We now have brought a veterinary cage. It is going to be very difficult to listen to her crying but hoping we can see through the 8 weeks strict cage rest. Support appreciated.
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Post by Pauliana on Jun 14, 2015 7:47:59 GMT -7
Welcome to Dodgerslist, Sarah. First thing to know is that it IS in the cards for your dog to get back to enjoying life whether immediately walking or waiting on more nerve repair - IVDD is not a death sentence. Find out why that is true: www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htm In order to help you more, could you please answer these questions? ☐ What breed is your dog? Is the vet a general DVM or a specialist (ACVIM neurology or ACVS ortho)? ☐ What was the date you saw the vet and started the all important 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 for 8 weeks & only out at potty times for this current disc episode? …. STRICT means No laps, no couch, no sleeping in bed with you, no meandering, scooting or dragging around during potty times. No baths, no chiro (aka VOM)? ☐ Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant to move much or slow to move, tight tense tummy? Full pain relief is expected in 1 hour and stays that way dose to dose. Your vet needs to know asap to adjust meds ☐ How much does your dog weigh? Please list the exact names of meds currently given, their doses in mg’s and times per day given? What was the start dose if a steroid, date of taper? Please include the all important stomach protector such as Pepcid AC. Phrase the question to your vet this particular way:" Is there a medical/health reason for my dog not take Pepcid?" If there is no reason, we follow vets who are proactive against not eating, vomit, diarrhea, bleeding ulcers by giving doxie weight dogs 5mg Pepcid (famotidine) 30 minutes before the anti-inflammatory. ☐ Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk? ☐ Can your dog specifically sniff and squat and then release urine or do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up? ☐ Eating and drinking OK? Poops OK - normal firmness & color -no dark or bright red blood? ☐ If there is pain or neuro diminishment, dogs can benefit greatly with acupuncture or laser light therapy. These therapies can be be started right away to help relieve pain and to also to kick start energy production in nerve cells to sprout. So if this therapy is in your budget, seek out a holistic vet. www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/ Chiropractic is not recommended for IVDD dogs. Excluding an emergency of pain not being controlled or diminishment of nerve functions that require prompt vet help, we have excellent resources for many IVDD questions members have. While you are waiting for a reply, do check out our "All things IVDD" resources for getting the recovery suite setup to an overview of just how Conservative Treatment works: www.dodgerslist.com/literature.htm |
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Post by Sarah & Ella on Jun 14, 2015 17:54:17 GMT -7
Hi Pauliana
Thank you for your support, it has been a long 24 hours.
We had to move the cage through the night, we had her in the kitchen area but she was too scared being in there on her own so she is now in the bedroom with us. We all managed to get back to sleep, now for Day 2.
Ella first showed signs of discomfort 2 months ago, just the occasional yelping - we took her to the vet and they said it was probably just growing pains, gave us a course of anti-inflammatories. She finished the course and was still getting her regular walks - I actually thought she needed the exercise to work through the growing pains.... then 2 weeks ago she was crying a lot, all through the night, the next day I tried to walk her to the vet and she couldn't walk - she was in so much pain, shivering and yelping. I managed to carry her to the vet and she stayed in over night with some morphine. I picked her up the next evening and was given 2 weeks worth of anti-flammatories and told to rest her for the next 2 weeks.
She recovered quickly and showed signs of improvement within a week. I actually took her out for a walk last week because she seemed so well. We didn't have her on cage rest just house rest, but she was still free to walk around the house and jump on things....
On Friday she had a episode of screaming and when I picked her up her back legs were limp, I put her down and she couldn't stand on them so would slump to the side and scream again in pain. I brought her back to the vet the following day, they confirmed the suspicion that they too thought it was IVDD. They recommended getting a CT scan, I am in 2 minds as to whether to pay the $3,000 for a CT scan if we cannot then afford to pay for the surgery...Would this show me how much damage has been done and would it change any of the treatment moving forward?
Anyway to answer your questions below
Ella is a Cavalier / Shih Tzu (however we have always had suspicion on the Shih Tzu part her body and face shape looks more Dachshund). We went to a regular vet but this one seemed to be very knowledgeable about IVDD. She has referred us to a specialist at the cost of $3,000 for the CT scan and consultation. Do you think this is a sound investment?
☐ What was the date you saw the vet and started the all important 100% STRICT? Yesterday (24 hours ago)
☐ Is there still currently pain - Yes, she slept through the night she had got a large dose of pain reliever from the vet that morning so I think it was manageable yesterday. Today we were on our own. I put her meds in her food and took her out of the cage this morning to have breakfast, she did eat a little bit and then wanted to go and lie back down. before putting her back in the cage, I lifted her up and took her outside to see if she wanted to go toilet. She didn't attempt to go and then started screaming. I lifted her back up and put her in her cage and then she started screaming again. Me and my partner were unsure if she had consumed any meds from her food, she is on Tramadol and another anti-inflammatory. He tried to give her some more meds but she went crazy when he tried to put it in her mouth but I think we got enough into her system to keep her going this morning.
Ella weighs around 7kg. She is on half a tablet of Tramadol in the morning and half at night and then half a table of another pain reliever / anti-flammatory in the morning (I don't have the name to hand).
[7kg/ 15.43 lbs]
Unknown anti inflammatory  ? 1/2 tablet in the morning.
Tramadol 1/2 tablet every 12 hours
☐ Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk? She can stand but she is not comfortable standing or walking.
☐ Can your dog specifically sniff and squat? The last time I saw her pee was yesterday morning, she has not gone toilet in the last 24 hours. When should I start to worry about whether there is a blockage or bowel problems?
☐ Eating and drinking OK? Poops OK - normal firmness & color -no dark or bright red blood? She didn't eat at all yesterday, she was in so much pain she was not interested at all. But did attempt to eat this morning. She isn't a big drinker, there is fresh water in her bowl but she doesn't seem to want to drink. I am worried that with all the meds she should be drinking more to keep up her fluids.
☐ Acupuncture or laser light therapy? The vet said it was way to early to consider these treatments - so hopefully if I see improvements in the next couple of weeks I can book in some acupuncture.
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 14, 2015 19:16:43 GMT -7
Sarah, it is very clear that Ella is being severely under medicated for pain for a 7kg/15 pound dog. Quickly read up on the meds typically used for this very painful disease and strongly advocate: -- Tramadol given 3xday at a higher dose than 1/2 of a 50 mgs tablet. Is that the size of your tablet, 50 mgs? -- For the pain that comes from muscle contraction: methocarbamol -- If the above two do not fully control pain dose to dose, then advocate for a third pain med: gabapentin -- A must read before you discuss pain meds with your vet www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpain.htm◼︎ Please let us know the exact name of the anti-inflammatory. Any time an anti inflammatory is on board, the stomach needs to be protected from the extra acids. Ask for Pepcid AC (famotidine) The usual dose would be 5mgs 2x/day. www.1800petmeds.com/Famotidine-prod11171.html Pain deters the healing process and you can't care for Ella as you need to when she is in such pain. If you need to get to an emergency vet, please go.... there is no excuse for pain when there are plenty of options to have it in control. |
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Post by Pauliana on Jun 14, 2015 19:17:01 GMT -7
Hi Sarah! The CT scan is used just before surgery to plan out the procedure. It is very expensive but will show exactly what is going on.. However, it will not add to her treatment or help unless you go ahead with surgery. If you don't plan on surgery or can't afford it like many of us, it does not matter which disc is herniating into her spinal cord. All discs are treated by the lack of movement provided by strict crate rest. The more she moves, the worse the disc tears as you have found by her losing Neuro functions. (Walking, standing, bladder control etc) Nerve damage can self repair but this takes time. dodgerslist.com/literature/healingnerves.htmFirst things first, lets get pain under control so she can heal in comfort. The swollen, herniated disc puts pressure on the spinal cord and other nerve fibers in the area. This is painful and the pressure on the spinal cord prevents nerve impulses from passing between the brain and the rear part of the body. The animal may be unable to walk or control its colon or bladder. Severe damage to the spinal cord can lead to total paralysis. Quoted from Drs. Foster & Smith Pet Education Please do not put her medications in her food as one can not tell if she has actually gotten the full dosage. The best way to go about it is to put it inside a small piece of meat or cheese or something else that is a favorite treat of hers. Do not get the Tramadol dust on your fingers as it tastes terrible and is very bitter and she will refuse and panic as you have discovered. What I do with my Tyler, is take 3 pieces of lunch meat, just large enough to hide the 1/2 tablet. I wrap it up well.. I use a 3 treat trick.. The first bite has nothing in it and he grabs that and swallows it down. The second bite has the Tramadol in it and normally he is so anxious to get another treat he takes it and gulps it down and down the hatch goes the Tramadol.. I then follow it with another bite of lunch meat. This works every time.. Before trying that he got a taste of the Tramadol and was suspicious of every move I made in the kitchen.. I had to hide from him to prepare his lunch meat/meds treats.. He eventually got over it but he was upset to begin with.. 24 hours without urinating is also an EMERGENCY! Your Vet should have taught you how to express her bladder. The longer urine is allowed to sit in her bladder, the more bacteria builds up and a urinary tract infection is the result. Untreated it can cause kidney failure. It is important to express her at least every 3 hours until you become more experienced in expressing. This is our Expressing Page with Videos on how to go about it and it will help prepare you for your first lesson from the Vet. Her urine should be tested by the Vet for a UTI. dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmHere is more info on the crate rest recovery process: dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htmThis is how to lift and carry an IVDD dog: |
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Post by Sarah & Ella on Jun 14, 2015 23:39:55 GMT -7
Thank you for all the advice, just what I need to keep me calm in this situation. I was worried about leaving her alone today while I went to work so only managed half day in and was half expecting to come home to a dying dog but she even managed a tail wag when I came in the room.
I finally got her to eat and drink something so she is much perkier then this morning. At least I know there is stuff in there now that needs to get out so we'll see if she is up for going to the toilet herself today otherwise we'll attempt to express her.
Her meds are what look like
[7kg/ 15.43 lbs]
20mg Tramadol - half a tablet twice a day and
half a tablet of 20mg Carprofen.
She seems in less pain than this morning but I have not attempted to move her yet. Feeling alittle bit better and hopeful. Thank you will keep you posted.
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Post by Debbie Blackwelder on Jun 15, 2015 9:22:57 GMT -7
Hello Sarah, Ella experiencing any pain at all is to much pain in this day and time. Pain should be under control in one hour and stay that way dose to dose. If the current regime of Tramadol at twice a day is not controlling that pain, then call your vet and tell him so. Tramadol is usually prescribed every 8 hours, so that would be 3 per day, it is a general pain reliever, and has a short half life of 1.7 hours. Your vet needs to know that Ella is still in pain. There are other medications that can be prescribed along with the Tramadol that will control IVDD pain. Those additional options are: Methocarbamol treats muscle spasms stemming from aggravated muscles due to nerve trauma related to the spinal cord inflammation. Gabapentin may be added to the mix for hard to control pain. Veterinarians are finding this medication works very well in combination with Tramadol. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpain.htm |
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 15, 2015 11:21:13 GMT -7
Sarah if you have an old android or iPhone you may be able to monitor Ella. This tip and many more are from our supplies list: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies.htm Free app for your android or iPhone here: www.presencepro.com/ Old or spare Android and iOS smartphones and tablets can be used for a motion detection camera. Sign into the Presence app from another mobile device or from your laptop on the Presence webpage to monitor. If you are seeing pain, have no patience with it. One pain med at such a light dose of 10mgs tramadol 2x/day is not like to control pain for a most painful disease. Let us know you are not seeing any sign of pain: shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions or slow to move, tight tense tummy, can't find a comfortable position. Arched back. Holding front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight, head held high or nose to the ground. Not their normal perky selves. |
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Post by Sarah & Ella on Jun 15, 2015 17:53:07 GMT -7
Thank you for all the support ladies.
We took Ella back to the vets this morning as we had no luck expressing her yesterday and it has now been 48 hours without urinating.
She is being kept in today, they will express her and up her dosage of medicine to:
[7kg/ 15.43 lbs
Pain patch as of 6/15 lasts for 3 days]
Tramadol 20mg three times a day,
Carprofen 20mg once a day,
[Valium dosage???]
they are going to get her started on Valium to help relax the bowel and bladder movements and also put a pain patch on her which will slowly release medication over the course of the next 3 days. Feeling a little better, her movement has improved in her legs hoping that over the week she'll be able to urinate on her own otherwise we'll persist with the technique.
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Post by Pauliana on Jun 15, 2015 21:22:38 GMT -7
Hi Sarah,
Make sure they test Ella's urine for a urinary tract infection. She likely has one since she went so long without urinating.. Let us know the dosage of the Valium when they send it home with her.
Glad they increased her Tramadol and added the pain patch. Once their pain is under control it makes all the difference in the world!
Please keep us posted when you get the chance. Comforting thoughts headed your way.
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,562
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 16, 2015 7:37:31 GMT -7
Sarah, what is the name of the pain patch? When it wears off, the pain may come back if Carprofen has not had enough time to get all the painful swelling down. At the end of Wednesday 5/17 be very watchful of any hint of pain surfacing. If you would see pain signs, the better option than a pain patch, may be using a multi-modal pain med approach. A combo of three meds each addressing each of the kinds of pain that come with a disc episode:
-- tramadol at a higher than 20 mgs 3x/day
-- methocarbamol for muscle contraction pain. Note valium for some dogs does work for muscle contraction pain, for other dogs it wires them up rather than relaxing.
-- gabapentin for nerve pain
I agree, with Pauli, that bacteria may already have started to grow, so it would be a good idea for a urine sample and a urinalysis to see if there is a need for anti-bioitics.
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Post by Sarah & Ella on Jun 17, 2015 5:28:07 GMT -7
Hi all
I was hoping to take Ella home from the vets yesterday but she has been kept in for the last 2 nights under surveillance to try and get the pain management under control.
After 12 hours the pain patch hadn't kicked in and she was in a lot of pain last night. This morning the vet called me to say that they would like to try her on cortisone (steroids). They are supplementing her with the tablet that stops stomach ulcers, the pain patch and Valium. Hopefully she'll be in a better state to come home tomorrow and I'll be able to get the full details on her pain management here on in. They do want to ween her off the cortisone by the end of the week.
They said she was in a better mood today and even went toilet by herself this morning.
I hoping that with the pain under control she will be abit more comfortable once we get her home and can continue the cage rest.
Night
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,562
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 17, 2015 6:39:16 GMT -7
Sarah, this information will help you to step more into a position of being a participant in Ella's care being able to discuss things with the vet. Likely the patch is a fentanyl, you should check and know what your dog is on. "Fentanly Patch: side effects that have been reported include nausea, vomiting, inappetance, sedation and bradycardia. The patch must be applied for 12-24 hrs before therapeutic drug levels are achieved. 25, 50, or 100 ug/hr size patches are used depending on the size of the animal. There is considerable individual variation in drug absorption. Patients should be monitored both for analgesia and side effects. Some patients may require additional analgesics. If side effects do occur, systemic levels decrease rapidly after the patch is removed." Anesthesia/Pain Management : 2008 Lecture Notes. Sandra Z. Perkowski, VMC, PhD, DACVA University of Pennsylvania www.dcavm.org/08technov.htmlDisc episodes involve different sources of pain. What are they doing to address the pain from nerves? Vets are finding very good success in difficult to control pain, with the use of Gabapentin. Reference: Gabapentin Dose recommended (empiric) for gabapentin: 10–20 mg/kg every 8 hours. "Outpatient oral analgesics in dogs and cats beyond nonsteroidal drugs: An evidence-based approach." KuKanich B. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 43(5):1109-1125, 2013. If Valium is not helping with the pain due to muscle contraction, ask about methocarbamol. Not all dogs respond the same to a med, so a vet would need to be open to trying a different med. Initially, methocarbamol is dosed at 7 to 20 mg per pound (15 to 44 mg/kg) up to three times daily. The dose of methocarbamol should not exceed 150 mg per pound (300 mg/kg) per day.Dr. Dawn Ruben, DVM. www.petplace.com/drug-library/methocarbamol-robaxin-v/page1.aspxTramadol is a synthetic narcotic. Plumb's is considered "the" veterinary bible regarding drugs: Tramadol dosing in dogs varies, ranging from 2 to 5 mg/kg every 8-12 hours. The highest dose for maximum analgesic effect in dogs is 10 mg/kg every 8 hours. “Tramadol”. Plumb DC. In Plumb DC (ed): Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed—Ames: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011, pp 1002-1004. Bone up on the consideration with a switch from Carprofen (NSAID) to the other class of anti-inflammatory drugs the steroids. Not only would Pepcid AC (famotidine be on board but also a 2nd GI tract protector called sucralfate. Normally a switch would require 4-7 days washout. When deemed an emergency usually because there are increasing signs of nerve function loss a vet must make a decision to save the nerves. The risk of double jeopardy to the GI tract can be highly reduce by using two protectors: famotidine and sucralfate. Sucralfate knowledge: www.marvistavet.com/html/sucralfate.htmlfamotidine knowledge: www.1800petmeds.com/Famotidine-prod11171.html You may find this little card to carry with you at vet visits helps to keep all the meds straight as you discuss things with the vet. D/l here: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/MedCard.pdf  An aggressive pain med approach has never been done. The aggressive approach of Tramadol, Methocarbamol and gabapentin may relieve the risk of switching from carprofen to steroids. Ella is showing that her nerves are coming back if she has passed the sniff and pee test of being set outside on an old pee spot and then has sniff it and followed up by choosing to release urine there. Overflowing is a way of releasing urine when the bladder is so full that reflexes, not the brain, allow some of the urine to release. Overflowing is not good. Let us know if the release of urine was brain directed or overflowing due to reflex. We await hearing back that Ella's pain is being properly managed so she can come back home to heal in comfort. |
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Peyton
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Life is better with a dog.
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Post by Peyton on Jun 17, 2015 10:50:08 GMT -7
Hi Sarah - I know this is a scary time for you, and it's hard to focus on so much information when you're worried about Ella. Try to take it one step at a time, and don't be hard on yourself. Remember, she needs you to be her advocate - armed with the information you need, you can do it. And your love will help her heal, too! There is lots of experience and knowledge here, so ask any questions you have. Sending positive, healing wishes to Ella. What a cutie!
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Post by Sarah & Ella on Jun 19, 2015 22:30:04 GMT -7
Hi It has been a trying few days. I have just picked Ella up from the Vets (it's Saturday afternoon here), she has been kept in since Tuesday morning. The vet was worried with her response to pain so has been trying her on a number of different drugs to see what is most effective. Currently she is now on: [7kg/ 15.43 lbs]Valium 2mg - 1 tablet twice a day Microlone [Prednisolone] 5mg - 1.5 tablets once a day Metrogyl [Metronidazole] 200mg - 0.25 tablet twice a day Gabapentin 100mg - 1 tablet twice daily Losec [Omeprazole] 10mg - 0.5 tablet at night Pain Patch consistently every 3 days. The vet was unable to reassure me on her road to recovery as she is part Cavalier they said without an MRI they cannot properly diagnose her condition and that she could be suffering from Syringomyelia (SM) which is common in the Cavalier breed, a cyst that builds up on the spinal cord and causes a lot of pain, similar symptoms to IVDD and cannot be cured through pain management only. More details about the condition I found here: www.cavaliercanada.com/health_syringomyelia.phpcavalierhealth.org/syringomyelia.htmAlthough I have not seen Ella scratching at all over the past couple of weeks, here are the signs common with IVDD: www.cavalierhealth.org/disc.htm#What_It_Is It seems like I have no choice but to wait it out this week and see how she responds over the next few days or book her in for an MRI. Even though surgery is feasibly not an option. Sarah |
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 20, 2015 9:14:12 GMT -7
Sarah, I'm so sorry to hear the pain is difficult to get in control. The only disease we know something about is IVDD, so my comments are limited to disc disease. ✦ Is the pain patch Fentanyl? ✦ Discuss getting suspicioned inflammed spinal cord resolved by giving Microlone (prednisolone) 2x/day. For a 7kg/15lb dog we see vets are prescribing 5mgs 2x/day. ✦ Gabapentin has a short half life and stays more evenly in the system when given 3x/day. Discuss with your vet. If a tablet, it would be easy to split into three parts. If a 100mg capsule, the power can be put in the crease of a sheet of paper. Use a razorblade to move powder into three equal piles of 33mgs. Store powder piles in a pill keeper. Make a well in ball of mashed banana to put powder in. Close and wrap in deli meat to make a yummy treat. Gabapentin is very bitter. Make sure to keep you fingers clean and not transfer any dust to the treat. ✦ If valium is being given to address the painful muscle contractions that so often go with a disc disease, then it is likely being Rx'd at too low a dose. The typical dose administered to dogs is 0.25 to 1 mg per pound (0.5 to 2 mg/kg) Reference: www.petplace.com/drug-library/diazepam-valium/page1.aspx
✦ Losec (Omeprazole) takes 3-5 days to reach peak effectiveness. Until then, it is a good idea to have Pepcid AC (famotidine) on board as it reaches peak effectiveness in 30 mins.
So in summary I would NOT wait out the week with her current pain meds being under medicated IF you are still seeing any signs of pain. I would speak with the vet about an aggressive pain med approach. When the pain meds are correctly prescribed you would expect to see pain in control in one hour. The pain would stay in control from then on dose to dose of the pain medications.
At the time a vet would call for a taper of Microlone (pred) the you would be watchful for signs of pain resufacing. Pain is an indication that more time on Microlone would be needed to get all of the painful inflammation resolved.
Please keep us all updated to let us know no pain is showing.
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Post by Sarah & Ella on Jun 22, 2015 3:39:50 GMT -7
Hi Paula Thank you for the support. Ella has been home for the past two days and has been a lot more comfortable, I think the pain management is starting to work. Thank you for the advice and persistent in making sure I was getting the right advice and care. Her regular Vet is almost certain we are dealing with IVDD and not anything else. The signs have been very consistent with what I have seen on this website. I didn't get a name for the pain patch but that was taken off today, the vet wants to keep her on the steroids for bit longer, he believes that is what has saved her as it started to get the inflammatory down pretty quickly - the rest of the meds will only control the pain. So for the next week we will continue with the below: [7kg/ 15.43 lbs]Microlone (Prednisolone) 5mg [as of 6/13]: 1.5 tablets once a day Metrogyl (Metronidazole) 200mg - 0.25 tablet twice a day Gabapentin 100mg - 1 tablet twice daily Losec (Omeprazole) 10mg - 0.5 tablet at night We are getting use to managing her with the cage rest and got her into a routine of eating and toilet breaks. She is sleeping through the night and is pretty restful during the day. She just gets frustrated now and again and tries to tip her cage over but we are slightly more hopefully that we will get through this. It has been a scary time, I am definitely older and wiser from this. I will keep you posted on how Ella's recovery is going. www.facebook.com/ellabellapup?fref=nf Sarah |
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 22, 2015 8:01:45 GMT -7
I hope your are indicating ALL the pain is controlled with your writing "pain management is starting to work" Let us know if "all" is the case. The pain meds would still not be right if you are seeing any pain at all nearing the next dose of gabapentin or after moving say at potty times. We are a persnickety about pain... there is no need to have any patience with it when there are meds to fully control pain. It appears then that Microone started on 6/13 and that it is to be extended for a week. Is that week 5 or 7 days and then a taper? We are also persnickety about the detail! LOL! Ella is being WAY too rambunctious in her recovery suite. She is setting herself up to redamage the early healing disc. Having to start crate rest all over again and the potential to do some severe damage to her nerves. Using any oral calmer in combination with a Pheromone diffuser seems to work best. It takes several days for these to start working - it isn't immediate but they are a much better option if you can avoid heavy duty prescription sedatives such as Acepromazine, Trazodone, etc. Of course always keep your vet in the loop on all things you give your dog. Other product brands may be available in your area or on-line… just shop by the active ingredient(s) on the label and the quantity for best price. Place a DAP pheromone diffuser at floor level where the recovery suite is. Some brands to consider: --Comfort Zone (DAP) wall plug-in diffuser 48ml www.petcomfortzone.com/dogs.html
--Adaptil (DAP) wall plug in diffuser 48ml www.adaptil.com/ Use a diffuser with one oral calmer from below: 1) ANXITANE® S chewable tabs contain 50 mg L-Theanine, an amino acid that acts neurologically to help keep dogs calm, relaxed www.virbacvet.com/products/detail/anxitane-l-theanine-chewable-tablets/behavioral-health
2) Composure Soft Chews are colostrum based like calming mother's milk and contain 21 mg of L-Theanine.
www.vetriscience.com/composure-soft-dogs-MD-LD.php
3) Bach's Rescue Remedy is a liquid herb combo to help with relaxation bachflowerpets.com/rescue-remedy-pets/Drape a blanket over the top of the crate. The sides of the blanket should come down to the height of Ella's head when she would sit on her butt. If she raises up she would be discouraged as the draped blanket will block her view. |
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Post by Sarah & Ella on Aug 8, 2015 6:39:20 GMT -7
Dear Paula and members of the forum I just wanted to express my thanks for your support at a time when me and Ella needed it most. Ella has just finished her 8 weeks of cage rest, has been weaned off all drugs and is so much better. We are so thankful that we listened to the right advice and was able to get through the scary moments. Ella seems back to her old self, although she is no longer allowed to jump up on things, we are still taking it really slow with her to make sure she is in full recovery, but she is smiling, very happy and pain free. Many thanks, Sarah & Ella |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,562
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Post by PaulaM on Aug 8, 2015 9:04:19 GMT -7
Sarah, congratulations on finishing all 8 weeks of crate rest with Ella! Now is a good time to be determining how you are going to ease back into more normal activity at graduation. The idea is to gradually give more freedom under controlled conditions. Not free reign of the house and yard immediately! LOL Take a look at our information and then come up with a plan to gradually increase activity over about a month's time following the end of crate rest. Also check out how to teach four paws on the floor! www.dodgerslist.com/literature/AfterCrateRest.htmGreat ideas from member on home modifications so that you can reduce the stress on her spine in the future. No more stairs, ramps up to furniture, or blocking furniture all together. All those ideas and more are in this link: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/protectback.htmWould you consider paying forward by helping a new member with an overwhelming IVDD diagnosis know there is hope? Ella's story gives inspiration and hope. Won't you add her JPG to our gallery and a few words to explain her success story? Directions here: dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/2262/put-dodgerslist-photo-gallery-calendarDon't be a stranger, let us know how Ella continues to do and if you see a member in anguish, let them know there is hope. |
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? 1/2 tablet in the morning. 
