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Post by Angela & Molly on Jan 7, 2016 11:35:34 GMT -7
Hi, I found this website after my dog Molly woke up on the morning of 30th December unable to use her back legs. She was dragging herself forward but didn't make any sounds as if in pain. My husband and I took her straight to the vet and they referred us to a veterinary hospital an hour from home. This is the closest place in our area. The vet we saw performed the surgery by 1pm the same day. He diagnosed her with Thoracolumbar disc disease after a CT identified mineralised disc material compressing the spinal cord. They grade the severity between 1-5, 1 being least and 5 being worst. He judged her as a 4 so we were extremely concerned. She remained with them for 8 days after surgery. Day 1-4 post op the vets were suspecting that she could feel deep pain sensation and on day 4 she wagged her tail. Days 5-6 post op were the worst. A [general DVM?] vet examined her and said that she was not feeling the deep pain but 'superficial' pain (jerking when toes were tickled). He said that she was not improving enough, showed no deep pain, no bladder control and that we needed to think about making a 'sad decision '. Needless to say I was beside myself. However, the vet that performed the surgery was due back on day 8 and they wanted to get his opinion. After reading loads of great information on here, we decided to bring her home whatever their prognosis. As it happened, on day 7 the vet called with an update to say she was feeling deep pain and they suspected she was gaining bladder control. Day 8 our surgeon saw her and said she can stand on her left leg, is in control of her bladder and was improving well. He was happy for us to come and pick her up! What a difference a few days make! She is now home and set up in her crate. She has been given
Tramadol 25mg twice a day
and pt exercises 3 times a day. We are much more hopeful for a good recovery and thanks to everyone on this website for the fantastic advice and guidance!
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,555
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Post by PaulaM on Jan 7, 2016 11:56:59 GMT -7
Angela, welcome to Dodgerslist Forum. I believe you already took our on-line course: "Short Cut Through IVDD" and wrote how helpful it was? When there is discussion of deep pain sensation we always say to ONLY take the word of a specialist. Many general DVM vets simply have not had enough practice in identifying correctly what they see and thus often get it wrong! So when you write it would be helpful to identify the credentials of the vet offering treatments, etc. Such a s my local vet or my neuro specialist. I'm so sorry you were put through the wringer emotionally with the inappropriate advice to put a dog down because deep pain sensation had not returned. Nerves are the slowest part of the body to self heal. It is better for us to think in terms of months rather than days/weeks. The good news you report is that Molly is rolling right along with nerve healing in classic textbook order. No one will be able to tell you any timelines for each neurofunction to come back....just the typical order. Nerves heal typically in the reverse order of the damage to the spinal cord: 1. Deep Pain Sensation (Only correctly identified by a specialist.) 2. Tail wagging with joy at seeing you or getting a treat or meal. 3. Bladder and bowel control verified with the "sniff and pee" test. <-- Molly4. Leg Movement, and then ability to move up into a standing position, and then wobbly walking. 5. Being able to walk with more steadiness and properly place the feet. 6. Ability to walk unassisted and perhaps even run. How much does Molly weigh? Let us know if these post op exercises are similar to the ones your surgeon has directed:
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Post by Angela & Molly on Jan 7, 2016 13:01:45 GMT -7
Paula, the man who performed the op was from Switzerland and he is a surgeon specialising in orthopaedic, soft tissue and spinal surgery. He has the initials DrMedVet DipECVS MRCVS after his name. Although I've since learnt that the vet I spoke to on the telephone who mentioned putting her down was just a practice vet calling us with a daily update.
Molly weighs just under 9 kilos and was on a diet before her injury.
Yes, the exercises are the same as the ones recommended. In a few weeks we can also start looking at hydrotherapy and luckily there is a company offering this locally.
Molly had never been in a crate at home before today but I'm happy to say that other than a little fussing she's settled right in! Another worry off the very long list!
Good luck and best wishes to everyone else going through this.
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Post by Ann Brittain on Jan 7, 2016 14:12:22 GMT -7
Hi Angela,
It sounds like Molly is making good progress. Our Buster had disc surgery 4 years ago and is doing great. Regaining pain sensation is a great sign that Molly is on the road to recovery.
Best wishes to you both as you begin her healing journey.
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Post by Angela & Molly on Jan 8, 2016 3:48:27 GMT -7
Thanks Ann, she's getting there and doing alot better than we dared hope. I'm glad to hear Buster is doing well. It's so nice to read all of the success stories on here. Very good motivation to keep going and celebrate all the little achievements along the way!
I'm looking for some advice. We have one crate that Molly is very happy with. At the moment we are also taking it up to our bedroom at night. This means that I stay with her on the living room floor (I've been using the time to do her exercises) whilst my husband takes the crate upstairs. We do the same thing in the morning. However he will be going back to work in a few days and I can't carry her and the crate downstairs together. I also can't leave her downstairs alone while I go back to get the crate.
Our ideas at the moment are:
Buy another crate and bedding,
My husband can quickly come home and do the lifting then go back to work,
Or does anyone have any other suggestions? I'm sure lots of people are doing this on their own and must have come up with some inventive solutions!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,555
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Post by PaulaM on Jan 8, 2016 11:09:22 GMT -7
Angela, a 2nd recovery suite for upstairs sounds like a definate need for you guys. You might want to consider a pet stroller for downstairs where you can keep Molly by your side as you move about the house. Pet Strollers would only be used when you are at home to supervise. This is the full run down of do's and don'ts of using a pet stroller for a recovery suite: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/strollers.htmOther options for recovery suites are ex-pens, baby crib, baby's pack n play, wire crate. Ex-pens are useful after graduation day. The panels can be separated and a couple of sections can block off furniture or a doorway.
 ..
Country: Hospital: Address: Cost: Date of surgery: What was included in cost (MRI?, days stay, ER? PT? meds for home, sling, etc.) Comments: |
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Post by Angela & Molly on Jan 8, 2016 14:02:16 GMT -7
Thanks for the advice. We're going to look at getting another crate set up. I think a stroller would be great for us but my husband isn't convinced. I think he is put off by the idea of it and isn't thinking of the benefits. I will show him the information you've given and see how he feels about it. I'll also add our surgical cost info. Thanks again, I'm so glad I found this website!
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Post by Angela & Molly on Feb 24, 2016 13:18:32 GMT -7
Hi just wanted to give an update. Molly is now about 8 weeks post op and doing reasonably well. She has good movement in her thighs and moves them a lot, we can see her trying to push up but she hasn't got control below her knees yet. She has sensation in her feet and toes but is having trouble getting them all in the right place. 3 days after she came home she had diarrhoea and a few hours after, started vomiting. However, she threw up a pinky mucus which had us worried and it was 7 am on a Sunday. Within an hour she threw up twice more and one was bright red and the other a reddish brown. I called the veterinary hospital for advice and the on call vet said that she may have picked up a bug in the kennels and to see our local emergency vet. Luckily our usual vet has hours on a Sunday morning so we took her straight in and she was given an injection to stop the nausea, tablets for the following three days to settle her stomach, a rehydration sachet and some gastrointestinal kind dog food. This all worked wonders and she didn't vomit again and her poop firmed up 3 days later. We also took her back to the vet again to get checked and they gave us another rehydration sachet and some more of the food just to be safe. She was perfectly fine though from then on. The surgeon saw her 2 weeks after the op and was very pleased with her and optimistic about her recovery. At about 2 1/2 weeks post op she started physio. The vet prescribed her Metacam and Gabapentin 50mg three times a day. She also started hydrotherapy last week which I think will really help. She managed to stand for 10 seconds in the days after her first session compared to 3-5 seconds before it. We are going to start hydrotherapy twice a week. We saw the physio today and she put Molly on a TENS machine. We are going to do this once a day for half an hour on each leg. We are now going to see the physio once every 3 weeks to check in and update her exercises as she progresses. Hopefully this will all help her get back on her feet, literally! |
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Feb 24, 2016 14:17:54 GMT -7
It seems like Molly is doing well. I am sorry she had that scare with the stomach problem. Was she taking the Metacam at that time? Is she taking any meds currently?
Hydrotherapy made a huge difference for my Frankie after his surgery. We saw a slight improvement after his first session also. By the end of a month of hydrotherapy 2X a week there was a large improvement; Frankie was standing and starting to walk.
Let us know how Molly continues to progress.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,555
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Post by PaulaM on Feb 24, 2016 17:50:20 GMT -7
Angela, sounds like congratulations on finishing crate rest is due you!
You did not specify a date, so do tell us more if Molly is still on Metacam and gabapentin and what the reason if she is still on it.
What kind of water therapy is Molly doing....swimming or under water treadmill?
Can Molly even if slow to do it....can she reposition her paws correctly on the ground if they are knuckled?
What breed is Molly?
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Post by Angela & Molly on Feb 25, 2016 7:32:28 GMT -7
Thank you.
The vet suggested she start the Metacam and Gabapentin at her first physio session on 18 January about 2 1/2 weeks after the op. They felt this would help prevent any pain, reduce the likelihood of minor muscle injuries and make the physio a bit easier. As she's still tiring easily they want to keep her on it until she's stronger.
The hydro therapist has had her standing on a still treadmill and going through some range of motion exercises, standing supported and then standing on one back leg at a time. She has only had one session with her next due tomorrow so the therapist took some time to get her used to the water and the little treadmill pool. Molly was not a fan especially as we were outside the glass and couldn't rescue her! She did like the treat at the end though!
We've found that when she's knuckling that she will correct herself immediately the first time but she gets slower the more she has to do it. The physio said that she's getting tired as it takes a lot out of them.
Molly is a miniature dachshund.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,555
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Post by PaulaM on Feb 25, 2016 10:25:00 GMT -7
All anti-inflammatories carry with them some severe side effects. Do read up and think about long term use since Jan 18 and whether there is something the anti-inflammatory is supposed to be working on. No one wants to use NSAIDs (Metacam) any point past the benefit of getting swelling down otherwise all there remains are the potential bad side effects. Good information on NSAIDs to have under your belt: www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/AnimalHealthLiteracy/ucm196295.htm Sounds good that she can correct knuckling bodes well for the underwater treadmill therapy to provide some very pleasant surprises for you! Keep us updated on the progress, please... it is such good inspiration for those just starting the IVDD journey. |
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Post by Angela & Molly on Jun 18, 2016 8:19:57 GMT -7
Just a quick update as I haven't done one in a while. We're now 6 months post op.
Treatment: Molly is still seeing the hydrotherapist once a week and she sees a physio every 6 weeks or so. We're still using a TENS machine to stimulate her leg muscles once a day.
Hydro: In the hydro sessions they have put her front legs on a stationary section so she just walks with her back legs. They also had her standing on a mini surfboard on the water so she had to use her muscles and balance. Now she can comfortably walk on the treadmill for the whole session.
Results: She can now stand and walk unaided! She does about 7 good steps before sitting down and can stand for 20-30 seconds without sitting/wobbling over. We're still using a harness when outside so that the steps she does take are 'good' ones. Left on her own she tries to run and gets tangled in her feet and falls. She's not knuckling anymore but her weaker leg can knock the other one out from under her. The physio wants to make sure that her steps are well placed so she doesn't scrabble about and make do with clumsy steps. She does best on grass and rugs but she's become more sturdy on tile and wood flooring in the last 3 weeks.
Issues: A month ago she had a setback where she seemed to be twitching her front legs quite violently in her sleep, was a bit slow moving when awake and didn't have her normal reaction to her toes being wiggled. We took her straight to the vet who gave her a check and though she had restless leg syndrome. She was put back on the Gabapentin tablets. However after 3 days she was back to her normal self and her back legs seemed to be improving very quickly. The hydrotherapist didn't seem surprised by this and said that it's pretty common to take one step back and two steps forward! At the time it was very concerning but she's done so well since.
Medication: She's back on the Gabapentin due to the restless leg but we're going back to the vet once a month to keep an eye on it.
The experts are all happy that she is still showing progress every time they see her. All in all we're very hopeful that with continued work she will be walking consistently again.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,555
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 18, 2016 9:12:47 GMT -7
Angela that is the best news ever, that now 7 mos after surgery, Molly has had enough nerve regeneration to bring back the ability to walk unaided!!! Go girl, Molly you are a trouper!!!! Angela, your dedication to PT has also played a very good roll in helping Molly to learn the art of walking. We mention all the time how slow nerves can be to heal. That is why we say 'Never give up hope, stay strong, stay positive!' No matter the degree of nerve healing, dogs will just get on with the business of enjoying life. We hope to hear in your next update that even more nerve healing has taken place for Molly. Dodgerslist will be putting together our annual calendar in the Fall. We would LOVE to have Molly's picture and a few sentences from you for the calendar. Molly's story is great inspiration to those just starting the IVDD journey. Up load your photo to the 2016 Photo Gallery 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 Angela & Molly on Jan 18, 2017 13:18:05 GMT -7
I wanted to give another update now we've passed the 12 month post surgery mark.
Treatment: Molly is seeing the hydrotherapist once every two weeks and the physiotherapist every 3 months.
Hydro: Molly is able to walk and trot on the treadmill with no assistance or aids. She does 3-4 sessions of 3 minutes on alternating speeds each trip. The focus now is on increasing her stamina as she's consistent with her 'good' steps.
Physio: She has been practicing stepping over a small obstacle to get her to remember to pick her back feet up. We've had a pole about 2cm high for her to walk over. (Although she does like just charging through it!). We've also had one person at her head and bottom whilst she's sitting and standing, then moving a treat from side to side to help with her balance. This has only happened in the last few weeks so it goes to show that you can keep seeing improvements long after surgery!
Issues: Nothing major to report. I would say that we now have to have her anal glands emptied by the vet as she doesn't seem to be doing it herself since the surgery. I've read that if they have them emptied by someone once then it becomes something that you have to have done all the time. So it could be that they did it while she was in the hospital or just that she can't empty them herself when she goes to the toilet anymore. Worth being aware of after surgery as it's not something that you immediately think of.
Medication: She's off the Gabapentin now which is great news. She was a bit wobbly for a week after we'd stopped it but seemed to correct herself after some rest.
She is doing so much better than anyone expected and I couldn't be more proud of her. She's back to her bossy, mischievous self and pushing herself to get back to top condition. I've even caught her bouncing on her back legs to try to pinch a tissue off the coffee table!
Things I've learned:
- Read about the condition on here and take advantage of all the advice (especially how to set up a crate, best advice ever!)
- Talk to the vet about starting physio with your dog at home. I wish we'd started sooner but we didn't think to ask as they said we had to wait to start hydro. There are great videos on here of simple, gentle exercises to get you started.
- If your worried about anything your dog is/isn't doing, contact the vet. If nothing else they will put your mind at rest and if something is wrong you'll have acted quickly.
Results: She is walking consistently well on carpet and grass and much better on laminate floors. She's running now too and most of the steps are good, but she tends to bunny hop (kick off with both feet together) when she's excited and trying to move quickly. She's even climbed back into the house through the back door if she doesn't think she's been picked up fast enough to bring her back in!
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Jan 18, 2017 14:28:34 GMT -7
It is wonderful to hear how well Molly is doing. We love to have follow-up posts from our members.
You are right neuro function improvements can occur way after surgery or conservative treatment. There is no timetable for nerves to heal.
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Post by Angela & Molly on Jan 19, 2017 3:11:49 GMT -7
Thanks! This board was such a huge place of knowledge and support for me when she was in the hospital. I needed the reassurance and hope that things could still improve months down the line.
Hopefully now Molly can pay it forward and give others some hope too!
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