Phyllis' Tucker 4/17 Surgery 6wks?

Tucker is my 7 yr old miniature dachshund. He had a sudden onset of IVDD last evening around 9pm. He yelped once and then lost use of his left rear leg. We picked him up and went immediately to North Houston Vet Specialist for assessment. (This is one of the vet clinics Dachshund Rescue of Houston uses) Tucker's vital were normal and he didn't appear to be in much pain. His assessment showed that he could still bear weight and take a few wobbly steps, but not easily correct knuckled under paws. Plan is to have a CT scan shortly and then proceed with surgery as needed. Prognosis is very good since his surgery will occur in less that 12 hours from onset. 

My Brandy had surgery 3 was ago today at that location by Dr Perry. We were very pleased with him and the staff. Good luck.

Sending positive thoughts for Tucker's successful recovery. I'm glad the prognosis is good and expect he will be back to doing all the things he loves soon!

Often times there will be a worsening of condition seen right after surgery due to the swelling from the surgical procedure. That swelling can take a couple of weeks to go down and until then you might not see any improvement. He's probably weak from the surgery, too. Hopefully you'll see some improvement soon.

Dodgerslist recommends the taking of Pepcid AC while on the Rimadyl to prevent the side effects to the GI tract. Can you check with his vet today to see whether there are any health issues such as heart or liver that would prevent him from taking Pepcid AC (5 mg 30 min before the Rimadyl and then every 12 hours thereafter) for the rest of today? I realize he's stopping the Rimadyl tomorrow but I'm concerned that his being picky eating could be the beginning of GI distress. Is he usually a picky eater?

If he's stoic about pain, it may be difficult to determine whether there's pain or not. You know your dog best. Is he his usual perky self? If he's not usually a picky eater, he may not want to eat due to pain. Other signs of pain are shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, nose held to the ground, head held up high, tight hard tummy, arched back. Tramadol usually works most efficiently when given every 8 hours (3x/day) so be sure to give that every 8 hours and not 12 hours. If you feel he's showing any sign of pain, don't hesitate to let the surgeon know so he can adjust the meds.

Continued healing prayers for Tucker. Please keep us updated.

Tucker is pretty stoic about pain, but he's not showing any of those usual symptoms of pain. He's very compliant with crating and while he's being finicky about eating, he's happy to eat other foods besides his regular kibble. Not thinking the Rimadyl is the issue, cause he will eat, but only what he wants Will Tramadol or Rimadyl make him thirsty? Seems to be drinking more than usual. He's enjoying a few new toys today and a Greenie. Taking him out every 3-4 hours for potty breaks. BMs still appears to be involuntary, pee'ing is voluntary. Can hold a standing position about 95% on his own if I assist him to the standing position.

Tucker continues to do well today. Bladder control continues. Talked to vet today about starting some laser treatments this week prior to staple removal. Eating better and still on Tramadol, but no physical symptoms of pain.

[12 lbs
Tramadol 50mg 1/2 pill 8-12 hours tapering approx. 4/28].

Barks at strange noises from crate and while out for potty breaks. Range of motion exercises continue. Right rear leg is a bit stronger each day, left leg lags way behind. All in all I'm pleased with his progress in 8 days.

Hi Phyllis!

Dogs that have bladder control will resist expressing. How many times a day did Tucker pee on a normal day before he had this disc episode and surgery? Twice a day isn't enough.. Urine that sits in the bladder too long can cause bacteria to build up which in turn can cause a urinary tract infection.. Not wanting to pee can sometimes be because it burns to pee  because of the infection.. I would discuss with his Vet and have a urinalysis done to determine if he is having an UTI or not.   UTI's are very common in IVDD dogs.. 

Healing thoughts and prayers!

Phyllis, let us know what the surgeon says and how the visit goes.

Would you consider helping another trying to make decisions… We have a directory where you can share surgical costs, etc: dodgerslist.boards.net/board/10/guidelines-posting

State:
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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Owners are often trying to locate a general DVM vet who knows how to do conservative treatment.  IF you believe your general vet is IVDD knowledgable:

vet recommendations:
Name of Vet
Name of Clinic
Street Address
City:
State or country:
Type of vet (general/board certified surgeon, acupuncture, etc.)
Comments:

Are you going to therapy in The Woodlands? They are wonderful. Glad to hear Tucker is gaining his strength.

Tucker had his staples removed today and during his exam the surgeon had hoped to see more progress in his recovery at 12 days. They gave some new exercises to try at home and encouraged me to move forward with rehabilitation therapy. Tucker had his first laser therapy session later on this afternoon at his primary vets office. I'm very hopeful that he will continue his progress and will monitor his daily progress before I move him to additional therapies. Tucker is no longer on any medications. He is tailwagging, bladder and bowel controlling, and able to hold a standing position with minimal assistance by me. He is eating and drinking normally and bright eyed and alerts and wanting to be actively engaged in the family's activities. The pet stroller has become his favorite spot so that he can move about the house with the family members.

Phyllis, for how many weeks did the surgeon want for crate rest + his directed PT? Some say 4 weeks while other surgical situations a surgeon may direct 6+ weeks.

Tucker is making good progress and is definitely heading in the right direction. I used laser treatments with my Frankie in the post surgery period also. Those can jump start the healing process until water therapy can begin.

You may want to start thinking about home modifications to reduce the stress on his 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.htm

Phyllis, you might want to see how you can change any stairs to ramps to reduce stress on the back. Here are some ideas: dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/867/ramps

4th laser treatments and today he held a standing position for 20 seconds at potty time!!! Progress!