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Post by Jen & Peter on Dec 12, 2016 17:07:45 GMT -7
★1 What breed? Mini Dachshund What is your dog’s name? Peter Your name, too? Jen
★2 He had a massive rupture between C4 and C5 that was compressing his spinal cord. His CT scan also showed 2 older ruptures around 11 and 12.he is a specialist surgeon
★3 Incident started 11/13 and he had surgery 11/16
★4 Is there still currently pain - He has only had one incident were he acted like he was in pain. That was Saturday 12/3.(2 weeks post op) I started him back on prednisone, muscle relaxers and tramadol and he has been doing great since then.
★5 15 lbs Tramadol 25mg twice daily (or as needed),
Methocarbamol 125mg twice daily (or as needed),
Prednisone 5mg 2x daily starting 12/3 for 5 days, then taper: 5mg daily for 5 days then 5mg every other day til gone. We are just getting ready to start tapering this round.
★6 All bowel movements are normal and he's eating and drinking. He is drinking more than normal but I think that is from the medication.
★7 Currently can your dog wobbly walk? Yes, and he is actually getting less wobbly by the day. move the legs at all? Yeso Has been wagging his tail since he came out of surgery  ★8 He has had control of his bodily functions from the beginning and never lost deep pain sensation and never became incontinent.
I am trying my best to do everything I can to ensure he makes a full recovery. He is supposed to start hydro and laser therapy tomorrow. Tomorrow is one day shy of 4 weeks post op. They were recommending him starting therapy 2 weeks ago but I wasn't comfortable with that. I'm new to this forum so I'm not sure I did this right.
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,555
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Post by PaulaM on Dec 12, 2016 18:07:06 GMT -7
Jen, welcome to Dodgerslist. We are glad you joined us. Wow! what a wonderful post op recovery Peter is having. If the water therapy is the underwater therapy, that will really speed up Peter re-learning the art of walking. This video explains more how that works: For how many weeks does your surgeon want for crate rest plus his directed PT? Some want 4 or 6 weeks other longer before there is a gradual release from the crate to joining in family activity, etc. We like to track that information and be aware when graduation day approaches. The hope is that none of his other discs will ever have a problem. Some dogs will have only one disc episode while other can have several. Getting up to speed about the disease your dog was born with just makes sense. Knowledge truly is the power to care for your dog now, take part in discussion with your vet asking good questions, identifying when harmful but well intentioned advice is given and being able to politely say no thanks. All this IVDD knowledge will benefit Peter in living many more happy years ahead with you. In then next days do check out all the buttons to be the IVDD pet parent Peter will need: www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htmDo keep us posted on how the laser and water therapy goes tomorrow. |
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Post by Jen & Peter on Dec 13, 2016 16:50:55 GMT -7
Thank you Paula! I'm excited to be on here! Having other people that know what you're going through is comforting! Not a lot of people know what life is like when dealing with an IVDD doggie!
My surgeon recommended 4 weeks of rest. Which technically makes tomorrow his graduation day! But I am keeping him on crate rest for another 2.5 weeks just to be safe. He had an "episode" about 10 days ago where he was in a lot of pain and hunching his back. I was so scared he had a reoccurrence but it looks like he just had some pain that afternoon. My surgeon was shocked he wasn't in more pain at his first check up. He said cervical spine injuries are usually pretty painful. So I figure the little episode was probably just that, pain. I'm doing the extra 2.5 weeks of rest though just to safe! He did "ok" him to start sleeping in bed with me though after 2 weeks. He wears a harness and leash and the leash is attached to me so if he tries to go anywhere he gets stopped and it wakes me up. It has worked out really well and we are now BOTH almost sleeping through the night again! Thank goodness! The 1st couple of weeks were pretty rough with him needing to go out as much as 5 times a night plus water breaks........ They said it could take a while for his bladder to get back to normal after the surgery and it looks like that is finally happening!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,555
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Post by PaulaM on Dec 13, 2016 19:09:11 GMT -7
Jen, graduation day does not mean Peter is allowed free reign of house and yard. It would be a slow incremental reintroduction back to physical activity over the course of several weeks. 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.htmNow is the perfect time if you haven't already to make those 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.htmwww.dodgerslist.com/literature/aftercraterest/furniture-blocker300.jpgWould you consider helping another trying to make decisions… We have a directory where you can share surgical info: 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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Post by Jen & Peter on Dec 23, 2016 14:43:03 GMT -7
Hello- Just checking in and updating on little Peters therapy. He has had 4 sessions of hydro therapy in 2 weeks and they seem to be going well. He is definitely stronger and less wobbly. After therapy I take him home, crate him and then go to work. It works out great that way cuz it gives him a chance to rest and take it easy. During his last hydro therapy session he also got laser therapy. I'm not totally sold on these alternative type treatments but I will try anything if it has a chance of helping Pete's recovery. Now, I could be imagining it but last night after the laser therapy he seemed way more alert and was WAY more active!!! He has another session scheduled next week so we will see if he gets the same results again. Has anyone else done laser therapy? What did you think? |
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Dec 23, 2016 15:03:12 GMT -7
I had laser therapy for my Frankie. This was while he was still on crate rest. I think the laser therapy helped him. But it was the hydro therapy that really made major differences.
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Post by Larry & Sniddles on Dec 23, 2016 15:13:24 GMT -7
I am doing laser therapy now with my Sniddles. It seems hokey, but I think it works. Then again, it could be everything else I am doing. It isn't that expensive so I figure it couldn't hurt.
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Post by Julie & Perry on Dec 23, 2016 17:48:38 GMT -7
After Nala's surgery she had hydrotherapy and it did help a lot. This last episode, 9 years later, she wasn't springing back. I decided to try the laser therapy. There was a definite difference after two sessions and by the end of nine sessions she was walking again. I was also doing Prednisone and crate rest but i feel the laser helped. They've been using it in sports medicine for 40 years.
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