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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 10, 2017 16:50:18 GMT -7
Hi my name is Aimee and I have a beautiful terrier mix named Tallulah who is my joy. She is 3 1/2 yrs old and is at a healthy weight of 32 lbs. We live in Tallahassee, Florida. She was diagnosed by the vet with IVDD on 3/9. We had took her in on 3/8 because she would not jump and seemed slightly off. Vet said it could be a disc issue or a sprained muscle and gave carprophen 50 mg 1x, gabapentin 200 mg 2x, methocarbamol 125 mg 2x and told us to rest her. Leash walks ok just no playing, no running, no jumping. He said she should improve in 24 hrs. In a day she deteriorated. She was knuckling, woobly walking. So we took her to emergency vet who wasn't much help but to say it was def IVDD, she's losing neurologic function, and to crate rest (3/9). By this morning she couldn't not walk and was paralyzed. Couldn't potty. We took her back to the vet. Meds were changed. Gabapentin 300 mg 3x, omeprazole 20 mg 1x, prednisone taper 10 mg every 12 hrs for 5 days to start. She will start that [Prednisone] tomor morning after 36 hours of stopping the NSAID. And methocarbamol 125 mg 2x. She still has deep pain sensation which is good but we are afraid that too she might lose. She just seems to everyday be getting worse. The vet said she has a 75% of recovery with current treatment. She recommends a neurology appt/MRI if she loses DPS. She said that surgery is about a 50/50 success rate. This is obviously been very traumatic and stressful. My happy bouncy dog is now gone. It's so very sad. This website has been so very helpful so far. She finally seems more comfortable since the gabapentin had been increased. She cannot wag her tail or walk. She has lost bladder control. She is eating OK, not exactly hungry but will eat some. She has loose stools but we are hoping the Prilosec will help. Thanks for reading
Aimee
[32 lbs
Rimadyl as of 3/8: for 3 days, STOPPED 3/10
prednisone to start 3/11: 10 mg 2x/day for 5 days, then taper doses
Gabapentin 300 mg 3x/day
Prilosec (omeprazole) 20 mg 2x/day
methocarbamol 125 mg 2x]
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Mar 10, 2017 17:36:30 GMT -7
Hi Aimee and welcome to Dodgerslist. Everyone here has a dog with IVDD so we know what you are going through. We are glad you have found us. I am sorry that Tallulah is having a disk episode. Deep pain sensation (DPS) is very difficult to interpret correctly. General DVM vets and other veterinary professionals often get DPS wrong. Only a board cerified ACVIM or ACVS have the practiced eye to correctly interpret wether DPS is present or not. If you are considering surgery for your Tallulah do not wait untill your vet tells you that DPS is lost to visit the specialist. The best chance for a good surgical outcome is within a window of 12-24 hours from losing the last of neuro functions, deep pain sensation (DPS). Even after that window of time, there can still be a good outcome. Each hour that passes decreases that chance.further detail when considering surgery vs. conservative treatment: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsurgery.htmUsually the washout period between an NSAID like Rimadyl and a steroid is more tht 3 days. Usually the washout period when the dog is not on either med is 4-7 days. Your vet, seeing that Tallulah is losing neuro function made the switch to the strongest type of anti-inflammatory, the pred. When both meds are in the system at once excess stomach acid will be produced that can lead to serious stomach damage. Your vet has prescribed prilosec for this. But now Tallulah is having loose stool. Prilosec takes three to five days to reach peak efficency. Because of this we usually see Pepcid AC given. Pepcid AC takes effect within 30 minute. Pepcid AC can be given during the time it takes the Prilosec to take effect. 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 dogs Pepcid (famotidine) 30 minutes before the anti-inflammatory. The usual dose in dogs is 0.44mg per pound every 12 hours. Speak to your vet about an additional medicine Sucralfate. Sucralfate is a bandaid of sort for the stomach. Having both these meds on board is the best way to keep Tallulah from serious stomach damage. Since Tallulah has lost bladder control you will need to help here empty her bladder by expressing. If urine is allowed to stay in the bladder it can lead to problems like UTIs or overstretching of the bladder. You will need a hands on lesson from your vet to learn how to express. It can be a bit tricky to learn but really it is just a matter of practice.We have someinformation about expressing here: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm#bladderexpressI am going to ask a few questions to help us understand Tallulah's situation better. ☐ Let us know you are on the same page about crate rest. The hallmark component of conservative treatment is the crate rest part. With little blood supply discs are much slower to form good scar tissue than it takes a blood rich broken bone to heal. That 6 weeks of a cast for a broken arm to heal is similar to the recovery suite being a kind of cast for the disc. 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 for 8 weeks provides limited movement to allow good strong scar tissue to form. Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htmSTRICT means: - no laps - no couches - no baths - no sleeping with you - no chiro therapy - no dragging or meandering at potty times. ☐ Is there still currently 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, restless, can't find a comfortable position. Ears pinned back, 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. Full pain relief is expected in 1 hour and stays that way dose to dose of correctly Rx/d pain meds. "There is medicine and there is healing. Healing requires rest and comfort, and all patients should be kept as comfortable as possible. Studies have shown a correlation between less pain and faster recovery from illness, surgery, or injury." Barak Benaryeh, DVM, DABVP. Identifying Pain in Geriatric Patients. Veterinary Team Brief. NOV/Dec 2015. ☐ Why Chiropractic is not recommended for pain for an IVDD dog www.dodgerslist.com/literature/chiropractic.htm It is very scary when our dogs have IVDD. It becomes less so when we learn all we can about the disease. An excellent page to start with is "Overview: the essentials" and then read all you can as soon as possible. Here's the link: www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm |
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 10, 2017 18:38:55 GMT -7
Aimee, to be clear you have an emergency to deal with tonight even if it needs to be ER. Red flag signs of Rimadyl damage to the GI tract area already starting with the nausea, not eating, loose stools. This can't wait. At the grocery store you can buy Pepcid AC (famotidine). As noted Prilosec can take 3-5 days to reach peak efficiency in suppressing acids. Pepcid AC suppresses acids in 30 mins. With prednisone to start without adequate 4-7 days washout, it is well known by vets that two (2) stomach protectors would need to be on board for the double jeopardy to the GI tract of only a 36 hours washout. Basically if it is deemed an emergency to save spinal cord damage, the switch should have been made right away today. Hours matter in preventing more nerve damage and from making it permanent nerve damage situaiton!!So, the reason you need ER tonight is to get the steroid on board tonight in an attempt to help preserve neuro function loss. AND to get that 2nd stomach protector on board called sucralfate because there is not going to be an appropriate 4-7 days washout! While at ER get an hands-on-top-of-your-hands type of expressing lesson. Reading and viewing the video at this page first will let you get more out of the lesson: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm |
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 10, 2017 19:37:21 GMT -7
Thank you for the replies. We are crate resting her. We have an orthopedic mattress dog bed and a pen to keep her immobile. I've read the information on your site about this and am following the guidelines. I asked the vet about her not peeing and she said that she will go when she "needs" to basically. When we pick her up to go outside and this usually causes her to pee. I'm reluctant to take her to the ER tonight. The one in town, works with my vet, and they weren't very helpful. They told me last night to continue with what the vet suggested. It feels risky to put her in the car and travel 20 mins and stress her. In the morning I will call the vet and ask about the pepsid. I'm really confused/stressed because I am getting so much conflicting information from here and from my vet. We really don't want to do surgery because we were told it's only 50/50 chance of recovery. She doesn't seem like she's in pain, more stressed about Not being able to move. She also ate fine tonight. She hasn't pooped since this afternoon though.
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Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724 
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 11, 2017 5:17:32 GMT -7
I'm so sorry that you're getting conflicting information, Aimee. I know how confusing that can be. When Tallulah leaks on you when she's picked up, she isn't really peeing but rather the bladder is overflowing. That isn't healthy for the bladder as it can stretch out bladder tone and may impair the ability to regain bladder control. Also any urine left for too long in the bladder can lead to a urinary tract infection. Tallulah's bladder needs to be manually expressed. Prednisone causes increased thirst/urination so you should express every 2-3 hours while she's on that. Eventually, once she's off of the Prednisone and you become proficient in expressing, you can move the time for expressing to every 4 to 6 hours. I know it's stressful and also involves risk to take her to the vet for a lesson on expressing. You can secure her crate in the car and pad it well with blankets/towels to prevent her from moving too much during the car ride. I learned without a lesson but it took me much longer to get the hang of it. I struggled with it for weeks since I was never shown how to do it. The sooner you learn how to express, the better for the bladder and the more comfortable Tallulah will be. Here's the link on how to express again for your review: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmExpressing for poop isn't necessary or a health concern as reflex will cause the poop to come out naturally, but you can also express for poop to help avoid accidents in the crate. That information is also contained in the link on expressing given above. Do speak to the vet ASAP this morning to get Pepcid AC and also Sucralfate on board since there wasn't the proper wash-out period. Good news that she ate last night but she still needs double protection. Pepcid AC should be given 30 mins. before the Prednisone and then every 12 hours thereafter for as long as she's on Prednisone. Sucralfate requires timing with other meds. Here's a link about that for your review prior to your discussion with the vet: www.marvistavet.com/html/sucralfate.htmlPrilosec is a stomach protector that takes 3-5 days to reach peak efficiency, then it is supposed to be very good in humans but we've heard that it isn't as efficient for dogs. Pepcid AC is something that we know works well. Please let us know what the vet says after speaking to them this morning. We're here for you and Tallulah and will help you through her recovery. Healing prayers for Tallulah. |
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 11, 2017 8:08:26 GMT -7
Update: I spoke to the actual vet on the phone. Before they were just relaying messages. She said I can give 20 mg of ➕Pepcid AC if I wanted to in addition to the Prilosec. So I will be doing that. She also said we will use another RX drug I can't recall the name of if she shows any symptoms of GI distress.
Post by Aimee & Tallulah on 2 hours ago
I spoke to my vet and voiced my concerns. She told me recent studies have shown that Pepcid isn't as great as a Gastro protectant as once thought. Giving the Prilosec yesterday at 2, she said should be sufficient time to allow it to work. I gave her the prednisone this morning. She is eating and drinking fine and had a very normal BM this morning. Hopefully she can avoid any GI issues. Thank you for the advice.
[32 lbs
Rimadyl as of 3/8: for 3 days, STOPPED 3/10
prednisone to start 3/11: 10 mg 2x/day for 5 days, then taper doses
Gabapentin 300 mg 3x/day
Prilosec (omeprazole) as of 3/10: 20 mg 2x/day
➕Pepcid AC 20 mgs ?x/day
methocarbamol 125 mg 2x]
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 11, 2017 9:31:33 GMT -7
Aimee, good job on pressing to actually speak with the vet to get Pepcid AC on board. Are you giving 20 mgs Pepcid AC every 12 hours (2x/day)? Prolosec IS a very good acid suppressor WHEN it better approaches proper efficiency in 3-5 days. So it is NOT a good choice with a disc episode when 100% protection is needed right away upon starting use of any anti-inflammatory drug. Just stress from changes in routine, pain, etc, cause extra stomach acids just like it does for people. THEN add in Rimadyl which causes acids. THEN add in Pred without a 4-7 days washout, YOU'VE basically have set Tallulah up for TRIPPLE opportunity for stomach damage! Using Pepcid AC will give 100% coverage of suppressing acids in 30 mins and lasts for 12 hours Tallulah has been set up for stomach damage which has these signs: nausea, not wanting to eat, vomit, loose stool, bleeding ulcer, bloody diarreah, deadly perforated stomach lining. The point is knowing there will very likely be stomach damage without the 4-7 days washout from Rimady, then prudent vets PROTECT with a 2nd med called sucralfate. marvistavet.com/sucralfate.pml The benefit to preserve the spinal cord overrides the risk to the GI tract of switching without proper number of washout days. Therefore knowing there is going to be a risk, you do things to prevent it ...not waiting around to see if something happens---- two stomach protectors on board asap this morning. Tallulah has only you to advocate for her. She doesn't need another problem of bleeding ulcers on top of all she is dealing with. Read what veterinary professional know that your vet is not appreciating about no washout. Read about sucralfate at this link so you can do your best job of advocating for double stomach protection:
Sucralfate link w/info on how timing w/ food & w/Pepcid AC: marvistavet.com/sucralfate.pml
Let us know when you have sucralfate on board, ?mgs or grams (g) for each dose and how often it is given. |
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 11, 2017 10:32:05 GMT -7
I am going to following my vets suggestions. We both are working to prevent GI issues with Tallulah. She has no symptoms of GI issues. I hope it stays that way. Thanks for the input.
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 13, 2017 11:31:52 GMT -7
I really need some help here. I'm really at my wits end with my vet's office. I have spoken to multiple vets and received conflicting advice every time. I took her on Friday and the vet then told me that she had a good chance of recovering with conservative treatment. She also said that it was very normal for the first three weeks for her to plateau and then slowly regain neurologic function. But over the weekend I've been struggling with Tallulah being uncomfortable and wetting herself with foul smelling urine. I called the vet today to ask about this and I got a completely conflicting prognosis. The vet today I spoke with today said because she did not regain bladder control over the weekend she will never get better basically without surgery. I was dumb founded. I have read multiple stories here on this forum with the dogs recovering function with conservative treatment. And that it takes time. She also won't give me anything for pain besides what I'm doing when my dog is clearly uncomfortable. She said she needs to get an CAT scan/MRI and see an orthopedic surgeon! Again the vet on Friday told me that I would need to take her to a neurologist. i am besides myself. I don't know what to do or who to believe.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 13, 2017 12:40:46 GMT -7
When first learning to express, dogs often will get a UTI while you are learning to fully void at each expressing session. Some UTIs have nothing observable such as foul odor, change in color.
Any vet that tells you bladder control not returning in the short time of over the weekend then the dog will be forever paralyzed just is not knowledgeable about the way the body self repairs nor the time frame. This is why we say it is so very important that you become knowledgeable!
IVDD knowledge means you can identify which vets know IVDD and which don't. You don't get down because of mis information because you know what's what and you consider the source. Not all vets know IVDD..simple as that. When they don't know it, that can be evidenced by not wanting to use meds to get pain in control, they want to refer you to a specialist because that is all they know to do. So you got the message.... you need to find another local DVM vet or go for a specialist consult As large as Tally is, you should have many other vet clinics to choose from.. Can you use your IVDD knowledge in the hiring process to make sure Talluhah gets the help she needs with pain and UTI today?
Getting a consult from a specialist is not just for the purpose of surgery. It can also be for getting the right meds a local DVM is not comfortable in prescribing.
I'll bet there is now a raging UTI going on. They can happen quickly when not all the urine has been expressed. The longer stale urine stays in the bladder the more inviting for bacteria to breed. The confirming test as to whether there is presence of bacteria is called a urinalysis. Talluhah needs one today to find out if there is a bacteria infection going on. The concern with UTIs is that they can quickly move up into the kidneys where it becomes life threatening. Having a UTI can make her feel pretty cruddy. There is pain, a burning sensation.
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 13, 2017 15:57:41 GMT -7
Thanks so much for the reply. This has been such an awful scary experience. We are now at an orthopedic surgeon who seems very familiar with IVVD. Hopefully we can now get her proper care.
Tallulah will have surgery tomorrow after a myelogram. Thanks for all the guidance. We believe this is her best bet. Will update after surgery.
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Post by Pauliana on Mar 13, 2017 22:09:06 GMT -7
Hi Aimee,
Thanks for letting us know about Tallulah's surgery scheduled for tomorrow.. We will be thinking of you and praying for the best results for Tallulah! Thanks for keeping us posted!
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 14, 2017 9:56:20 GMT -7
Tallulah's surgery went well. She had a herniated disc at the T12/T13 region, more prominent on the left side. Her spinal cord looked good. Surgeon feels optimistic she will walk again. We will know more tomorrow morning. Thank you so very much for the support. You all are doing such a great thing here.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 14, 2017 9:59:26 GMT -7
Wonderful update!!! As you learn more do share!
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 15, 2017 9:27:42 GMT -7
Doctor called this morning. Tallulah is doing well. She still has DPS and good reflexes. Happy about that! They start laser therapy today and he said she probably can come home on Friday. I get to see her today too. That's all I know for now.
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Post by Julie & Perry on Mar 15, 2017 13:03:53 GMT -7
My Nala recently had a bad episode and I was very impressed with how much the laser therapy helped. So glad Tallulah is doing well!
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 15, 2017 17:31:03 GMT -7
Tallulah is very stressed out being in the ICU. It was heart breaking to see her today. They are trying different medicines to calm her down. They told me but stress brain isn't allowing me to remember. I know they last tried zanax. She is naturally a high anxiety dog so this has been very hard on her. She also won't eat which is a problem because she also has severe food allergies. Before we put her on ultamino dog food, she would get bouts of gastritis. Because she felt so so much better on ultamino I never dared to test out to find her exact allergies. The internist suggested a rabbit protein. She still won't eat though. She is bearing weight on her back legs which she wasn't doing pre surgery. I'm hoping this is a good sign. I didn't get to ask about that though, I will ask tomorrow. It was pretty shocking seeing her today and made me seriously question my decision. Thanks for all the support and encouragement everyone.
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Post by Julie & Perry on Mar 16, 2017 5:33:44 GMT -7
Any chance Tallulah could come home earlier? ICU is stressful. Poor baby.
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Post by Valerie & Macy on Mar 16, 2017 7:23:11 GMT -7
So glad to see Tallulah did well with surgery and you were able to get her in before things worsened. My dog tried out the meds for weeks with only minimal help, but eventually she worsened and was wobbly. It was heartbreaking to see. My experience sounds similar to yours as Macy was on Rimadyl and went off for about 48 hrs before Prednisone was started. She was started on Sucralfate at the same time to protect her stomach. Our board certified neurologist who did an amazing job with her surgery also recommended Prilosec and when I brought up Pepcid he told me Prilosec is what he likes to give as it is known to be a better stomach protector. Maybe the research is different now on these two meds. She took prednisone as well for about 3 weeks after a small set back 4 weeks after her surgery and Prilosec was given at that time two times per day. Macy never had any issues or side effects while taking Prednisone. Macy's graduation day is tomorrow!!!! She will be 8 weeks post op and is doing great. She is starting to be energetic again and cannot wait to break out of her pen!  Good luck with everything...its a long journey but its all worth it. I would not think twice about surgery as it really offered the best outcome for my pup. |
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 16, 2017 7:37:03 GMT -7
Aimee, my Jeremy also didn't do well in the hospital and they released him a couple of days early due to his stress level. The first few days following surgery are stressful on all. I'm sure things will improve a lot when Tallulah can come home and be in a familiar environment with her loved ones.
Great news that she's now able to bear weight on her hind legs! Often times there isn't any improvement for a couple of weeks due to swelling from the surgery so that's a wonderful sign of nerve healing.
Did they check urine for a UTI? If she has a UTI, that would make her feel even worse. Check with the vets to make sure that she's getting enough pain meds to keep her comfortable.
Stay strong and stay positive. Rest assured that you've done your very best for Tallulah. Continued healing prayers for your little Tallulah.
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 16, 2017 9:44:16 GMT -7
Valerie & Macy- thank you for sharing your story with me. They are very similar indeed. I'm so happy Macy is doing great and almost done with crate rest! It's so wonderful to hear positive things right now. Really appreciate it.
I was told today she would come home tomor or Saturday. She slept well last night and has calmed down from what the nurse shared. I am confident they are protecting her stomach aggressively as they said so. They know she only had a 36 hr washout. I didn't think to ask what they were doing specifically though. My brain isn't working great these days!!!!! They handle IVDD very routinely and I believe they are doing the right things. The doctor put her on antibiotics as soon as I told him about the panting and extremely foul smelling urine and of course that I wasn't proficient at expressing her. I don't think they did an urinalysis. The nurse said the doctor feels very optimistic about her recovery. She said the doctor noticed her reflexes improving along her spine (?). I'm not sure, I deleted the messages accidentally before I could listen properly to it. But they think she's doing good so I'm happy. I'm trying to get to see her today but my car is in the shop right now. If she seems very very stressed I will ask about her coming home. They know she's stressed and are trying to manage it VS the risk of her coming home prematurely. The girls who work there are angels and tell me they cuddle her and kiss her to help her settle which means so much! Thanks so much for all the kind comments-it helps so much.
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 17, 2017 16:56:40 GMT -7
Tallulah came home tonight! We are so happy to have her home and once we arrived her eyes softened and she seemed so peaceful! They told me that she was sniffing and peeing at the vet's but I was skeptical. When I brought her home, she did indeed sniff and Pee!!!! but seems to be leaking as well. They tried to show me how to express but I can't really do it. Her bottom is urine soaked and I'm trying my best to clean her up but I'm concerned. Obviously I can't bath her because of her incision. Any tips would be appreciated.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 17, 2017 17:22:58 GMT -7
Aimee, what meds did she come home on? Dose and frequency, all that helps us to make the more appropriate comment. Are you taking her outdoors every 2-3 hours? Then after she sniffs and pee, doing a quick express check to see if she is fully emptying the bladder? This tip and many other good ones comes including how to set up the mattress system from our supply list at the Main Dodgerslist web site. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies.htmUse unscented baby wipes for quick clean up on your doxie. Marjorie's tip: boil and cool decaf green tea to dampen a washcloth. It is mild with acidifying, antibacterial properties to neutralize urine on skin and fur to avoid rashes from urine scald + clean earthy fragrance.  White vinegar in a spray bottle to disinfect and remove the urine ammonia smell from floors, etc. Best is to have two spray bottles, one filled with plain white vinegar the other filled with peroxide . A spritz of each on urine and poop disinfects and completely removes the odor... good on linens, floors and other hard surface. Pre test for color fastness on important fabrics. articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/21/vinegar.aspx |
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 17, 2017 17:43:37 GMT -7
[32 lbs.]
Convenia injection (lasts 14 days)
Prednisone day 4 of taper 10 mg every 24 hrs
Famotidine 20 mg every 12 hrs
Tramadol 50 mg every 8-12 hrs (we are doing 12 right now )
Diazepam 5 mg every 8 hrs
Alprazolam .5 mg every 12 hours as needed (don't know yet if she will need it)
She's very comfortable and pretty out of it
Yes every 2-3 hours. I tried to express but couldn't get anything. After sniffing she tried to squat and peed a large stream and a lot. But she isn't wagging yet. She's never been a big wagger. She can stand if her paws are corrected for a short time. Still no waking.
I will try the things suggested. Thanks Paula.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 17, 2017 18:08:29 GMT -7
The quick express check after Tallulah has sniff'd and pee'd on her own, is to verify for yourself that she is consistently fully voiding. Do touch bases with the surgeon to report what you are observing. She IS peeing, you don't get any more urine out AND you are taking her out every 2-3 hours AND YET she is leaking urine in her bedding.
Convenia, is a broad spectrum antibiotic to kinda shotgun several kinds of bacteria and hopefully knock out the one causing the UTI. If there is a different bacteria causing the problem in the bladder, then that bacteria would not be killed by Convenia. Usually within the first 48 hours if it is the right antibiotic there will be improvement on the symptoms of the UTI. Leaking could be a sign of a UTI.
Diazepam can relax the muscles, maybe enough for Tallulah that is the reason for the leaks.
Let us know what your vet feels is most likely the reason for the leaking.
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 17, 2017 20:52:10 GMT -7
She isn't wetting her bed here yet. She is leaking on us and herself when we pick her up. I think I'm just not able to express her or it's the muscle relaxer. The foul smell of her urine is gone although I know some UTIs don't have that. I will try to contact the office and ask about it. They didn't seem concerned that she was leaking at the vet so I'm assuming it's the muscle relaxer. I'm concerned with keeping her skin free of urine.
And to clarify she is peeing all over herself when she goes outside as well. She's not Able to squat properly. Kinda wondering how other folks handle this and keep them clean.
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 18, 2017 6:01:39 GMT -7
Please let us know what the vet says after speaking to them about Tallulah's urine leakage. Usually leaking when picked up indicates overflowing of the bladder. Urine can burn the skin so do try the green tea tip that Paula gave you. It neutralizes the acidity of the urine so it helps prevent urine burn and leaves a nice fresh scent. Are you using a sling when you take her out to potty? That may help stabilize her so she can squat a bit better. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/slingwalk.jpg |
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 18, 2017 7:18:36 GMT -7
She is leaking after she pees outside when we pick her up to bring her in. I can't figure out expressing. So it's hard to imagine it's overflow. I'm not sure. She also wet herself over night (5hrs). So I think I need to get her out in the middle of the night. Yes we use a sling and we are getting it down where she isn't peeing on herself so that's good. Will try the green tea. I know urine burns the skin that's why I'm inquiring about how to handle it.
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 18, 2017 7:37:09 GMT -7
If she's leaking right after she goes herself, then she's not emptying the bladder completely. Either she's not able to yet due to incomplete return of bladder control or a UTI is causing painful urination so she stops before completely emptying her bladder. It's hard to learn how to express the bladder when she's almost emptied the bladder herself. It's hard to find the bladder when it's small and almost emptied. Looking forward to hearing what the vet has to say about the leakage. Good to hear that she's not peeing on herself when she urinates on her own. Things will continue to improve. |
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Post by Aimee & Tallulah on Mar 18, 2017 15:49:13 GMT -7
Waiting to hear back from the vet. They really haven't been the best about that. Good news is no leaks since last night. She seems kinda of depressed and isn't really wanting to eat. She's eating some though. She has not pooped. I brought that up to the vet as well. I can't wait until she is feeling better from the surgery.
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Good luck with everything...its a long journey but its all worth it. I would not think twice about surgery as it really offered the best outcome for my pup. 