Christiana's (dogs name?) 8/1 conservative NECK- Chihuahua-

Welcome Christine!

Can you tell us some things about your dog, while waiting if any of our members have been to Blue Pearl in Franklin or Nashville.

 We’ve got valuable information we’ve gleaned from the vets Dodgerslist consults with and our own experiences with IVDD since 2002 to share with you!

Be aware disc disease is not a death sentence! Struggling with quality of life questions? See for yourself here: www.dodgerslist.com/index/more.htm

It will help us work together with you and avoid offering ideas that could cause harm or lead the discussion in the wrong direction delaying help for your dog — please share a bit more detail with us:

❖1 Is there still currently pain?
❑ shivering, trembling ❑ Arched back
❑ yelping when picked up or moved ❑ can’t find a comfortable position
❑ reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions or slow to move
❑ tight tense tummy
❑ Holding front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
❑ Not their normal perky selves?

❖2 How much does your dog weigh?
…A Please list the exact names of meds currently given, their doses in mgs and times per day given.
…B If on a steroid….what was the start date & dose? Date of steroid taper? If on a NSAID, for how many days has it been prescribed for?

…C PEPCID AC: Ask if your dog has any health issues to prevent use of Pepcid AC (famotidine)? (doesn’t need it, we wait til there is problem…are NOT answers to your question!) If you get a “no health issues” answer, then go to the grocery store to purchase over the counter Pepcid AC containing one single active ingredient (famotidine).



Doxie weight dogs: 5mg Pepcid AC (famotidine) every 12 hours. NOTE: Pepcid AC (famotidine) for dogs is 0.44mg per pound, 30 mins before the anti-inflammatory and thereafter every 12 hours for as long as your dog is on the anti-inflammatory. www.1800petmeds.com/Famotidine-prod11171.html

❖3 GI Tract problems?
—Eating and drinking OK? No nausea/not eating, no vomit?
—Poops OK? Normal firmness & color -no dark black or bright red blood indicating bleeding ulcers? No diarrhea?

❖4 What was the date you saw the vet for CONSERVATIVE treatment?
The hallmark component of conservative treatment is the very STRICT crate rest part (no PT, little movement). With little blood supply discs are much slower to form good scar tissue than it takes a blood rich broken bone to heal. Those 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, the mattress and more! —> www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm

STRICT means:
◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches
◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you
◼︎no chiro therapy "whys": __ www.dodgerslist.com/literature/chiropractic.htm
◼︎no dragging or meandering at potty times.
◼︎no PT for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc
◼︎laser or acupuncture for severe neuro damage is best at home via a mobile vet. Transports are always a risk to the disc of too much movement. Vet visits must be weighed risk vs. benefit for dogs with little to mild neuro diminishment.

❖5 Can your dog specifically sniff and squat and then release urine which is bladder control – OR- do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted which are indication of an overflowing bladder and loss of bladder control?
Overflowing bladders need to be expressed to avoid UTIs. Review video then get a hands-on-top-of-your-hands expressing lesson. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm

DOGs with BLADDER CONTROL: Carry to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very few limited footsteps. Using a sling (long winter scarf, ace bandage, belt) will save your back and help to keep a wobbly dog’s back aligned and butt from tipping over. A harness and 6 foot leash is to control speed and keep footsteps to minimum as you stand in one spot. An ex-pen in the grass is an excellent alternative to minimizing footsteps with the physical and visual to indicate there will be no sniff festing going on!
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/slingwalk.jpg

❖6 Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk?

❖7 What breed? What is your dog’s name? 

❖8 Did you specifically get a diagnosis of IVDD, aka: a disc problem, a disc herniation, a bulging disc, slipped disc? — Is the vet a general DVM or a specialist surgeon: ACVIM neurology or ACVS ortho?

Knowledge is the power to fight the IVDD enemy and win!!
You will be amazed with yourself on how well IVDD educated you can become in a such a short time!
— A quick summary all about conservative treatment and a good road map to follow is at the yellow button pictured below.  Follow the button about "conservative VS. Surgery" to help you decide on a surgeon and when it may be indicated.   www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm


 

Christine, I would opt for the neuro due to neuro function issues. Damage to the spinal cord is nothing to fool around with and needs pinpointing which disease you  have at hand.  I agree about not wasting time and getting the right diagnosis so you know the right treatment to give. What did your vet say the disease he suspicioned and was treating for?  If it was a disc issue, he did not prescribe the single most important part of the care:  100% STRICT rest 24/7 for the full 8 weeks, only out for a very, very few footsteps at potty time. 

CAUTION: Metacam, a non-steroid anti-inflammatory would mean a 5-7 days washout before giving a steroid like Dex. Doesn't look like your dog's stomach has been protected at all?!  Otherwise great danger to the GI tract of bleeding uclers. In cases where it is deemed an emergency to prevent more nerve damage then TWO GI tract protectors would be on board.
1) The usual Pepcid AC may be contraindicated with a heart issue. So another would be chosen to suppress stomach acids at the get go with any anti-inflammatory such as the non-steroid one, Metacam
2) Adding sucralfate as the 2nd protector for the double jeopardy of not being able to do a 5-7 day washout before giving a steroid due to emergency nature.

Until you know for sure you are not dealing with a disc episode it is prudent to crate to prevent the disc from doing further damage to the spinal cord. Limited movement of the back/neck is to let the suspicioned disc heal and not cause neuro function loss to the spinal cord.

Let us know what the ER Neuro visit reveals. We know alot about just one disease and have valuable information to share in caring for an IVDD dog.



As damage to the spinal cord increases with a damaged disc, there is a predictable stepwise deterioration of functions. When nerve healing begins, often it follows the reverse order.
1. Pain caused by the tearing disc & inflammation in the spinal cord
2. Wobbly walking, legs cross
3. Nails/toes scuffing floor
4. Paws knuckle under
5. Weak/little leg movement, can't move up into a stand
6. Legs do not work at all (paralysis, dog is down)
7. Bladder control is lost. Leaks on you when lifted. Can no longer sniff and then pee on that old urine spot outdoors.
8. Tail wagging with joy is lost
9. Deep pain sensation, the last neuro function, a critical indicator for nerves to be able to self heal after surgery or with conservative treatment.
Surgery can still be successful in the window of 12-24 hours after loss of deep pain sensation. Even after that window of time, there can still be a good outcome. Each hour that passes decreases that chance. Precious hours can be lost with a vet that gets DPS wrong. Trust only the word of a neuro (ACVIM) or ortho (ACVS) surgeon about DPS. 

Information in deciding for a disc episode surgery or healing under conservative treatment.
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsurgery.htm

Thing you can do to help with a neck disc:  www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cervical.htm

Let us know what the diagnosis is....hoping your little guy will get things squared away soon and can begin mending for the disease he is diagnosed for.