Katie, don't know if Ashly will see your post. Nathan has been given a thread of his own so we can best suppport you.
Welcome to Dodgerslist! So glad you’ve joined us all. 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!
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
❑ tight tense tummy ❑ nose to the ground or head held high
❑ reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions or slow to move
❑ Holding front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
❑ Not their normal perky interested in life selves?
❖2 How much does your Nathan 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.htmSTRICT 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 Nathan 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.htmDOGs 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!
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❖6 Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk?
❖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!!
Getting an IVDD diagnosis is often very overwhelming leaving you feeling vulnerable and placing hope you have the right vet. Often an owner has not been able to research a professional's skills for this one disease. Dodgerslist's aim is to get you up to speed so you can be an active participant in helping your dog heal. No more blindly following instructions.
Knowledge is the power to commit to the right treatment and win this IVDD battle! You will be very amazed how quickly you can learn a lot about just one disease which a vet is not able to know in great detail for every disease known to cats and dog.
With knowledge you'll be able to dialog with your vet in a way that allows understanding a prescribed treatment (meds, rest, etc), and when you do not understand, the ability to ask good, pertinent questions on behalf of your furry loved one.
The very best thing you can do for YOU, the caregiver, and for your dog is to read. Good place to get a
speedy overview of conservative treatment, about surgery, too, if it would be consideration for your family should indications arise:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htm Follow the rest of the colored buttons in the next days to become the IVDD savvy pet parent your dog will need at Dodgerslist IVDD 101 page. Don't forget to bookmark it:
www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htmLook forward to soon hearing more about Nathan with your answers.
