Alaina's Bella 2/24+2/25 Surgeries—MaltiPoo

Welcome to Dodgerslist. Is your name Alaina? 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.

I'm sorry to hear that there were two surgeries necessary. It can take two weeks for the swelling from the surgery to go down and until then you may or may not see much improvement. DPS can take awhile to come back. As for neuro function, nerves are very slow to heal. Think more in terms of months rather than days. But nerves can heal. Please don't be discouraged - it's still very, very early days in Bella's recovery.

Disc disease is not a death sentence!
Struggling with quality of life questions? Re-think things: www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htm

What breed is Bella?

Do you know when Bella will be discharged? If bladder control hasn't returned by the time she's discharged, be sure to get a hands-on-your-hands demonstration on how to express her bladder. More info here for your review before your demonstration:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm

Are you allowed to visit her in the hospital? Does she appear to be in pain when you visit? If so, advocate strongly for an adjustment of pain meds and don't accept "pain is expected after surgery" as an answer. Pain should be under control. Signs of 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 ☐can’t find a comfortable position ☐Arched back ☐ Holding front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight ☐head held high or nose to the ground

She'll be on crate rest to allow the surgical site to heal when she comes home so here's some information on that and how to set up a a recovery suite:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm
STRICT for a post-op dog 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.
Post-op dogs will follow surgeon's directives for PT during post-op rest as the offending disc material was surgically removed.

Here's Dodgerslist page about what to expect discharge day. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/surgery.htm#discharge

Here is a list of questions to ask on discharge day, too. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/dischargequestions.htm

Please keep in touch with us once Bella is discharged. We have a lot more information to share with you but I know how overwhelming those first few days following surgery can be.

Knowledge is the power to fight the IVDD enemy and win!!
The very best thing you can do for YOU, the caregiver, and for your dog is to get up to speed on IVDD as soon as possible. Begin absorbing the must-have overall sense of meds, care and how the treatment works. Your dog will be depending on your ability to learn: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/theater.htm --- PRINT OUT this link and tape to your fridge: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htm --- use the printout as your roadmap to avoid dangerous detours in your dog's care --- make notes/highlight to keep yourself on track
--- follow all the links in the next days to become the IVDD savvy pet parent your dog needs.
Use the “search box” to easily locate topics over at our Main www.dodgerslist.com website: www.dodgerslist.com/index/searchBOX.jpg

Healing prayers for Bella.

Hi Alaina, sounds like you've all been through a traumatic experience. I'm so sorry this happened.

So the first two weeks after surgery there's a lot of surgical swelling.

Give it time to see how well Bella will recover. Think months or even up to a year.

It will get better. It's a shock at first. Hang in there.

Right now spend as much time as possible reading up about IVDD, treatment, and what to expect.

Then you'll be prepared to help Bella.

At the main website, www.dodgerslist.com, go to the IVDD 101 site.

I have 2 IVDD dogs and they both have a good life. Bella will too!

Day 3... we still have no DPS, they “think” she has control over her urination but want to keep her one or two more days to keep watch over her... so scared to have her home. And scared of the bill which is reaching 10-11k as we speak.

REGAINING NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION has no time limit for nerves to heal. Nerve repair is individual as each injury is different and each dog’s ability to heal is different. If deep pain perception (DPP) is present, even in paralyzed legs, there is a chance your dog may be able to walk again. For those dogs who have lost DPP, do know nerve regeneration can take place and that function may return. Once deep pain perception is regained, your dog has a chance at a walking recovery. Thousands of dogs on Dodgerslist have regained functions in as little as 2 weeks, others 11 months, and still others 3 years later. IVDD is a disease of patience to allow the body to heal on its own terms. Acupuncture and Laser Therapy stimulate the cell’s metabolism that leads to the body’s natural repair abilities and can be started at any time.

Once nerves have repaired then muscles will also have to be retrained to relearn proper placement of the paws. Some muscles will need to regain strength for walking. Consider learning to walk again as it would be for a stroke victim or a baby learning to walk. At first, the steps will be weak and a bit unstable. Relearning to walk takes coordination, building up strength, and lots of patience.
There is no timetable anyone can give you when to expect nerve repair to happen. In fact, there is no time limit for nerves to heal...it can take weeks to more like a year or even longer. However, it is known that neurological function usually returns in the reverse order of the damage. The first big sign you want to look for is that wonderful tail wag!

1. Deep Pain Sensation (Only correctly identified by a specialist.)
2. Tail wagging with joy at seeing you, getting a treat or due to your happy talk.
3. Bladder and bowel control proved by passing the "sniff and pee" test.
Take your dog out to an old pee spot in the grass. Let him sniff and then observe for release of urine.
4. Leg movement, and then ability to move up into a stand, and then wobbly walking.
5. Being able to walk with more steadiness and properly placed paws.
6. Ability to walk unassisted and perhaps even run.

Alaina, while on pred, one would expect to have to express every 2-3 hours. You are earning to express and may not fully know how to void the bladder in the early days. So it fills up again quickly. Second is that pred causes thirst. More drinking more urine produced.
The goal you seek in expressing is she stays dry session to session...meaning you have achieved the goal of fully voiding the bladder. Once off of pred you can move to every 3-4 hrs. As you see she stays dry then move to every 4-6 hrs and even every 8, especially during the night hrs!

Can you be specific in detail on what caused you to think she was acting in pain? Did you get a hands-on-top-of-your-hands type of expressing lesson so you know where to find the bladder and how hard to press? Never hurts to re-review the tips and the video here:: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm

When one is educated about IVDD then, there is way less doom and gloom. As mom's we will always worry, won't we! But understanding how nerves heal..... V...e....r....y SLOWLY, there is no expectation for there to be improvement in nerve function in a matter of days. It is far better for us to think in terms of months rather than days/weeks for this slowest part of the body to heal— nerves.

Many owners do have issues with the post-op rest required. Do check out our article on "Emergency Crate Training" Detailed are options for calmers or even if necessary a stronger Rx sedative.

Be aware you might be inadvertently training for unwanted behavior. To dogs rewards are: food, looking at them, talking to them, eye contact, approaching the crate, petting. So anytime you see unwanted behavior try speaking in your dog's language so Bella understands to calm down. Turn your body sideways, avoid eye contact until she calms and settles down.  Preferable is to start teaching what you do want before there is too much practice in doing the unwanted behavior. Anytime you see she IS sitting or lying down quietly, give a reward of a calm loving "good sit/lie" and random lo-cal small treat of apple or carrot. Soon your Bella will see she gets rewards by quietly sitting, etc.

If jumping against side of crate teach how to GREET with CALM. Of course all teaching will be with done in the recovery suite and with little movement as possible.

Let us know how it goes.

What are the doses for gabapentin and frequency. And what is the current dose in mgs and frequency for the prednisone?

Have you had a chance to bone up on IVDD over on our main website: www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm

I would let the surgeon know ASAP of the signs of pain that you're seeing, Alaina. If pain was caused by bearing down to poop, then her pain meds need to be adjusted. She shouldn't be having pain while pooping. Tramadol and/or Methocarbamol can be added so she can heal in comfort. Is the Gabapentin being given every 8 hours? What is the dosage? Gabapentin works most efficiently when given 3x/day and it sounds as though pain is arising between doses.

It also sounds as though the pain you've been seeing occurs during expressing. A UTI can cause painful expressing. It would be a good idea for you to take some urine into the vet's office to be tested.

Also, if a dog's bladder control is starting to come back, they may object to being expressed. Try a sniff and pee test. Take her to a spot where she or another dog have peed before, support her hind end but not under her belly, let her sniff and see if she can release urine on her own. If she can, then control may be returning, but you should still express after she's gone on her own until you are sure she can completely empty her bladder.

Healing prayers for Bella.

After Spike had surgery I remember he was very uncomfortable when we would put the belly band on him. That was quite awhile ago, and maybe he was just very tender at that time. 

Just keep an an eye on it as we know everything makes us worry.