Pam, sorry to hear your girl might be having a disc episode. What is her name? Did you get a specific diagnosis of a disc episode by the ER clinic?
The single most important care you can give to get that disc to heal if this is a disc episode is 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 only out of the recovery suite for a very, very few footsteps at potty time. A disc episode is definately not a death sentence...good for you to inately know that! So plan on giving that disc time enough to heal with limited movement of the spine.... no cart, no diapers, no drag sack
If she does not have bladder control evidenced by leaking on you when lifted and your finding urine in her bedding, then the vet should have given you aa hands-on-top-of-your-hands type of expressing lesson. Today get that lesson but first reading and viewing the video at this page will have you getting more out of the lesson. NOTE you can express for both health reason of health for the bladder expressing and for convenience expressing for poop:
Keep in mind the key word in the name of the disease is DISC.
#1 Take a look so you can visualize just why the need to be strict about crate rest for the DISC is so important in preventing a surgery
#2 How/why meds are used while the DISC is healing. A good review of the many things your vet mentioned about his diagnosis, the Rx’d meds, crate rest, other stuff that you may not have fully processed during that short vet visit.
#3 The very best thing you can do for YOU, the caregiver, and for your dog is to read and learn as quickly as you are able. Calm your mind by being “in the know” how long each the 4 phases of healing is expected to take. What treatments for which phase? At what point would a surgery be considered? This is the page to bookmark and return to in the next days to have a full understanding of the now and the future of living many happy years ahead with your IVDD dog. Here is the link to bookmark:
www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htmQUESTIONS to keep the discussion from going off in the wrong direction and getting the fastest help for your girl.★1 How much does your dog weigh?
C. Please include the all important stomach protector such as Pepcid AC (famotidine) when taking any anti-inflammatory med (steroid or NSAID). We follow vets who are proactive against not eating, vomit, diarrhea, bleeding ulcers by giving doxie weight dogs 5mg Pepcid (famotidine) 30 minutes before the anti-inflammatory and thereafter every 12 hrs.
★2 What is your dog’s name?
★3 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)?
★4 What was the date you saw the vet for conservative treatment and implemented the 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7?
--Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm STRICT rest 24/7 means:
- no laps - no couches
- no baths - no sleeping with you
- no chiro therapy - no dragging at potty times
-no PT, no wheelchair, nor dragging around, diapers only as last resort.
HAS 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!
BLADDER CONTROL LOST: You would be expressing every 2-3 hours while on Prednisone. Do not hesitate to express in the vet’s clinic and have the vet tech check your work, give you additional pointers. It may take a weeks worth of expressing to reach “pro level.” Doesn’t hurt to re-review the tips and video on expressing to keep your dog dry session to expressing session:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm Express for poop, not the health issue urine is but to prevent anxiety of your dog finding poop where he sleeps.
★5 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, 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. Not their normal perky selves? Full pain relief is expected in 1 hour and stays that way dose to dose. If not in control your vet needs to know asap to adjust meds.
---- DID the ER vet think the disc as in the back or the neck?
★6 Poops OK - normal firmness & color -no dark or bright red blood?
★7 Tell us about her current current neuro functions:
A. can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk?
B. 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 control?
Please let us know about the 2nd opinion appoint with your own local DVM vet goes today.
Click to enlarge illustration: