Welcome to the Forum!
Two things I'm concerned about that need checking on today soonest possible.
-- If you are not manually expressing his bladder every 2-3 hours, then he may already have a UTI going on. Take him in to get a urinalysis that your vet runs in his clinic to get results whether an antibiotic is needed or not.
--- Get another hands on lesson if you have been expressing, because there would be no need for last resort use of diapers. If you express every 2-3 hrs and have the skill level now to feel the bladder at the last stage of empthing (so flat one hand can almost feel the other hand) then he would be staying dry session to expressing session. Relexes can cause release of some urine but not all. The remainder urine in the bladder quickly becomes a breeding ground for bacteria (UTI)
-- re-review expressing technique so you get more out of the hands-on-top-of-your-hands type of expressing lesson:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm NOTE: you can also express for poop...watch the easy to do video in the link I just gave.
PEPCID AC today, now!!!! Not eating and black, tarry dark poop are early red flag signs of GI tract damage due to prednisone.
Proactive vets don’t wait til there is lip licking of nausea, not eating, vomit, diarrhea leading to serious bleeding ulcers, red or black blood in stool due to the extra stomach acids anti-inflammatory drugs cause.
Pepcid AC (famotidine) blocks the production of acid. The usual dose of Pepcid AC (famotidine) with a disc episode is 0.44mg mg per pound every 12 hours. Pepcid AC has a very limited potential for side effects.
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).
HEALTH ISSUES: “Mar Vista Vet reports: Pepcid AC has a very limited potential for side effects, the reason of release to over-the-counter status. The dose of famotidine may require reduction in patients with liver or kidney disease as these diseases tend to prolong drug activities. There have been some reports of exacerbating heart rhythm problems in patients who already have heart rhythm problems so it may be prudent to choose another means of stomach acid control in heart patients.”
marvistavet.com/famotidine.pml No pain meds are on board. Could you confirm there are no signs of pain
The pain meds are not yet right. Please contact your vet ASAP to advise of the pain that you're seeing so meds can be adjusted. Advocate that any of the pain meds be given 3x/day (every 8 hours).
—Methocarbamol works on the pain of muscle spasms.
— Tramadol is the general pain reliever.
— Gabapentin works on nerve pain.
There should be no sign of pain from one dose of meds to the next. Have no patience with pain as it does hinder healing. Look for your dog to be acting their normal, perky self when pain is fully under control round the clock.
SIGNS OF PAIN:
◻︎ shivering-trembling ◻︎ yelping when picked up or moved
◻︎ slow to move ◻︎ tight tense tummy
◻︎ arched back, ears pinned back ◻︎ head held high or nose to the ground.
◻︎ restless, can't find a comfortable position
◻︎ slow or reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions
◻︎ looks up with just eyes and does not move head and neck easily.
◻︎ not eating due to painful chewing or in too much overall pain
◻︎ holds front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
◻︎ not their normal perky selves
For how many days is the pred to be given at 5mgs twice a day?
Look forward to your answers so we know more how to help.
not sure stiffness or something else going on....he was given Buprenorphine [shot?] 1.8 and sent us home with Tramadol tabs 50mg...he is continuing all meds listed above every 6 to 8 hours promptly..hoping to have relief by this evening
