Aimee, welcome to Dodgersist! I just found what you wrote this morning tucked in your Profile area. Not sure when you wrote it or when the surgery took place.
Is your doxie is now home or still at the hospital?
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 while at the hospital or if now back home?
☐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?
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.
❖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).
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 track 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 of surgery?
Post-op crate rest is to allow the surgical sites to heal.
Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite, the mattress and more! —>
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htmSTRICT 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.
1. How many weeks did your surgeon direct for post-op rest?
2. What did your surgeon direct for at home PT?
❖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.htmDOGs with BLADDER CONTROL: Carry to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very few limited footsteps unless surgeon has directed some walking PT. 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!
❖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 is your dog’s name?
❖8 Is the surgeon a general DVM or a specialist surgeon: ACVIM neurology or ACVS ortho?
Acupuncture, laser and water therapy are excellent post-op therapies, if within your budget. Check with surgeon prior to starting.
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 soonest possible. Begin absorbing the must-have overall sense of meds, care and how the treatment works.
➤ Follow the "surgery button now. In the next days do all the other colored buttons to become the IVDD savvy pet parent you dog will need. All Things IVDD:
www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm➤ Use the “search box” to easily locate topics over at our Main
www.dodgerslist.com website:
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