Welcome to Dodgerslist, Lola. 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.
**Disc disease is not a death sentence! ** Struggling with quality of life questions? Re-think things:
www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htmCooper not wanting to eat his regular food is a red flag sign of GI distress. Anytime a dog is taking an anti-inflammatory, stomach protection must be added. 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).
canigivemydog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/can-i-give-my-dog-pepcid-ac-300x300.jpg 
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.htmlSince Cooper is already showing a sign of GI distress, you should also ask the vet for Sucralfate as a second stomach protector. Sucralfate works in a different way to bandaid the damaged mucus lining and also promotes a healing environment. Sucralfate will require timing with other meds…so do your homework so you can discuss things with the vet:
www.marvistavet.com/sucralfate.pmlThe only way to tell whether Cooper has bladder control or not is to do a sniff and pee test. Carry him to a spot outside where he or another dog has peed before, support his hind end but not under his belly, allow him to sniff and see if he can release urine on his own. If so, he has bladder control and you'll need to carry him out to pee every 2-3 hours while he's on Prednisone as that med can cause increased thirst and urination (or place a pee pad outside of his crate for him to use). If he cannot release urine on his own, then he needs his bladder expressed every 2-3 hours. Diapers can cause skin issues and the bladder needs to be completely emptied to avoid UTIs. You should get a hands-on-your-hands demonstration on how to express from your vet. Here's our page on expressing the bladder for your review prior to your demonstration if needed (you can also express for poop to avoid accidents):
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmIt would be best not to make a follow-up appointment to have Cooper assessed five days after starting the Prednisone as transport involves risk of too much movement of the spine. Vets who understand the importance of strict crate rest during conservative care will agree to take phone status updates and limit vet visits to only the very important ones. You'll need to be alert once the Prednisone starts to taper for the return of any sign of pain or loss of neuro function. If you see any sign of pain or neuro function at any time during the taper of the Prednisone, you'll need to immediately alert the vet so Cooper can be returned to the original anti-inflammatory dosage of Prednisone for a bit longer. Pain means there is still swelling pressing on the nerves of the spine and still a need for the anti-inflammatory dosage for a bit longer. More info on the inflammation phase of IVDD here:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsweling.htmIf not already discussed with the vet, please ask him what he wants to do with the pain meds when the taper of the Prednisone starts on 1/19 - does he want to taper the pain meds or stop them completely. Having pain meds on board during the taper of Prednisone will make it difficult for you to determine whether there is pain/swelling.
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 ☐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.
Neuropathic pain is not common but you should be aware of it. This kind of pain is abnormal, phantom pain sensations with severe spinal cord damage. Signs are obsessive licking of paw, leg, genitals, tail. Escalates to biting, life-threatening chewing off parts. Immediately put on an e-collar (or lengthwise folded towel around neck and duct taped closed) to prevent access to lower body. Contact vet immediately for Gabapentin or stronger Lyrica (pregabalin) for neuropathic pain. More info:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/neuropathy.pdf❖2
GI Tract problems in addition to not wanting to eat his regular food? —No nausea/no vomit? —Poops OK? Normal firmness & color -no dark black or bright red blood indicating bleeding ulcers? No diarrhea?
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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 ◼︎At home laser or acupuncture for severe neuro damage is best. 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.
❖4 Is the vet a general DVM or a specialist surgeon: ACVIM neurology or ACVS ortho?
If there is severe pain or neuro diminishment, acupuncture or laser light therapy can be be started right away as an adjunct to pain meds and to kick start nerve cell energy production. Options: Acupuncture vet who does home visits to avoid back moving during transports. For transport to necessary visits, pad out the recovery suite extra space with a rolled up towel/blanket to prevent body shifts during braking or cornering.
CAUTIONS: ~~ Laser light therapy is contra-indicated with tumors which are detected via x-ray.
~~ During conservative treatment, anytime out of the recovery suite is a dangerous time for the healing disc. Movement of the back can increase a disc tear and escape of disc material into the spinal cord . For an animal with very mild neuro deficits, the risk of transporting to therapy has to be carefully weighed against what benefit is to be gained.
www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/~~ Why Chiropractic is not recommended for IVDD dogs:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/chiropractic.htmPlease let us know how Cooper does with the sniff and pee test and what the vet says about adding Pepcid AC and Sucralfate. We're here for you and Cooper and will help you through his recovery. Healing prayers for Cooper.
