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Post by frankie21 on Nov 6, 2013 23:03:03 GMT -7
-- What is your dog's name? Frankie
-- How much does your dog weigh? 7lbs
--What breed is your dog and did you specifically get a diagnosis of IVDD? Mini Dauchshund...Yes
-- What was the date you saw the vet and started 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7? Saw vet 11/4 and did surgery later that afternoon
--Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy? No
-- What are the exact names of meds currently given, their doses in mgs and frequencies? I am not sure she is still in the hospital on IV meds
-- Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you do some happy talk? She has deep pain sensation...but the vet said they have not tried to force her to walk so unsure
-- Do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up? Vet is finding wet bedding but has not witnessed her actually going to the bathroom.
-- Eating and drinking OK? Yes
-- Poops OK - normal color no dark or bright red blood? Not sure, vet has not discussed bowel movements
Hello All,
I took Frankie to the vet on 11/4 (10 am) after she started having pain around 9pm the night before. When I took Frankie to the vet she could still walk but would yelp when moved or picked up. We were referred to a specialist because the vet was noticing some neurological deficiencies. Frankie still had voluntary movement of her hind legs. The specialist performed an MRI and confirmed that she had a slipped disc. The immediately performed surgery (2:30pm). The vet said the surgery went well.
The next day 11/5, the vet said Frankie had deep pain sensation and they thought she may be urinating on her own but were not sure. She wasn't eating, so they asked us to bring in boiled chicken. We brought her boiled chicken and fed her...she ate great for us.
Today 11/6- The vet said that Frankie was doing well for 2 days post-op. She is now eating for them and they have found her bedding to be wet. They did tell me that they expressed her bladder this morning just b/c it felt full. I am a little confused because they have been telling me that her bedding has been wet from her urinating but also telling me they are not sure if she is urinating on her own? Anyways they said she hasn't stood and they have not forced her to try to walk. (I know that it is still early but it still worries me that she has not stood). She has been a little trooper throughout the whole thing and I just feel so awful that she has had to endure this. I am very worried about her recovery. Thanks for the support!
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Nov 7, 2013 5:18:22 GMT -7
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Nov 7, 2013 8:16:47 GMT -7
Hi, I am Romy. My dog, also named Frankie, is a 6 year old pit bull. He had surgery on October 14 for a ruptured disk at T12-T13 and is still on crate rest.
I also was very confused about how to handle Frankie's bladder. When he was discharged, they told me he was urinating on his own also. Having educated myself from reading on this site, I knew to ask about expressing his bladder. I was told it was not necessary. That was wrong. When I got him home, I noticed that he was leaking urine very often. That did not seem right to me and being advised by some of the supportive people on this site, I brought him to my own local vet. I was told that his bladder was huge and overflowing and this was the cause of the leaks. She gave me a hands on lesson about expressing and after I was able to produce some urine, she catheterized him to remove the rest. Not emptying his bladder would have put him at risk for an infection.
That night I tried to express him again, with no real results. I tried unsuccessfully the next morning and then returned to my vet.
Ultimately I got 4 hands on lessons before I was able to do this effectively.
I wanted to share this story with you because it seems that your Frankie is not urinating on her own and may need to be expressed when she comes home. If I had insisted on an expression lesson before I took my dog home from the hospital, I could have saved him some discomfort and the risk of a UTI.
Trying to express him was very frustrating, but I kept trying and I learned. Now my Frankie is regaining control over his urine.
Best of luck to you and your Frankie.
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Post by frankie21 on Nov 7, 2013 21:46:42 GMT -7
My name is Ashleigh. I just got home from visiting her and she seemed to be doing a little better today. They have taken her off her IV meds and they do believe she is urinating on her own. She seems to be scooting herself to the potty pad in the crate and urinating on that and then scooting herself back into her bed. They said they are just not 100% b/c no one has witnessed her do this. Also, Frankie is trained to go on potty pads at home so that is what she is used to. They haven't mentioned if she has had a bowel movement and I keep forgetting to ask.
They showed me how to use the sling tonight and she seemed to be putting a little weight on her right foot (it pointed forward and didn't flop under and seemed to have some tone to it). She was also licking her hind legs. She had a patch of discoloration on her neck that was worrying me, put they said that they had done some blood draws from her neck and that was bruising. Overall she was more alert tonight which made me feel a little better.
Thank you so much for the support and information!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,549
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 8, 2013 12:35:21 GMT -7
Ashleigh, good news on off her IV meds…that's a good marker for going home when pain can be controlled off of IV's. Let us know when she is home and what meds she comes home with. Also what the surgeon wants for PT and for crate rest. We are glad you have joined us all…. The single best thing you can being while waiting for discharge day is to absorbe as much information as you can. Frankie was born with this disease and will need your knowledge now and for the many more happy days ahead. Paulina helped you find the information you need initially. Do bookmark our treasure trove on all things IVDD to be fully up to speed on Frankie's care with this disease: www.dodgerslist.com/literature.htmWe look forward to your next update.
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Post by frankie21 on Nov 11, 2013 16:04:48 GMT -7
Frankie gets to come home today! The vet said she is urinating on her own and has pretty good motor function in her right hind leg...her left is not as good, but I was happy to hear this progress. I am getting ready to set up her recovery crates and found the literature on here to be extremely helpful. As excited as I am for her to come home, I am also nervous about continuing her recovery at home. She has never been crated and I am foreseeing that she is not going to like it one bit. Also, I am very nervous having to leave her alone without supervision during the day while I go to school. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,549
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 11, 2013 17:54:31 GMT -7
While you at school, she will likely do what dogs do sleep 2x a much as people do…she'll be sleeping in her crate. --Put one of your worn shirts in the crate --Drape a blanket partically over the crate to make it more cosy and den like --Snuggle Safe is a commercial product that will keep warm the whole night. tinyurl.com/4jk2cx7 [snuggle safe] Wrap in a towel so it's not too hot for the skin. Note: human heating pads can get too hot burning skin on a nerve impaired IVDD dog. -- Keep the radio on a talk station. -- Using any oral calmer in combination with a Pheromone diffuser seems to work best with relaxation. It takes several days for these to start working - it isn't immediate but they are a much better option if you can avoid heavy duty prescription sedatives. Of course always keep your vet in the loop on all things you give your dog. Farnum's Comfort Zone with D.A.P. www.petcomfortzone.com/dogs.html [pheromone diffuser] with one oral calmer from below: Oral calmers: 1) ANXITANE® S chewable tabs contain 50 mg L-Theanine, an amino acid that acts neurologically to help keep dogs calm, relaxed www.virbacvet.com/products/detail/anxitane-l-theanine-chewable-tablets/behavioral-health 2) Composure Soft Chews are colostrum based like calming mother's milk and contain 21 mg of L-Theanine. www.vetriscience.com/composure-soft-dogs-MD-LD.php 3) Rescue Remedy is a liquid herb combo to help with relaxation www.bachrescueremedypet.com Plain Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) with no additional medications added. Buy at your grocery store or pharmacy. Get the dosage from your vet. The wrong dose can have dangerous side effects, so your vet needs to prescribe the proper amount for your dog. Other brands may be available in your area… just shop by the active ingredient(s) on the label.
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