Allison's Pixie 12/27 Conservative

Welcome to Dodgerslist Allison!  Please let your Pixie know with your utmost confidence that things are going to be ok…because they will. With this disease self education is critical not just so you make sure the right things are being done for the best recovery but for your own emotions. The unknown is simply a scary place. Get ready to fight this disease now and in the future by knowing all things IVDD. There is no better place to start than on our main web page with "Overview: the essentials" and then read all you can as soon as possible. Here's the link: www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm

So sorry to hear about Pixie's IVDD episode.  Very glad you got her to emergency right away and began crate rest quickly. Very glad to hear she is getting Laser and Acupuncture,both are excellent for IVDD.

I am concerned however that your Vet wants to keep her on Meloxicam for the rest of her life.  Normally it is only necessary to use a NSAID for only as long as the swelling is present in the spinal cord and no longer. All drugs have side effects so it is best only to use as long as there is swelling present. When the Vet thinks the swelling might be gone, you stop the Meloxicam and Methocarbamol and if pain returns, restart it again and test with a stop again later.. If no pain, the swelling is gone and no further medications are necessary. Just continue the crate rest for the duration of the 8 weeks.  Here is more info on Anti Inflammatories and swelling.  www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsweling.htm

Is Pixie currently taking Pepcid AC to protect her stomach from the side effects of the Meloxicam?  The FDA and manufacturer pkg insert indicate gastrointestinal problems are side effects of using NSAIDs. The natural defenses of the stomach to shield against stomach acid is hindered when taking NSAIDs. Serious gastrointestinal toxicity such as bleeding, ulceration, and perforation, can occur at any time, with or without warning symptoms. Phrase the question to your vet this particular way:" Is there a medical/health reason for my dog not take Pepcid?" If there is no reason, we follow vets who are proactive in stomach protection by giving doxies 5mg Pepcid (famotidine) 30 minutes before the NSAID. Pepcid is generally considered a safe-over-the-counter suppressor of stomach acid production for a healthy dog and good insurance. Dogs don't speak up at first signs of trouble like a person would. By the time we notice black or red blood in the stools, things can quickly go from bleeding ulcers to a life threatening perforated stomach. We ask that all members read about each med their dog is on or may take as a safety measure. This directory is in alpha order: www.marvistavet.com/html/pharmacy_center.htm
www.dodgerslist.com/neurocorner2/stomachProtection.htm

Yes some dogs get worse before they get better so keep hope alive.  My Tyler has had two episodes.. He had surgery the first episode and recovered very well with 6 weeks of post op crate rest.  It was very traumatic to wake up in the morning and find he couldn't use his back legs and off to ER we went, so I know all too well what you and Pixie are going through. 

6 months later he had a mild episode that we treated with 8 weeks of crate rest and medications.. Meloxicam  and Tramadol. You wouldn't know to look at him that he has IVDD.. He is playful and enjoys his new normal. He knows he isn't allowed to use stairs or jump on furniture..He waits for us to carry him upstairs.

REGAINING NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION has no time limit for nerves to heal. Nerve repair is individual as each injury is different and each dog’s ability to heal is different. If deep pain perception (DPP) is present, even in paralyzed legs, there is a chance your dog may be able to walk again. For those dogs who have lost DPP, do know nerve regeneration can take place and that function may return. Once deep pain perception is regained, your dog has a chance at a walking recovery. Thousands of dogs on Dodgerslist have regained functions in as little as 2 weeks, others 11 months, and still others 3 years later. IVDD is a disease of patience to allow the body to heal on its own terms.
 
Add this comprehensive "must-have" $3 DVD on IVDD to your arsenal of educational resources. Friends, family and those who will be caring for your dog should also watch this DVD; plus don't forget to order one DVD for your vet.    www.dodgerslist.com/store/DVDorder.htm

Yes your dog can still have a great quality of life:   www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htm


Sending comforting thoughts your way and healing prayers for Pixie..

Hi Allison,

We will be looking forward to hearing about what your Holistic Vet has to say.   How is Pixie doing today?

So it's been almost 3 weeks since Pixie went down, and still no signs of improvement.  A couple nights ago, I could have sworn that she placed her left foot correctly and did some spinal walking when I took her out to go to the bathroom, but she hasn't done anything since then, so I don't know if it was just wishful thinking or what. I told the vet about that and she seemed skeptical about it and said even if that happened and it wasn't accidental placement, she would expect to see recovery happening a bit quicker...
I'm having a hard time remaining hopeful right now.  I'd like to get her some wheels so that she can go out and enjoy the world again, but I'm committed to giving her the 8 weeks of crate rest to give her the best chance of recovery I can. I guess I'm just having a hard time remaining hopeful and positive that Pixie will walk again  :/

She's still on the Meloxicam, but she's done with the methcarbamol.  The vet suggested we start doing some light massage and range of motion activities with each leg, so we've started doing those with her.  She doesn't sniff and go to the bathroom in a specific spot, but she does still have control of her bowels and bladder. Thank you for the pep talk!

Pixie is now off all meds. We're continuing acupuncture every 2 weeks, and she has her last laser therapy on Saturday. She's not in pain as far as I can tell, except when we do her leg massage and gentle rang of motion activities; she seems slightly uncomfortable, but no yelping or shaking or anything. I'd like to supplement her diet with B12, but I'm not sure what her dosage should be. She's about 13 pounds

I am SUPER excited to report that yesterday Pixie started moving her legs on her own!  She can support herself for a few seconds and has started to correct her right foot when it is knuckled (very slowly, but it's a start!) I had been researching dog wheelchairs since it seemed like there was zero progress, so even a little bit is very exciting

SO! Pixie has shown a major improvement from when she first started moving her legs. She will now push into a standing position in her crate. She's still wobbly when standing, though. She can also take a couple of "drunken" steps on her own. She attempts to walk every time she's in her sling, and her legs are crossed, which I think is a sign of nerve repair(?) It's massive gains since for a solid 6 weeks there absolutely no movement from the hindquarters. It's absolutely amazing. Our vet was also impressed, since she had given up on any chance of improvement. I guess I'm not sure where to go from here? It's now been the solid 8 weeks of crate rest, should she stay in it for longer, or should we be letting her get up and move around more? How should we go about strengthening her legs back up? Thanks for all the support and well wishes!