Michelle, welcome to Dodgerslist. Above all else do know after the necessary strict rest period, your girl will be back to enjoying life with you. What is her name?
Are you up to doing some important reading? In the early days of learning our dogs have IVDD, everyone needs a shoulder to lean on while getting things figured out, dealing with emotions, getting up to speed on meds, what disc disease is, etc. Your job in the coming days is to become a reader so you become the confident leader of the health care team.... to discuss confidently various issues from medications to recognizing if suggestions of activity would be harmful to the healing disc. Start on our main website with "Overview: the essentials" yellow button and the one on Surgery it will give you the degree of understanding you need right away today. As time permits continue to read all the orange buttons and the blue button "Disc Disease 101 core readings" to complete your education. Here is the link
www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htmThe only qualified vet to tell you when surgery is a consideration is a board certified neuro (ACVIM) or ortho (ACVS). Was the different doctor yesterday a general DVM vet or a specialist? Often general DVM vets do get the deep pain sensation wrong, wasting precious hours IF surgery is an option for your family.
As damage to the spinal cord increases, there is a predictable stepwise deterioration of functions. When nerve healing begins, often it follows the reverse order.
1. Pain caused by the tearing disc & inflammation in the spinal cord
2. Wobbly walking, legs cross
3. Nails scuffing floor
4. Paws knuckle
5. Legs do not work (paralysis, dog is down)
6. Bladder control is lost
7. Tail wagging with joyful talk or seeing a treat is lost
8. Deep pain sensation, the last neuro function, a critical indicator for successful surgery. Surgery can still be successful in the window of 12/24 hours after loss of deep pain sensation. Even after that window of time, there can still be a good outcome. Each hour that passes decreases that chance. Precious hours can be lost with a vet that gets DPS wrong. So if surgery is an option get to a neuro or ortho asap.
Many a dog on this Forum HAS been able to regenerate nerves enough to allow neuro functions to return under conservative treatment. Surgery removes the disc material pressing on the spinal cord immedately helping the swelling to get down. Nerves then can start healing. Conservative treatment may take 7-14 or even 30 days or so to get all the swelling down via medications. The body often can absorb the offending disc material enough for nerves to start healing. That article on surgery will go into more detail surgery vs. conservative, risks, guarantees, etc.
Deep pain sensation is a neuro function like bladder control is, like tail wagging is. It is the body's ability to sense when very severe pain is experienced. DPS is not the same as being in pain and the need to get her meds right. Your dog IS in pain. It would be helpful later when you get back from the vet and pain meds are on board to list them for us.
So for now in general things to do today:
1. Tramadol, if not 3x a day not likely to control pain, methocarbamol AND even adding in a 3rd pain med (gabapentin) is necessary to control pain, dose to dose so there is NO shivering, yelping, reluctance to move, tight tense tummy.
2. If leaking on you when lifted or finding urine leaks in bedding, then bladder control is lost. Get a lesson on manually expressing the bladder with a hands on top of your hands type of lesson asap today. You will get more out it if you review this video first:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm3. A vet that says surgery or PTS is indicating he is not really comfortable with treating disc disease. All the more reason it is YOU who need to fully know this disease so you can be a very active particiapant in advocating, discussing or even seeking out and hiring a more qualified IVDD vet. Finding an IVDD vet:http://www.dodgerslist.com/literature/VetchkList.htm
Answer these questions for us, when pain meds have been Rx to get that pain in control:
--What is your dog's name
-- Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy?
-- What are the exact names of meds currently given, their doses in mg's and frequencies?
-- Currently can your dog move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you do some happy talk? The very, very lightest least aggressive range of motion and leg massage is necessary for paralyzed legs during conservative treatment. The information highlighted in PINK pertains to a dog who can't walk
once off all pain meds and no more signs of pain.www.dodgerslist.com/literature/massagepassiveexercises.htm-- Do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up?
-- Eating and drinking OK?
-- Poops OK - normal color no dark or bright red blood?
-- If there is pain or neuro diminishment, dogs can benefit greatly with acupuncture or laser light therapy. These therapies can be be started right away to help relieve pain and to also to kick start energy production in nerve cells to sprout. So if this therapy is in your budget, seek out a holistic vet.
ahvma.org/Widgets/FindVet.html
www.serenityvetacupuncture.com/index.php/faq_/ [one vet's overview/prices] Chiropractic is not recommended for IVDD dogs.
We are here to support you whether your decision is surgery or conservative treatment. There is hope for each dog to get back to enjoying life…. we never give up here at Dodgerslist!
