Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31 
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Post by Katie & Riley on Feb 24, 2014 15:44:51 GMT -7
Hi There,
My name is Katie, and my little guy, Riley is a 30lb. male mixed breed who is about 4 1/2 years old. We adopted Riley when he was about 3 and don't know anything about his history. This whole situation has really caught us off guard because he doesn't seem like the kind of dog who would have IVDD, but here we are!
On Tuesday, Jan 28 I took Riley for his normal morning walk. He seemed a little slower than usual, but was sniffing and interested in everything like normal, so I didn't think too much of it. I thought maybe he was sore from our weekend run. Later in the day, my hubby texted me and said that Riley was kind of lethargic and trembling a little. He's a tough little guy, very healthy, so we said we would just keep an eye on him. When I got home that night his tail was still wagging and happy to see me, but he was not himself. He would follow me around the house like normal, but as soon as I stopped he would sit or lie down. By the time my husband came home that night we realized that he couldn't move his back legs. We took him to the emergency vet that night and got a diagnosis of IVDD. We were given meds to start in the morning (listed below) and they gave him a steroid shot and muscle relaxer shot to help with his pain immediately and told to keep him calm for at least 2 weeks. At that point, he still had deep pain sensation but couldn't move his hind legs, wag his tail or potty on his own. They told us to take him to his regular vet the next morning to check again for deep pain and that if he lost it we would have a very small window for surgery.
The next morning my husband to Riley our vet where they told us he had lost his deep pain sensation. They called around to some offices that they knew would perform the necessary surgery to get some price quotes, but when they came back with a range of $3500 -$7000 we knew it wasn't something we could afford. They basically said there wasn't really anything else they could do for us but to take him home, make him comfortable and let them know what we decide. I left work early in complete tears, preparing to spend the afternoon with Riley before we took him back to the vet to put him to sleep. I posted something in passing on Facebook about being so mad that I didn't sign up for pet insurance and that choice was going to cost us our beloved Riley. A friend got in touch with me who has a client who works with animals with neurological issues and she got us in for an appointment.
She is WONDERFUL and told us about the "secret third option" that most vets don't know about with IVDD... strict crate rest! She told us that he had about a 40-50% chance of being completely himself again, and we commited to giving him that chance. She also told us that his deep pain had returned!! In the meantime, I found Dodgerslist and have been reading like a crazy woman.
So here are his details....Meds:
30lbs
Tramadol 75mg 3x a day
Gabapentin 100 mg 2x a day
methocarbamol 250mg 3x a day
Prednisone 5mg 2x a day
Pepto 1/4 pill every 6 hours, but I am switching to Pepcid AC this afternoon when we run out of Pepto. He has no sign of tummy trouble, but it seems like Pepcid is more widely recommended so we'll go with that.
At this time (4 weeks tomorrow) he has deep pain sensation, cannot wag his tail, has no bowel or bladder control cannot walk. We are seeing signs of his tail having some sensation, its not just limp like it was when he was first hurt... it has a little resistance and will move when we touch it, but no wagging with joy when he sees us yet. He also seems to be holding his bladder better, although that might be because we are getting better at expressing him. Throughout all of this, his meds have seemed to keep his pain at bay... no pain signs at all. He did get a bladder infection in the first week, but after a course of Clavamox, he is doing great and we have perfected (almost)expressing him. He now does a few things that he couldn't do before... he will stretch out his hind legs (almost like a reflex) sometimes when we are expressing his bladder or when he stretches out his front legs. His tail is more "alive" than it was before, his legs will sometimes move when stroked or touched and he seems to be more aware when he needs to poop.
Our vet (Jen the awesome neurologist) says that we might even expect to have him on crate rest for up to 3 months, depending on how things go, so we are just taking it a day at a time. We aren't planning on tapering him off prednisone for a while... she said his dose was not as high as it could be, but was strong enough and she was pleased with the results we had seen so far that she didn't want to risk a higher dose and the complications that come with it. We are also going to start him on accupuncture and possibly laser therapy this week.
We are tired, but resolved to give him the chance to come back from this. He has been himself throughout all of this... alert and STILL wanting to protect us from the doorbell on the TV. Thank you for this resource, it has been a lifesaver and an uplifting place to go when we start to get beat down by it all.
Thank you!!! I will keep you posted on Riley's progress.
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Feb 24, 2014 20:31:16 GMT -7
Katie, welcome to Dodgerlist. Love Jen the neuro! You will definately have to help another member in searching for a vet who is knowledgeable about conservative treatment. Vet recommendation directory: dodgerslist.boards.net/board/10/guidelines-posting. Your neuro is giving you very good information on conservative treatment. The hallmark part of the treatment is the crate rest part. That is the only way the disc can heal with limited movement and that takes 8 weeks. The meds serve a different purpose. Nerves don't have a limit on time to heal, that may happen during the 8 week focus on disc healing or nerve healing may continue...think in terms of months rather than weeks. No matter the degree of nerve healing, Riley will get back to enjoying a happy family life upon graduation. Stomach protection is important with Prednisone. As far as I know the ONLY Pepto that would be safe is CHILDREN's Pepto which only contains calcium carbonate. All the other Pepto products contain bismuthSUBsalicylate a derivative of of aspirin which should not be given with a steroid.www.pepto-bismol.com/pepto-original-liquid.php www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=26+1303&aid=1456Let us know the dose of Pepcid AC (famotidine) that you will be giving 2x a day for aggressive stomach protection. Do you specifically see any signs of pain such as shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy? What is the date suggested to start the Pred taper? Often it takes being at the anti-inflammatory dose of prednisone (5mg 2x/day) for 7-30 days. When the vet guesses swelling might be gone there will be a taper. Usually the first course will be 5 or 7 days and then a test taper. The dose is lowered to less than the anti-flammatory dose your job at home would be to assess just how well reduction of swelling is going by observing for any hint of pain. To have a clear picture on a taper, pain masking meds are also stopped or backed off too. Rule of thumb is: pain = swelling = more time on Pred, pain meds and Pepcid AC is needed. Sounds like Riley is in your good hands and has a wonderful vet who understands conservative treatment. Keep on reading, that is one of the best things you can do to fight the IVDD enemy and win...knowledge is your best tool. Have you found our core IVDD readings page: www.dodgerslist.com/literature.htm. |
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Katie & Riley
New Member
Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Feb 24, 2014 22:30:58 GMT -7
Wow... Paula, thank you! We had been told that we needed to give Pepto without aspirin, but didn't realize it would be so hard to tell! We have stopped giving him the Pepto we had and will start pepcid in the morning. I will let you know what dose the vet recommends.
To answer your questions...
We don't see any sign of pain right now. When we first realized something was wrong, Riley was shivering and panting and making these pathetic little grunting sounds. Since starting the pain meds, he seems to be fine. He does pant occasionally, but then we realized that was due to the prednisone. Opening a window or removing a blanket seems to make him more comfortable and the panting stops.
As of right now, we don't have a recommended date to start a prednisone taper... Our vet said he might stay on the meds for most of his crate rest due to the severity of his condition. She said that his crate rest might also need to last for longer than 8 weeks. We are going to be checking back in with her in another week or so, so I might have more information then. We are also excited to get him in for acupuncture, however with the recent snow storm here in Bellingham WA, it has been postponed for a few days.
Thank you for the quick response. I am looking forward to hopefully posting some good news on his progress as the weeks continue.
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Post by Jean & Mimi on Feb 25, 2014 6:24:52 GMT -7
First Riley is ridiculously cute  Second, you have a great vet. Remember that nerves take a long time to heal, and that healing takes place over weeks, months and years. Here is a great link to read up on nerve healing: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingnerves.htm. We are glad you are here and are reading. Keep us updated on how Riley is doing |
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Feb 27, 2014 10:57:54 GMT -7
Just wanted to write in a quick update. While Riley's overall status has not changed, we have switched him over to Pepcid and there has been a noticable change in his bowel movements. While they were not black before, they were darker and now they are pretty much back to normal. I think the Pepto/Prednisone combo was maybe affecting him more than we originally thought! Thanks for the wonderful advice. I find myself just staring at his tail, willing it to wag... we have completed 4 weeks of crate rest and I am finding myself losing hope day by day... I SO want to see him recover like so many other dogs on this forum. On the plus side, we have also seemed to perfected expressing his bladder. He is not wetting the bed between expressings and last night he slept from 10:30-6am with no leaks! During the day we are expressing every 2-3 hours and that is working for us. I am grateful to have this forum where I can look for hope in the stories of others. Thank you! Thanks Jean... he is our forever puppy! We think he's pretty cute, too! |
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Feb 27, 2014 15:49:10 GMT -7
Ahhhh Katie, I see you are a victim of our culture. Impatience and expectation of instant results! The only thing we do not have patience with is pain with IVDD. All else...disc healing, nerve healing all take time. Nerve healing may or may come during the 8 weeks devoted to letting the disc heal. Nerve can take months or even closer to a year to regrow enough to allow functions to reutrn.
Delighted to hear you have mastered expressing...good job! Once off of pred, expressing will likely go to every 4-6 hours.
Good deal on getting off the Peptobismol and on to the stomach protector that is safe to use with IVDD meds: Pepcid AC!
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Feb 28, 2014 12:38:22 GMT -7
You are totally right, Paula. I need to trust that with time Riley will be the dog he was meant to be. Just a quick update... Riley is going in for his first acupuncture consult and treatment today at 3PM with my husband. I am excited to see if that will help him. Yesterday he did several full body (well, 1/2 body I suppose) shakes, so I know he is feeling pretty good. He has become REALLY cooperative with the bladder expression. We are still trying to figure out the mystery that is timing his bowel movements, but I'm sure we'll figure that out eventually too. My dog trainer posted this video to my Facebook and I thought some others might find it helpful too... Will let you know how acupuncture goes! |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Feb 28, 2014 13:50:24 GMT -7
Good that Riley is not in pain to be able to shake and that bladder expression is going well for your. Paper and pencil chart of poop times, feed times, may help you to see Riley's bodily function schedule better.
Some of those training ideas are good. The problem with this particular video during a disc episode is that this video does not model exactly what is appropriate. Owners not yet fully self educated about conservative treatment may not differentiate, may misinterpret and do some of those dangerous activities for their dog during crate rest recovery.
For example:
—of course the dog at no time should be out of the crate.
—some of the activities are clearly WAY too much movement for a dog that should be lying down quietly.
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Vita & Emmie
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Currently graduated for the 3rd time; walking and running!
Posts: 189
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Post by Vita & Emmie on Mar 1, 2014 12:27:25 GMT -7
Hi Katie, I just got caught up on Riley's story. I can tell you I completely understand your disappointment and your low feelings on being 4 weeks in and not seeing good signs of recovery. My Emmie is in the same place - she will be 4 weeks on Monday and she is not standing or wagging or pee/pooing with any control - that is all me, if I miss an expressing she will go in her kennel. Paula has reminded me to be patient and I know my breeder also said it might even be 12 weeks - those nerves can take months or years to recover. We need to be patient with our fur babies and not give up on them. When we have doubts or feel low, we come to this forum! We can support each other! Never tell Riley you have doubts about his recovery; just give him what he needs to get strong! My thoughts are with you.
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Katie & Riley
New Member
Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 4, 2014 10:32:54 GMT -7
Paula, I totally agree that not every activity on the video is good for IVDD dogs. I like the different targeting ideas that he can do while in the crate. Since my last post, Riley has had two acupuncture treatments. His tail has started moving a LOT, although still not wagging when happy. His legs have also become much more responsive to touch... he has never liked having his paws touched and now he pulls back when we touch his hind paws. He doesn't seem to love the acupuncture itself (my husband has taken him to both sessions and says that he tolerates them with treats) but we think the change since we began has been noticable. He will be going once a week for a few more weeks and then we will have a better idea if they are helping or not. Other than that, crate rest continues... I have had some success with expressing for poop as well, so the whole process is becoming much cleaner. Right now, my biggest stuggle is that I don't want to leave him alone. Going out in the evenings, I feel so guilty and I've kind of put my social life on hold. Before, we would leave him loose in the house with a buster cube full of his dinner and some extra kongs and he'd be happy as a clam. Now I feel like he has so little to look forward to, leaving him alone seems cruel. I am curious if others have struggled with these feelings and how they overcame them. Obviously I can't put my life on hold forever and I need to get out of the house for something other than work! Advice appreciated! Thanks again! |
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Post by Jean & Mimi on Mar 4, 2014 10:50:55 GMT -7
Katie, here's how I used to look at it when I had to go out. The best thing for them is rest to help heal them. Sleeping and being calm/quiet is good for the healing process. WHen you are around, he probably isn't sleeping and wants to see everything that is going on. So when we went out in the evening (note: a reasonable amount of time, 2-3 hours at most) it was giving her time to rest and sleep. And, if they are safe and warm and pain free, you aren't doing anything bad so don't feel guilty.
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 4, 2014 17:51:49 GMT -7
Thank you Jean. You are totally right about him probably getting more rest while I'm gone. He is still on meds at 6, 2, 6 and 10, so 3 hours is about all we can swing, but BOY do those times feel good when we can manage to get away.
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Post by Cynthia&Huxley on Mar 5, 2014 6:02:10 GMT -7
Katie- I just caught up on your story. I hope Riley recovers from this episode soon. It is such a difficult place to be- I empathize with your situation. Finding this site and forum gave me the support and knowledge I needed when my Doxie, Huxley, initially went down.
As far as going out, I couldn't agree more with Jean. Riley is in a safe place and if he isn't in pain, the quiet of the house will allow him to rest and heal.
Since Huxley's incident, I haven't gone out much in the evenings- I work from home most of the day and if I do step out, my son is here to help.
Give your little Riley some kisses and I truly hope he heals soon.
Best,
Cynthia
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 7, 2014 10:38:29 GMT -7
Hi there... Just wanted to include a little update. Overall there haven't been any huge changes, but last night while dreaming both Riley's front and back legs were moving!! Since he went down, only his front legs would move while dreaming, but not last night! He still doesn't wag his tail or have bladder control, but I see this as a great sign that things ARE reconnecting and he WILL continue to improve! Very uplifting!
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 10, 2014 16:29:50 GMT -7
Hi everyone, I wanted to ask a quick question about returning neuro function. I'm sure its not one size fits all, but generally when function returns, is it like flipping a switch or does it happen gradually? For example, after starting acupuncture, Riley's tail started curling to the left when we would touch it. Then the other day it curled in and out a few times like a slow motion wag, then yesterday it curled to the right and last night when he did a full body shake, it definately went down into the base of his tail, which hasn't happened before. Has anyone else had this sort of slow reconnection process or is it more often like they wake up one morning and boom, full on tail wag? Just curious if I'm reading into these signs more than I should. Thanks!
Also another update, Riley got another UTI - guess we weren't as good as expressing as we thought. He has been put on another round of Clavamox and we already are noticing improvement. We are excited by the possibility of a tail wag, because next on the list would be the sniff test! We don't mind expresing him right now, but really are hopeful that he gets bladder control back since we aren't doing such a great job at this for him. Fingers crossed!
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 10, 2014 17:23:18 GMT -7
The only way you can tell if there's a connection between the brain and the nerves of the tail is if Riley wags his tail when spoken to in a happy voice or given a treat. Other than that, tail movement can be due to reflex. And no, it doesn't always come back perfectly. My Jeremy's tail would jerk to the left, stop, then jerk to the right, stop. But I knew when he did that when given a treat or when he was happy and would ordinarily wag his tail that it was in fact a tail wag. Very gradually, over months, Jeremy's tail wag became less jerky. Actually, my Jeremy walked before his tail started wagging again. Keep us updated and I hope you see a tail wag in response to a happy voice, whether it's a full one or not, soon! |
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 10, 2014 17:54:56 GMT -7
Thanks Marjorie! The movement we have seen has definately been due to us petting him and talking to him, it has just been slower than it normally would be and kind of hit or miss. Also nice to hear that Jeremy walked before he wagged. On some days it has been more difficult to express his bladder and we were wondering if maybe he wanted to go on his own. But I kept thinking... his tail hasn't wagged so it can't be that. Good to know it doesn't always go in that exact order. I will be giving him lots of happy voice loves tonight to see if I can confirm that tail wag! |
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Marjorie
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Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 11, 2014 6:49:43 GMT -7
Try a sniff and pee test, Katie. Take Riley out where he's gone before, let him sniff and see if he can release urine on his own. Don't press on his belly while doing this, just hold his hips to steady him. If he can release urine on his own, then his bladder control is returning, though he may still need to be expressed after going to completely empty his bladder.
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 12, 2014 12:32:18 GMT -7
Another update... Riley had his 3rd acupuncture treatment today and he is getting used to those needles and electrodes! (my husband always takes him, so this is all 2nd hand info) The doc has lowered his doses of all his ▼meds, I will include amounts once I get home and can see what the new doses are. But the most wonderful news is that this morning while getting some love from me and my husband, Riley wagged his tail! He had done it a few times here and there since Saturday, but we couldn't be sure if it was just a reflex. This morning, he was laying on his left side and totally relaxed and his tail wagged in a slow and kind of jerky manner! It seems to be only when he's on his left side in a certain position that things line up in a way that this is possible... we have tried the same thing while he was in a sphinx position and on his right side and nothing happened. But that left side is the magic ticket so far! We are very happy! Planning on trying the sniff test too later today or tomorrow. He hasn't had a poop accident in the last 2 nights, which is a first, so we are thinking that maybe he has more control to be able to hold it until we are up and he knows we will be able to clean it up right away. Here's hoping!
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Vita & Emmie
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Currently graduated for the 3rd time; walking and running!
Posts: 189
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Post by Vita & Emmie on Mar 14, 2014 11:13:06 GMT -7
Hi Katie! That is great about Riley's tail! We don't mind if it is one-sided! I have noticed as Emmie gets stronger that although there is not walking or standing - she is better at noticing when she has to go and alerting me so I can either express or take her out of the crate to a pee pad (she doesn't like help with her poops so prefers to be on a pad and work on it herself instead of pooping her crate). This is great as there is less "accidental" poops and pees that she is sitting in and stressing about. I think she can not only feel when she has to go but also she has the ability to hold it a bit - not to the point of prior to paralysis but she has some minimal ability to hold.
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 14, 2014 11:44:07 GMT -7
Thanks Vita... yes, we had more tail wagging yesterday and this morning, so we are thinking it was NOT a fluke and was a true wag. Riley also held his poop again this morning until we were up. It was rainy yesterday so we didn't do the sniff test, but as it has been getting more and more difficult to express him, my husband is going to give it a try today!
Oh, and another quick update... last night I was trying to get Riley to go on his side so I could express him, and he did a full roll over! We were floored. He just looked up at us like "what? I do this ALL the time!" I watched him closely for any pain signs after that and he seemed totally fine! We figure that is a good sign. He has been much more playful lately and we are grateful for that!
The vet says she expects him to recover to the point where he can wobbly walk, so I do have a question. For people who have wobbly walkers, do you use a wheel chair so you can get longer walks in? or do you just not take walks that are very long? Riley was a very active dog and is only about 4 1/2 years old, and he's not the only one missing our daily 3 miles. We often would run as well. Once he feels like his old self, regardless of his ability to walk or run, I want to make sure that we exercise him enough. Just curious what others have done.
Thanks!
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 14, 2014 13:41:58 GMT -7
After graduation you would work up to physical activity. Riley needs to go from couch potato to athlete in incremental slow steps. If at the end of the gradual introduction where he is allow to scoot around the house, go on sling walks you see a wheelchair is needed to allow that arobic excerise, then a wheel chair would be in order. TAke a peek at the after crate rest sample schedule so you can have a plan in mind for Riley after graduation: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/AfterCrateRest.htmLet us know how the sniff and pee test goes. |
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 17, 2014 13:13:31 GMT -7
Well, no luck so far with the sniff and pee test. My husband took him out on Friday and said Riley went on his own, but after asking a few questions, he mentioned that he had been holding Riley and pressing slightly on his bladder to encourage him. I took him out on Saturday and there was no luck. His tail continues to wag occasionally and his hind legs seem to be gaining feeling by the day. He is more and more himself... this morning he even tried to do his usual first thing in the morning rub his back on the living room carpet routine!
Zach (my husband) took Riley to his 4th acupuncture appointment today and said he did great. He said that he even managed to stand up on his own, which I just can't believe!!! Can't wait to get home and see if I can get him to repeat this action. We will keep trying the sniff test each day and see if he regains his bladder function. Expressing him is getting more difficult so I have to believe that is a function of his sensation returning... we are entering week 8 of crate rest, but as he is still on meds, I expect we will still be confining him past the normal graduation date.
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 17, 2014 17:02:13 GMT -7
It really is best to be off all meds at least a week prior to graduation day to make sure there is no pain.
The important thing is first for Riley to be back to his normal personality and no pain. That way after graduation he can enjoy all family activities if he would need to still wait on a bit more nerve healing to take place.
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 18, 2014 13:43:42 GMT -7
Paula, I am with you on being off meds for a week before we graduate him from crate rest. He is down to one half tab of prednisone a day and we haven't seen any pain signs at this point. In fact, since he has been off the methocarbamol, he seems to have more energy and be more playful. This is a good and bad thing since he is getting more vocal about being in his crate all day. But we are at 7 weeks today and we won't be deterred from completing his rest successfully!
His next appointment for acupuncture is next Wednesday the 26th and we are hoping to take him completely off prednisone at that point! Yahoo!
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Post by Jean & Mimi on Mar 18, 2014 14:47:09 GMT -7
Katie, glad to hear that Riley is feeling better and you are seeing no signs of pain so far with the taper. I know how hard an extended crate rest period can be, we had to go through it for 2 extra weeks with Mimi. But the relief you feel knowing that you are making sure Riley has great scar tissue and no pain is amazing. Keep up the great work!
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Katie & Riley
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Watching that tail like a hawk...
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 24, 2014 12:08:03 GMT -7
We had an interesting Sunday with Riley. We noticed as soon as we got up in the morning that his hind legs were kicking and much more active than normal. When we would try to hold him in a standing position to express his bladder, his legs would pull up in an awkward way. Almost the position his leg would be in if he were going to scratch his ears with his foot. We were unsure what this meant, but he seemed kind of freaked out by it (hard to get him to settle on his side, trying to crawl away.)
I decided to skip church and stay home with him, since he was not calm, we didn't want him to try any funny stuff in his crate while we were gone. He calmed down after a little while and was fine for the rest of the day. I took him outside to do the sniff test and I think he released a little urine at one point, but it might not have been on purpose. Then his tail raised up like he was going to poop, but nothing came out. (which isn't that surprising... it used to take him about 20 mintues to decide to poop before this injury!) I'm curious if anyone else has had their dog seem a little surprised or freaked out when they started to get feeling back in their legs. At one point he almost tried to stand up (which was awesome) but it was kind of scary too. Through out all of it there were no pain signals, just his normal "I'm kind of feeling weird" expression.
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 24, 2014 13:08:40 GMT -7
Leg movements during potty time are often reflex related. Strange wiring dogs have if poop is coming out it causes a reflex of leg movements, tail movements. So this is the reason when we seek to understand whether a movement is brain vs. reflex caused we look for head level involvement with the urine, a leg movement, a tail movement. Hence a sniff with release of urine. Happy talk (hearing) and then tail wag. Seeing (eyes) a treat and then tail wag. Vets also look for clues too that often take the very practiced eye of a specialist (ACVIM neuro or ACVS ortho) rather than a general DVM who does not do a lot of extensive neuro exams. The specialist looks for the must-have head level involvement with even a small change in pupils doing a deep pain sensation (DPS) test as they pinch a rear toe. So if Riley saw you and then tried to stand up, or he stood up to eat, that would be a confirmed sign. Nerves heal typically in the reverse order of the damage to the spinal cord. We encourage you to do further reading to be come a savvy IVDD dog owner. This order of healing came from our IVDD page of essential reading "Nerve Regeneration" at www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm1. Deep Pain Sensation (Only correctly identified by a specialist.) 2. Tail wagging with joy at seeing you or getting a treat or meal. 3. Bladder and bowel control verified with the "sniff and pee" test. 4. Leg Movement, and then ability to move up into a standing position, and then wobbly walking. 5. Being able to walk with more steadiness and properly place the feet. 6. Ability to walk unassisted and perhaps even run. |
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Katie & Riley
New Member
Watching that tail like a hawk...
Posts: 31
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Post by Katie & Riley on Mar 25, 2014 10:43:42 GMT -7
Update: My husband took Riley outside this morning and after a few minutes of sniffing, he did a little squat (as much as he can with his hind legs in a sling) and release a 4 second stream of urine! I am still in denial... don't want to get my hope up, etc, but his is a HUGE improvement! Expressing him has been getting more and more difficult so it must have been because he was getting more control back. We are going to be trying to express him after taking him outside each time to make sure he is empty, but here's hoping the trend continues!!!
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StevieLuv
Helpful Member
Conservative Treatment 3x. It really does work!
Posts: 1,335
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Post by StevieLuv on Mar 25, 2014 11:40:46 GMT -7
That is wonderful news!! Happy dance for Riley! |
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Second, you have a great vet. Remember that nerves take a long time to heal, and that healing takes place over weeks, months and years. Here is a great link to read up on nerve healing:
