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Post by Bev & Woody on Mar 19, 2014 19:06:43 GMT -7
Woody is neutered male dachshund, approximately 6 years old. We adopted him 3 yrs ago. Overweight at 30 pounds. On conservative crate rest beginning morning of 2/24. Hubby took him out to pee, then said he couldn't walk very good. Woody laid down then and has not walked since. I gave him prednisone 5 mg I had on hand from use on another dog, and after finding and reading dodgerslist, took Woody to vet on 2/27. She upped his
Prednisone to 10 mg twice daily, 3/14: 10mg 1x/day, 3/21 10mg every other day.
Tramadol 50 mg every 8-12 hrs, 3/14: 50mg 1x/day
Robaxin 500 mg every 12 hrs. 3/17 stopped
5 mg of Pepcid AC (generic) before taking the Prednisone. Added
Simplicet 100 mg one week later on 3/6 to combat possible skin infection from urine. The Simplicet ended on 3/17.
Woody's remaining meds reduced to 1 per day on 3/14, so he now is taking 10 mg Prednisone, 50 mg Tramadol once daily until tomorrow 3/21, when he will take the Prednisone 10 mg and Tramadol every other day until gone. I have enough of these two used every other day to stretch to 11 more days. The Robaxin was gone 2 days ago. Woody does not seem to be in pain now, and since reducing his meds last week, is more antsy wanting out of his cage. He rolls over in his cage and plays with his toys. He's eating well but eating a weight control kibble and green beans to try to lose some weight. He's peeing less with the reduced amount of Prednisone, but still keeps me busy keeping him dry. I keep doggy pads under him and over his bedding. He has only been x-rayed, no MRI taken. I never considered surgery because it is simply unaffordable for us. I will keep Woody confined for 6-8 weeks and pray for the best for him. He does jerk his legs if I wash between his toes now, and he does not curl his toes under. Vet wants to fit him for cart, but I want to wait a bit longer. I massage his muscles in his rear legs some, and wonder about using my own TENS unit to stimulate nerves/muscles, but not yet. I have no objections to my vets treatment except she does not believe Woody will walk again. I still have hope that he will, and if he does not, we will accept that too.
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 19, 2014 19:50:30 GMT -7
Bev, welcome to Dodgerslist. We are glad you were here. That is good news at this point in the taper you are not seeing any signs of pain.., at the conclusion of the taper, off all meds and still no pain then that is the proof all the swelling in the spinal cord has really been resolved. So stay alert for any signs of pain surfacing on a taper up let the vet know: shivering, trembling, not wanting to move very much, yelping. All that is left is to finish out the eight weeks of 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 so that the disc can complete its healing process. So no wheelchair until all 8 weeks have been completed. I am concerned that Woody does not have bladder control. Can you verify that he can sniff an old pee spot in the grass and then choose to release urine. The Sniff and Pee is THE test to verify bladder control. Urine leaks in bedding or leaking on you when lifted are signs of no bladder control.... the urine comes out due to reflexes and is called overflowing. Peeing is by control and by choice. Did you get a lesson on expressing from the vet? Let us know what you observe about release of urine, how often you take him to potty or how often you express him if he has no bladder control. -- Can he move his legs at all? Can he specifically wag his tail if you do some happy talk to him? -- Now is not the time to go on a diet. During a disc episode dogs need good nutrition rather than going on a diet because healing uses alot of the body nutrient reserves. The body needs good protein more than carbos in order to heal. Feed the amount he should get for his proper weight. Focus fresh carrots, frozen green beans, frozen broth ice cubes as treats. After crate rest is over, then with more activity and a 10% reduction of food, the dog can begin to loose that extra weight over a period of 3-4 months. You may want to consider such a plan now to have in your mind on graduation day:. Then he will be able to safely move around more and get exercise. You can look at the link below to get an idea of how to approach losing weight over a three or four month period. Weight loss food are not necessarily a good idea. Better to feed the best quality food that fits your pocketbook. weight loss ideas with illustrations www.nonprofitnw.org/drnw/id47.htmlRated foods, nutrition when healing: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/nutritionhealing.htmThe focus during 8 week is letting the disc heal. Nerve healing may or may not come during that time as nerves are the slowest part of the body to heal. Nerve healing can continue on well past graduation day. 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. Are you ready? Here's the link www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm Make sure your whole family can identify IVDD emergencies with this Fridge flyer: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/FridgeInfo81907.pdfLook forward to learning more about Woody with your answers. |
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Post by Pauliana on Mar 19, 2014 20:03:09 GMT -7
Hi Bev, Welcome to Dodgerslist from me, as well. Just to add to Paula's wonderful post . You are right to wait on the cart for now until 8 weeks of crate rest is over. By then you can consider whether the money would be better spent on a cart or in rehab therapy. Or Woody may surprise you by walking on his own. 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. Acupuncture and Laser Therapy stimulate the cell’s metabolism that leads to the body’s natural repair abilities and can be started at any time. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingacupuncture.htmOnce nerves have repaired then muscles will also have to be retrained to relearn proper placement of the paws. Some muscles will need to regain strength for walking. Consider learning to walk again as it would be for a stroke victim or a baby learning to walk. At first, the steps will be weak and a bit unstable. Relearning to walk takes coordination, building up strength, and lots of patience. There is no timetable anyone can give you when to expect nerve repair to happen. In fact, there is no time limit for nerves to heal...it can take weeks to more like a year or even longer. However, it is known that neurological function usually returns in the reverse order of the damage. The first big sign you want to look for is that wonderful tail wag! 1. Deep Pain Sensation (Only correctly identified by a specialist.) 2. Tail wagging with joy at seeing you, getting a treat or due to your happy talk. 3. Bladder and bowel control proved by passing the "sniff and pee" test. Take your dog out to an old pee spot in the grass. Let him sniff and then observe for release of urine. 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 placed paws. 6. Ability to walk unassisted and perhaps even run |
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Post by Bev & Woody on Mar 19, 2014 22:44:12 GMT -7
Thank you for responding to my comments about Woody. Woody has not wagged his tail, but last night I thought I saw it move. He hasn't moved his legs , but I thought I saw a foot flex up some a few days ago. I have seen him try to raise his rear up, but his legs didn't cooperate. Just slight things, but I'm hoping it means something. Woody does not have bladder control. He leaks urine, and I have been expressing him since first learning of it on Dodgerslist, and then I did ask the vet to make sure I was doing it correctly. Woody has not been tested outside to see if he can pee on his own, we have just got over another rain and snow time. I will take him out tomorrow and see what he does, but doubt that he has any control. He is peeing less since tapering the Prednisone, and his pooping is regular and seems no trouble for him, I suppose by reflex. I have discovered that if he is having a poop first, I have to wait until he is done for the pee to flow. Woody hasn't lost weight, he actually has gained a pound since being on the Prednisone. I have stopped giving him food from the table, except he is getting the green beans as snacks or added to kibble. I can wait until he is healed to work on his weight. Woody has always played rough with his pal, a miniature schnauzer. He will be kept on crate rest until 8 weeks are up. I know it takes some time for nerves to heal, as I too have been through back injury and nerve damage, and surgery. It's a slow process, but it can get better.
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Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724 
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 20, 2014 7:12:36 GMT -7
Hi, Bev. Just a couple of points on bladder control. Leaking urine means that the bladder is filling too much and overflowing. That can cause the bladder to stretch out of shape, which can cause permanent muscle tone loss. Also, if urine lies in the bladder for too long, it can cause a urinary tract infection. Expressing can take quite a bit of practice. I know it took me quite awhile to be able to get to the point where my Jeremy was dry between expressings. Expressing is a matter of physics. That means the pressure applied to the bladder has to be greater than the strength of the urinary sphincter. Sometimes you have to hold that pressure many seconds longer than you think before the sphincter is overcome. I also found it easier to express Jeremy in the house on a pee pad or in the bathtub on a rubber mat. Being outside caused too many distractions and Jeremy would tense up his muscles and it was difficult to express him. Until you become proficient expressings and Woody stays dry between expressings, you should try expressing him every 3-4 hours. Once you become proficient, you can move that to every 4-6 hours. There are excellent tips that you will find helpful here: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmIf you feel that you are expressing well, getting good streams of urine each time and feeling a flat bladder afterwards, you should have an urinalysis done to check if Woody has a UTI. UTIs are common with paralyzed dogs and they also can cause leaking. Also, if he does get urine on him, brew up a pot of green tea, let it cool down and wash his belly and legs with that. The green tea neutralizes the acidity of the urine and helps with urine burn and leaves a fresh scent. Please keep us updated on Woody's progress. Healing prayers. |
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Post by Bev & Woody on Jul 17, 2014 11:44:15 GMT -7
Hi Everyone. I haven't been back on because my life has become so much more busy. My Mom was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in late April and is taking chemo now. I was already very busy helping her with my Dad who has Lewi-Body Dementia and is also on Oxygen. I have very little free time.
Woody has been free to come and go from his crate for some time, and he scoots in and out of it onto rugs nearby. I say he has progressed much in that he can roll himself over and move all his legs freely. He still cannot walk, but he does his own exercises now by rolling over and bicycling on his own several times a day. I began doing this for him after the crate rest, and now he does it on his own. He plays with toys and does lots to keep active, but I feel like he probably needs support on his legs to get the muscles built back up strong enough to hold up his weight. Wish I had the time and the place to take him for more help, but hasn't been possible yet. What type of therapy would you suggest if I can ever get the time? I always had planned to take him for some acupuncture sessions, but does he need that now, or maybe just swimming therapy. He's doing so much better than when we started. I may not be back on for a while, but I will check back when I can. Appreciate all the support and advice!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 18, 2014 8:21:24 GMT -7
Bev, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom and dad. Where is Woody on this list regarding the order nerve functions return in? Does he now have bladder control? 1. Deep Pain Sensation (Only correctly identified by a specialist.) 2. Tail wagging with joy at seeing you, getting a treat or due to your happy talk. 3. Bladder and bowel control proved by passing the "sniff and pee" test. Take your dog out to an old pee spot in the grass. Let him sniff and then observe for release of urine. 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 placed paws. 6. Ability to walk unassisted and perhaps even run As busy as your life is, if there is time at least once a day (if not 3x a day) when you sit evenings to relax and watch TV can you do some range of motion for Woody and a bit of leg massage? He can't do ROM enough to keep the joints flexible. Any that you can do would help Woody. The weight bearing ones help to keep the bones strong, The tickles make the nerves fire an important factor of nerve reconnection. Check out #1-9 : www.dodgerslist.com/literature/massagepassiveexercises.htmWater therapy in your backyard would be excellent. Get a child's $10 wading pool or even your bathtub can work for these exercises: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/watertherapy.htm |
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