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Post by Kate & Gary on Mar 20, 2014 3:09:53 GMT -7
Hi everyone,
Gary is a 5 year old dachshund who weighs 8.4kg (I think this is 18lbs - I'm in Australia and we are metric!).
A couple of weeks ago his back seemed a little stiff and sore, and we took him to the emergency vet who poked and prodded him but eventually gave him some painkillers and sent him home.
Fast forward to Tuesday night - I came home from work and housemate and husband both said he was limping and looking very sorry for himself. Had hardly moved from bed and had peed in his bed. I took him to our regular vet straight away, who said there was definitely soreness in the spine and booked him in for an x-ray on Wednesday. He was sent home with painkillers - at this stage the neuro exam was inconclusive. We kept him quiet but not crated as per vet instructions - carried out to the yard for his business, mostly sleeping in his bed the rest of the time.
Wednesday he had X-rays at the vet which were sent on to the specialist. The specialist surgeon called us Wednesday night to tell us that he very, very strongly recommended bringing Gary in to have dye put into his spine and be scanned. He was dropped off Thursday morning. At this stage his back was hunched but everything was functioning.
We met with the specialist this evening. He said he was amazing Gary could still walk - he had herniated a disc and said most dogs would be paralysed by this stage. My poor puppy! Gary is at the specialists overnight and booked in for surgery tomorrow. They said they see lots of dachshund disc cases, which I take to be a good sign. They even hire out crates, so we have taken one home ready to set up.
I've begun exploring this site which is amazing - I had already done a little background research prior to buying a dachshund - but now am trying to equip myself with as much knowledge as possible to make sure that Gary comes home to a life as comfortable, and eventually as active, as possible. Any advice gratefully accepted!
Kate
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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 6:27:24 GMT -7
Hi, Kate, welcome to Dodgerslist. Usually a surgeon will not operate on a dog that can still walk. Having a herniated disc doesn't necessarily mean paralysis - it's according to how bad the disc herniation is and how hard the extruded disc material has pressed on the nerves causing damage. Here are some webpages that you should read ASAP. They will give you more information on surgery and the alternative conservative treatment (8 weeks of 24/7 100% strict crate rest and meds - anti-inflammatory to get the swelling down, sufficient pain meds to relieve all signs of pain, stomach protector). www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsurgery.htmwww.dodgerslist.com/literature/surgery.htmwww.dodgerslist.com/literature/IVDDcourse/conservative_treatment.htmlI'm glad you're reading up on IVDD, as Gary will have this disease the rest of his life, with the potential for other herniations. Some dogs only have one disc episode their whole lives while others have several. Keeping that in mind, please be aware that the first thing that should ever be done when a disc herniation is suspected is to immediately crate the dog to protect the spine until a vet can do an examination - just so you know if this ever should happen again. 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.htmWe're here for you and Gary, Kate, and will help you through this. Healing prayers for Gary. Please keep us updated. |
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Post by Kate & Gary on Mar 22, 2014 15:33:53 GMT -7
Hi marjorie,
Gary had the surgery on Thursday night - even before I read your post. He has gone significantly backward, although it wasn't made clear to us whether this was pre or post surgery. The surgeon told us that the herniation was very significant and he had to remove a large amount of disc material.
The surgeon has flown interstate over the weekend to do some more emergency surgery but the specialist clinic has been giving us updates. They say he still has deep pain sensation and bladder control but can't move his legs at all. They are giving him massages and (I think) physio. They say he is alert, is eating well and drinking well. At this stage they say he won't be home for at least a week. Tomorrow the surgeon will call us and give us more information.
Sad news but we are staying very positive - as long as Gary retains deep pain sensation we are happy! And having bladder control is a huge relief to us, we both work full time and would struggle to look after a dog that needs expressing.
Kate
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Post by Pauliana on Mar 22, 2014 20:11:26 GMT -7
Hi Kate, Thank you for the update on Gary and for keeping us posted on how he is doing as he recovers. My Dog Tyler had surgery a year and two months ago for a herniated disc and he has recovered very well and we wish the same for your Gary. Here is a list of discharge questions to ask his surgeon when they release him to go home in a week. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/dischargequestions.htmHealing thoughts and prayers.. |
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Post by Kate & Gary on Mar 24, 2014 23:45:57 GMT -7
Today we visited Gary at the vet for the first time! Yay!
He was alert and super excited to see us. He is going to be there for the long haul - at least another couple of weeks they said - but 'the prognosis is good'. He has reflexes and deep pain sensation and *might* be beginning to regain very slight motor control in one leg. He is having physio/massage two to three times a day. In true dachshund style he has stolen the vet practice's super comfy snuggle cat bed, which now resides in his crate.We are welcome to visit as often as we want but will limit our visits because he just got so sad when we left.
Meanwhile I've bought a memory foam mattress and feeding dishes for his crate, ready for when he comes home.
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Mar 25, 2014 6:37:55 GMT -7
It sounds as though Gary is doing very well, Kate, for so soon after surgery. Why does he need to stay at the vet's for so long? Is it just due to having PT? Possibly they could show you the exercises they are doing, most likely just range of motion exercises and massage, so you could do them at home. I'm a firm believer that dogs heal much better at home and in their familiar, loving environment. Most dogs only stay at a vet's office for 3-4 days following surgery. Any medication can be given orally at home, too. Here are the exercises recommended by Dodgerslist that you can take a look at so you can have a better idea of how to do them and how easy it is. You would need to run these by the surgeon and get their approval before doing them. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/massagepassiveexercises.htmHealing prayers continue for Gary. |
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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 9:56:00 GMT -7
He is making great progress - I hope that you can get him home sooner too  |
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Post by Kate & Gary on Mar 29, 2014 20:15:51 GMT -7
Hi everyone,
We visited Gary again today. He seemed a bit stronger and the vet said if his butt is supported to stand up, he can take some of his own weight on his paws. He looks like he is trying to get his feet under him, and on one or two occasions he was almost successful. One leg is definitely recovering more quickly than the other by the looks of it. His tail is wagging!
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Post by Pauliana on Mar 29, 2014 20:42:29 GMT -7
Good news on Gary's improvements and that tail wag is fabulous news!
Read this:
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. <---- Gary is here!!
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!
I think Gary should be home with you also.. My Tyler was home after surgery in two days.. They heal better at home with their loving family.. and you can be taught how to do his physio..
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Post by Kate & Gary on Apr 8, 2014 22:19:15 GMT -7
Hi everyone,
Thought it was time to give an update.
Gary finally came home from the vet last Saturday and he is resting comfortably in his crate, which he has fallen in love with. I was rather worried that he would fuss and bark and generally not enjoy being in it, but he LOVES being in it and sleeps pretty much all the time. In fact, all he has done since he got home is sleep. Is this normal? I assume it's a healthy part of the healing process.
Gary can wag his tail and has movement in both rear legs and can manage 4 - 5 steps at a time before tangling his legs up and falling over. He is still knuckling much of the time, more so with one leg than the other which the vet has assured us is normal. He has good bladder and bowel control although seems to be 'going' noticeably less than usual. The vet said to us that it is likely he only has a short warning period that he 'needs to go' - perhaps this is something to do with it. Nevertheless apart from one or two accidents when he first got home he has kept his crate dry.
We are doing range of movement exercises with him 3 - 4 times daily, which he HATES. He whimpers and turns around to snap us. Originally we were concerned this was hurting him but we tested this theory by distracting him with a dog treat and magically his 'pain' disappeared! We were being played!
I am also taking him daily to the vet where he does underwater treadmill work (approx 15 mins).
He isn't taking any meds.
Our next vet appointment is in about four weeks (which will be 6 weeks post op) when they will assess his progress and tell us if he can come out of the crate. They have been very supportive and said if he makes lots of progress - or starts to go backwards - to get in touch.
Cheers,
Kate & Gary
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Apr 9, 2014 5:17:07 GMT -7
So glad to hear that Gary is once again home with you, Kate. And wonderful news that he loves his crate - that makes his recovery so much easier. It sounds as though he's doing very well. Keep in mind that it takes 2-4 weeks for the swelling from the surgery to resolve and until that time, you may not see much improvement. As for the sleeping, since he's not on medication that would be causing too much sedation, his sleeping a lot just indicates that he needs rest. He's had major surgery and a long stay at a vet's so I'm sure he's very tired. Rest and quiet is just what he needs to recover. I'm sure he was on some meds while at the hospital and that may have caused him some constipation. Constipation is common after surgery. Are his poops normal or on the hard side? Pumpkin is a magical fruit - its high fiber can firm up stools and help with diarrhea or loosen the stool to help with constipation. The amount of water in the diet makes all the difference. To loosen the stool, add equal parts water to each kibble meal along with a teaspoon of plain canned pureed pumpkin 1x a day. To firm up the stool add 1 teaspoon pumpkin to kibble and no extra water 1x a day. Note alternatives: really ripe mashed fresh pear, just take off the peel off; microwaved and mashed peeled sweet potato. I would keep a close eye on his reluctance to poop, whether it's due to a bit of constipation, lack of knowledge that he has to go or whether it's due to pain when going. He's peeing less often too? Reluctance to urinate could be a sign of a UTI, which makes it painful to pee. It would be a good idea to have a urine sample tested to be sure. Also not urinating/pooping as often could be a reluctance to move, which would indicate pain. No other signs of pain - shivering, trembling, tight tummy? I would let the surgeon know of his reaction to the therapy, if you haven't already, so he's aware of it in case he wants to re-examine for pain. Take it nice and slow when you do the therapy, using gentle motions. If he resists, take a break. Here's our page on exercises with some tips that may help make it a less stressful experience for him. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/massagepassiveexercises.htmKeep up the good work with Gary, Kate. And please keep us updated. Prayers for a full and complete recovery for Gary. |
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