Marlin's Patch 4/2ish? conservative

Welcome to Dodgerslist. Is Marlin correct? Please do know that it IS in the cards for Patch to get back to enjoying life again after his 8 weeks of 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 only out to potty. Good news is you CAN provide him the care he needs. So that we are on the same page that would mean no laps, no couch, no sleeping in bed with you, no meandering, scooting or dragging around during potty times. No baths, no chiro (aka VOM). In other words do everything you can to limit the vertebrae in the back from moving and putting pressure on the bad disc. The rest of the details of doing crate rest to ensure the best recovery in this excellent document:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm

The purpose of crate rest is to act as a cast of sorts to let the disc heal… only limited movement of STRICT crate rest allows that to happen…there are no meds to heal a disc. Immediate neuro improvement may or may not come during the 8 weeks of crate rest… as nerves may take more than 8 weeks to heal.

We'd like to give you and Patches our best support can you fill us in on some more details?

--- What was the date you saw the vet and 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 for this current disc episode?  We have guessed it was April 2nd.

-- Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy?  Triamcinolore is not a pain reliever but a steroid anti-inflammatory.  If there is any pain, then pain meds need to be on board.

-- How much does your dog weigh? 
Anti-inflammatories can increase GI tract damage. Phrase the question to your vet this particular way:" Is there a medical/health reason my dog may 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 anti-inflammatory and thereafter every 12 hours. This directory very good for learning about each of your dog's meds:
www.marvistavet.com/html/pharmacy_center.htm

-- Eating and drinking OK? How are poops today- normal color and firmness, no dark or bright red blood?

-- Currently can Patch wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you do some happy talk? Keep in mind the very, very lightest least aggressive range of motion and leg massage will be necessary for paralyzed legs during conservative treatment once off all pain meds and no more signs of pain The information highlighted in PINK pertains to a dog who can't walk again only after off all meds and there is no more pain..
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/massagepassiveexercises.htm

-- Do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up? That is a sign of needing to have his bladder manually expressed for two health reasons.  To keep urinary tract infection away and protect the tone of the bladder.

-- 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

You and your wife can play an instrumental role in helping Patch. It will take doing some reading, are you up to that?  Study and reading allows you to recognize and ignore harmful advise, play an critical role of teaming up with your vet with meaningful discussion, questions and monitoring your dog’s recovery and easing your fears.

Here's the page covering the type of information it takes to become a savvy medical advocate and laid out to allow you go fast as you possibly can. For your bookmarks: www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm

We look forward to learning more about Patch with the answers to the questions.

Marlin, you did great on posting to the Forum. You may wish to mark Patch's conversation so that when anybody replies you will get an email alert:


Marlin I can feel how much love you have for Patch and how much he has to love you back! I'll give you these links to see if you can re-home Patch. But do be aware in this economy alot of rescues are filled to the brim and financially strapped — reality could be a waiting list. Here on the Forum members are caring for their own dogs and may not be able to take another into their home.
www.lacroixtees.com/fb_directory/animal-rescue/
Currently, 2014, with the state of the economy most rescues are full to the brim and strapped financially. Reality could be a long waiting lists.

What we do here on the Forum is lend support, lots of very excellent information that allows owners no matter their financial situation to keep their loved one with them. Can you tell us a bit more detail on where you are having a problem caring for Patch's needs? Let's face it you likely DO have the ability to give the loving care not many others may have. So let's see what we can do to help you.

-- Can you tell us in what respect do your health issues make giving Patch care difficult, make you feel like you can't care for him well enough?  Is it lifting, expressing his bladder or ....?

--  Patch does not have bladder control. Urine just fills in the bladder and when it gets too full reflexes allow some urine to escape.  We call that overflowing. Did you get a lesson from your vet on how to use your hands to press on the stomach area so you know the correct pressure, know what the bladder feels like. If you did not get a lesson can you go to the vet today and get that lesson? Expressing is a health issue to keep bladder infection from happening. Expressing is what will keep Patch dry and no longer overflowing all over his bedding. Looking at this video before the lesson will allow you to get the most out of the lesson:


-- Because Patch is on a steroid, he is more thirsty and thus his bladder is filling up often and overflowing. He would need to have his bladder expressed with your hands every 2-3 hours especially while you are learning the new skill.  Once he is off of Triamcinolore he will only need to be expressed every 4-6 hours with a max of every 8 hours.

-- Do you have Pepcid AC in the house?  Did you call the vet and see if Patch has any  heart or liver problems that would keep him from this stomach protector?  Patch certainly does not need bleeding ulcers on top of what he is dealing with.  

-- Are you aware of the grocery store pharmacies, Target, and Walmart have $4 per 30 days of meds prescription programs? 
You vet if you ask him could write an Rx to one of those pharmacies if money is an issue in your family.
Call your local pharmacy (directory of participating:  genericmedlist.com/ ) to verify before asking your vet to write an Rx for you to bring into the pharmacy.

On the $4 Pharmacy list:
Pepcid AC (Famotidine) 20mg size tablet  [to protect against GI upset]   You could also buy Brand X Pepcid AC over the counter without an Rx which is quite a bit less expensive than the brand name.  The $4 Rx program is even a bit more savings but to get it strangely enough you MUST ask your vet to write and Rx for it!  The pharmacist can help you find a brand X if you want to go that way.  Patch needs 5mg of famotidine every 12 hours.  So a 10mg tablet is really the optimum size as it is easily cut in half to get your 5mg dose.

Prednisone 2.5 mg and 5 mg [steroid anti-inflammatory] This steroid is very similar to Triamcinolore. So you can compare the prices if Prednisone would be a savings for your family.

-- Has your vet indicated a date when he plans to decrease (taper) the amount of Triamcinolore?

-- It is best to NOT rinse Patch because a wet dog is a slippery dog and as you know they like to shake water off. That would be too much movement for his back.  The disc can only heal with limited movement and with time.  Moderator Marjorie has this wonderful tip for keeping his fur smelling nice and neutralize the scalding urine on his skin.  You can use regular tea although it may leave a brown stain as well if you do not have green tea bags:  boil and cool green tea to dampen a washcloth, neutralizes urine on skin and fur to avoid rashes from urine scald + clean fragrance.

A very inexpensive way to clean up surfaces of urine is to use white vinegar in a spray bottle. White vinegar will kill the bacteria and the odor they cause on floors, linens, carpets, etc.

Marlin you obviously have taken such good care of Patch all these 7 years.  My money is on your being able to care for Patch now... this is a bump in the road of life to be sure. One the two of you will journey past is my hope for you guys.

I look forward to hearing back from you soon so we all can think outside of the box to give Patch the support he needs.  Disc disease is not a death sentence.

Hello , 10 days now and no change for Patch . We need that special person to step in and help this great friend of ours .