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Post by Roxie & Bella on May 26, 2014 17:10:47 GMT -7
Hello, I'm here to share Bella's story. She is 6 years old and very loveable. On May 13 Bella was acting "off", she wasn't herself. She seemed ok before I left for work, but after work she was pacing and not eating well. I called her vet and scheduled an appointment for May 14. When I took her to the vet, I said that I thought that maybe it was her back that was causing the pain. The vet examined her and said it was stomach problems, not her back. She gave me two meds to try and to call back if things didn't change. Bella was still eating and pooping at this time, but still wasn't acting herself. I called her back on Friday May 16. I dropped her off and the vet took xrays and found a stomach blockage. She sent me home with more meds to see if Bella would pass the blockage. Over the weekend Bella seemed to improve a little, but by Sunday night she was back to pacing and grunting. I took her back to the office on Monday and the vet said the blockage hasn't moved and that she would have to do surgery. When I brought her home on Tuesday she was happy but sore I kept her crated off and on so she wouldn't get sore. As the week progressed, she didn't seem to get any better. She was back to pacing, not eating well and groaning. When I called the vet on Friday they said she was probably getting her energy out and to let her out of the crate so she can exercise a bit and to give her a bland diet of chicken and rice. On Saturday Bella ate the chicken and rice and was still taking her meds. Saturday night was bad, she had diarrhea all night long and by Sunday morning she would eat, pacing, groaning and just would stay in one place and stare into space. On Sunday afternoon I couldn't stand to see her this way, she was breathing heavy and panting. I knew she was in pain. I called an emergency vet and made an appointment. When we arrived, they did an ultrasound to see if there was any leakage from the surgery, which there wasn't. So the vet examined her back and determined that it was indeed her back causing her pain, not the surgery she had. The vet said she might have herniated one of her discs. Bella is now on conservative crate rest for 30 days. Only out for potty breaks. She has full movement and can still wag her tail. Its been a rollercoaster ride for me for the past few weeks. I just want my Bella to be her silly self again. She loves her crate (thank god) but its hard for her to see us out and about and she is confined.
The meds she was prescribed:
Tramadol 50mg...1/2 tablet three times a day
Rimadyl 25 mg...1 tablet daily
Methacarbomol 500mg..1/2 tablet three times a day
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Post by Pauliana on May 26, 2014 18:39:22 GMT -7
Welcome to Dodgerslist, Roxie! First thing to know is that it IS in the cards for your Bella to get back to enjoying life after recovering. 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 Add this comprehensive "must-have" $3 DVD on IVDD to your arsenal of educational resources. Friends, family and those who will be caring for your dog should also watch this DVD www.dodgerslist.com/store/DVDorder.htm Tape this flyer to your fridge so the whole family knows what things are emergencies: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/FridgeInfo81907.pdfIn order to help you more, could you please answer these questions? ► What breed is Bella? ► So glad you started the all important 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 only out to potty for this current disc episode but keep in mind it should be for 8 weeks. STRICT means 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) It takes 8 weeks for the disc to form secure scar tissue. It takes longer for a disc to heal than a broken bone. ► Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant to move much or slow to move, tight tense tummy? ► How much does your dog weigh? Please include the all important stomach protector such as Pepcid AC. Phrase the question to your vet this particular way:" Is there a medical/health reason for my dog 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. ► Can your dog specifically sniff and squat and then release urine or do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up? ► Eating and drinking OK? Poops OK - normal firmness & 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. Glad you and Bella are here with us.. Sending soothing thoughts your way. We will help get you through this! |
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Post by Roxie & Bella on May 27, 2014 9:40:45 GMT -7
Bella is a miniature Dachshund and weighs 14 pounds (she weighed 16lbs before all of this happened). She hasn't been shaking or groaning the past few days, however, when I brought her out for a potty break a few hours ago, I noticed a little groan and shiver. She doesn't yelp or cry when I pick her up, this has never happened. When I take her outside to go to the bathroom, she does sniff around and go when I tell her to and she also is wagging her tail. She had a bowel movement finally last night. She still isn't eating much, I have to coax her to eat. When I leave the house, she gets very upset and starts to cry, she has never does this before. When I came back home she was panting and excited. She seems to be relaxing now.
I am grateful for finding this website, with all the information and support I need.
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Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724 
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Post by Marjorie on May 27, 2014 10:14:42 GMT -7
The little groan and shiver that you saw when she moved to do potty is a sign of pain. Have no patience with pain. There should be no sign of pain from one dose of the meds to the next. Dogs are very good at hiding pain so when you do see a sign like you saw, the pain meds to need to be adjusted. So please call your vet today and tell him what you observed so the meds can be adjusted. The vet has room to move up on the dosage of the Tramadol and also Gabapentin, which works very well with Tramadol, can be added.
Not eating much is a red flag sign to us here at Dodgerslist of GI tract problems from the Rimadyl. Though with the stomach surgery, it could be from that. Please also advise your vet today of what you're observing and, as Pauliana recommended, ask if there are any health issues that Bella may have that would prevent her from taking Pepcid AC. If not, then do get that on board - 5 mg 30 mins. before the Rimadyl and then every 12 hours thereafter. Also discuss adding Sucralfate with your vet. With the combination of a recent stomach surgery and the side effects of Rimadyl, she would be double protected.
Please let us know what the vet says after speaking to him.
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Post by Roxie & Bella on May 27, 2014 17:35:04 GMT -7
I talked to my vet and he upped the dosage of the Tramadol from 1/2 to 3/4. He also gave the ok for the Pepcid AC. He also said that if she isn't eating much the next few days that he will prescribe a pill so she can get her appetite back. She has herself worked up today, my grandson who is 18 months old, lives with us and he is very active. I decided to keep her in the kitchen during the hours he is awake and then move her back into the living room when he goes to bed. I'm hoping this will work.
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Post by Pauliana on May 27, 2014 18:19:32 GMT -7
Hi Roxie,
So glad that Bella's Tramadol has been increased. Your job now is to be Bella's Vet's eyes and ears. If the increase isn't enough to make her pain free from dose to dose let him know. Keep us posted on how she is doing.
Healing thoughts and prayers..
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Post by Roxie & Bella on Jun 17, 2014 8:58:10 GMT -7
I just wanted to give an update on Bella. She has started her 4th week of crate rest and seems to be doing great. She was tapered on the
▼prednisone to 5 mg every other day starting yesterday. She is also taking
Methocarbmol 250 mg once a day and
Tramadol as needed for pain (she hasn't had any show of pain so I haven't been giving it to her).
This morning when I took her out to do her business, she was holding front leg up and limping. I called the vet and she upped her
▲ Prednisone back to 5mg once a day. And of course the
Pepcid 5mg every 12 hours.
Everything else is great. 4 more weeks to go!!
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Jun 17, 2014 10:32:37 GMT -7
The usual dosage of Prednisone that we see is 5 mg 2x/day. That is the anti-inflammatory dose of Prednisone. Anything less than the anti-inflammatory dose will not be effective in getting the swelling down. I would speak to the vet about prescribing the correct anti-inflammatory dose of Prednisone. I'm also concerned about the switch that was made from Rimadyl to Prednisone. When was that switch made and what was the reason for it? Rimadyl is a NSAID and Prednisone is a steroid. There should be a 4-7 day washout period before switching, unless there was a medical emergency. Did she worsen at some point where the vet felt a switch needed to be made? If a 4-7 days washout period was not done, than a second stomach protector, Sucralfate, should have been prescribed. Is she eating and drinking OK? Poops OK - normal color, firmness, no dark or bright red blood? Also, holding up a front leg and limping indicates that this could be a neck issue. Did the vet say anything about it being a neck episode? Please take a look at this page for tips on how to deal with a neck problem: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cervical.htm |
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