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Post by Penny & Odie on Jun 6, 2014 5:40:10 GMT -7
My 2 year old doxen odie hurt his back, when I got home from work, I did not know what was wrong and I took him to the vet, I could not afford everything they wanted to do, but I begged them to please help! After they examined him they told me then that he hurt his back, and they gave him a shot a gave me meds and told me to crate him. I only had a small crate and when I try to put him in it he went nuts and try to bolt, when he did this he could not use his back legs. I am so devastated, I feel like the worse mother in the world. I got a bigger crate the next day, he does not like it but he does not go nuts. I called the vet after this happened they told me to crate him anyway, and to start him on the meds the next day. Please I beg somebody to give me advice and to please pray for my odie, I don't think he will ever use his back legs again, God please help me!
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 6, 2014 7:57:20 GMT -7
Penny welcome to Dodgerlist, we are glad you are here. Self education with this disease is critical. Knowledge is to make sure the right things are being done for best recovery. And for yourself, knowledge lets you step out of a very scary place…"the unknown" and the toll it takes on your emotions. Get ready to fight this disease with this current episode and in the future by knowing all things IVDD. So you are savvy about conservative treatment this page is a wonderful place to get a good overview of each of the phases of healing: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htm Hope to hear you will be able to follow all the informative links and complete your readings in the next couple of days. Can you fill us in on a few more details so we can best support you and Odie? -- What was the date you saw the vet and 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 for this current disc episode? No laps, no couches, no chiro, no sleeping in bed with you, no wandering at potty time. Using a sling (long winter scarf, ace bandage, belt) will save your back and help to keep your dog's aligned and butt from tipping over. A harness and 6 foot leash will control speed and keep footsteps to minimum as you stand in one spot. An ex-pen in the grass is an excellent alternative to minimizing footsteps with the physical and visual to indicate there will be no sniff festing going on! -- Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy? -- How much does your dog weigh? Would you give us a list of exact med names currently given, their doses in mg's and frequencies? 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 your dog 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 . www.dodgerslist.com/literature/massagepassiveexercises.htm-- Do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up? That means you would need to manually express the bladder. How that works: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm-- 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. We look forward to learning more about Odie with your answers. Never give up, stay focused, stay postitive and stay strong! You and Odie will get through this bump in the road of life. |
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Post by Penny & Odie on Jun 6, 2014 14:25:38 GMT -7
I am so sorry I did not reply, I had to go to work even tho I did not feel like it, I wanted to be home with my baby boy! They put odie on prednisone, and he is eating and drinking wonderfully, I called today because he has not had a bm, so they are going to prescribe a stool softner for him I will pick up in the morning, but, in your thread I noticed something, on how I feel. I am a single mother of a beautiful 14 year old daughter, and there is odie and lil bit. They are my life. I don't make much money, and they did try to help, but, I find myself saying I am sorry all the time, they make me feel like I am a horrible person, and when I got off the phone today, I wanted to cry because, they don't say anything, but I hear it in they're voice. Am I making sense? Anyway, I want to be able to take care of all my babies needs, I work so hard to do so! And when I kept asking questions, she told me to go to this website and you would help me! Please keep helping me, I feel lost on what to do and unless I have the money they won't tell me!
odie is just tee teeing on the pads right now, I feel like he his running a temp, what can I do to bring the fever down?
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Post by Lesley & Mocha on Jun 6, 2014 14:39:14 GMT -7
Hi Penny, my little dog went down on Sunday and I was like you...scared and frustrated, I felt like I wasn't getting the help and mostly, the answers I needed. When I went to the emergency vet he immediately told me my dog needed surgery and it was $8,000...no way I could afford that. When he found out I wasn't going for surgery it was like he simply wasn't interested, he prescribed pain meds and that was it...no anti inflammatories or anything, just sent me on my way with no instructions or anything. Since then I have seen my normal vet and now a great vet who takes the time to explain things and is even doing laser light therapy. Between this new vet and this board I have been able to get a lot of support and have my questions answered. In all honesty, not every vet is familiar with this sort of thing and your vet may simply not have the answers. You've come to the right place. Tell me about your dog...what kind, how old, what happened?
Is Odie down with a bad back? What meds has your vet prescribed so far? What is he taking and how much? If you think he has a temperature he possible has an infection...My Mocha got a bladder infection because she was unable to pee properly on her own...she is on antibiotics now too.
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Post by Penny & Odie on Jun 6, 2014 15:15:33 GMT -7
Odie is a miniature dappled doxen, he is 2 years old, and I do not know what happened, he was fine, and we went to my daughters 8th grade graduation, and when we got back he was trembling and and did not want to move. I thought it was his tummy it was so tight. He seemed so much better the next day so I went to work, and when I got home he looked so miserable I rushed him to the vet, and when they knew I could not afford it
they were not going to see me, and I cried and begged them I had at least fifty dollars so I begged them to please (so they told me I could see a vet tech but not a vet, so then)
help!And the vet tech told me he hurt his back and they gave him a shot, and told me to crate him and start the prednisone the next day, and to crate him. I told them I only have a pet carrier and I can't afford to get a bigger one until the next day. They told to put him in it, I did, but odie went nuts and tried to bolt, and for whatever reason, that's when he lost use of his back legs, I called the vet and told them what happened and they told me to put him in it anyway. I don't know why but I feel like its all my fault, but I don't know why, I don't know what I did wrong, and why,when he was walking fine, and when he tried to bolt why can't he use his back legs now! And now I know he his running a temp, and want to give him childrens motrin so bad to bring it down, but I don't want to hurt him, what should I do?
and what is conservative mean?
I am sorry I cannot think straight, he takes
5mg of prednisone, it is 2 times a day (half a pill) for 5 days, then once a day ( half a pill) once a day, then half a pill every other day until the pills are done.
But no antibiotics!
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Post by Lesley & Mocha on Jun 6, 2014 15:33:11 GMT -7
Hi again...Conservative treatment is crate rest and medication, which is what you and I are doing with our dogs...the other treatment is surgery. As long as your pet carrier is big enough for Odie to lie down, stretched out that's fine...that's what Mocha was in until I bought a small wire crate yesterday. It sounds as though he has hurt a disc in his back and when he tried to bolt he hurt it more. The prednisone you were given will help to take the swelling in his back down so it isn't pinching his spinal cord anymore. It is important that he stays in his crate/carrier so that he can't move and injure his back more. You can take him out to pee...but carry the whole crate outside and just let him out to pee and then put him right back in it. This is NOT your fault...it just happens sometimes, my dog was fine and then she had a hard time standing and then suddenly she couldn't stand or walk. When you take him out to pee lift him carefully so you don't twist his spine...support his back end with your hand under his abdomen and encourage him to pee. When you put him back in his carrier put him in backwards so he doesn't try and turn around. Feed him in there ad give him water in there. Try reading this stuff.... www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htmwww.dodgerslist.com/literature.htm |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 6, 2014 16:30:09 GMT -7
Penny it is going to be very important that you find time to read the link Lesley gave you. Follow the links to the full articles on this page www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htmWe are going to need some important information to best help you and Odie. Without your answers we are really in the dark to help. - what is the start date of the pred? Is he now on a taper or is it to start on Saturday? On the taper if there is pain, it means he needs to stay on pred a bit longer. What is the exact name of the shot given? - Do you currently see any pain (shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant to move much or slow to move, tight tense tummy, head held high or nose to the ground, not normal perky self)? If yes, then it is not time to taper off of pred. In fact it would be necessary to bring a pain med on board (Tramadol is a general pain reliever and methocarbamol for the kind of pain from muscle spasms) - How much does Odie weigh? -- Do you have plain Pepcid AC at your home. It would be a very good idea to get his tummy protected from the prednisone. 5mg of Pepcid AC (sole active ingredient is famotidine) 2x a day. - We need to find out if he has bladder control or not. If you find urine leaks in bedding or he leaks on you when lifted he has lost bladder control. Watch the video on how to express and then have that vet tech give you a hands on top your hands lesson. Expressing is to keep infections away. A dog's normal normal rectal temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Children's Motrin can be deadly to a dog. Aspirin would be a deadly combo with prednisone. Call the vet's office to see if they will call in an antibiotic. It is likely if you have not been expressing these last days and he had lost bladder control, bacteria have multiplied in the bladder to an infectious level. To help cool himself you can make flexible ice packs with ziplock bags and water/rubbing alcohol using a 2:1 ratio. The alcohol will keep the water from freezing solid Wrap the ice pack with a dry towel place in his crate to lean against as he wishes. The only place dogs can sweat if from their pads. So if they are hot they will pant. Prednisone also causes panting. A fan near the crate but not pointed at Odie may help. The only way to know if he has a temperature is to take it. Let us know. -- What is the name of the vet clinic where the vet tech told you to come to our Forum? What city/state do you live in? -- Can Odie wag his tail if you specifically do some happy talk to him, if he sees you? Can he move his legs at all? The single most important care you can give during conservative treatment (medications and rest) is the 100% STRICT rest part. |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 8, 2014 7:22:16 GMT -7
Moved to the Forum on behalf of Penny on June 8, 2014:
Dear Paula, I want to Thank You for everything, once I told a friend of mine what had happened at the vet and how Odie was getting worse, she became our advocate, and then a vet saw my Odie. Unfortunately, the vet said that there was nothing they could do for him, to make a long story short, I lost my precious baby boy last night, and were beyond devastated. God Bless you and your family!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,611
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 8, 2014 7:23:46 GMT -7
When tomorrow starts without me And I'm not there to see, If the sun should rise and find your eyes All filled with tears for me.
I wish so much you wouldn't cry The way you did today, While thinking of the many things We didn't get to say.
When tomorrow starts without me..
don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me..
I'm right here in your heart.
~David M. Romano
Penny, I’m so sorry to hear of this heartbreaking news. Do know IVDD is not a fatal disease, but there could have been something else that was life threatening the vet could do nothing for. There is a lovely website called the Dachshund Memorial Garden where you can pay tribute and even place a photo. Many touching poems to help in this time of grief: www.dachshundmemorialgarden.comOdie now lives where love resides eternally – in your heart! Odie did not leave you, just his body did. ((Warmest hugs)) with my sincere condolences |
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Post by Lesley & Mocha on Jun 8, 2014 9:59:32 GMT -7
My heart is breaking for you.....(((HUG))).....Odie is running free now and he is waiting until you meet again.
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Jessica & Onyx
New Member
5/24 Conserv NECK, 8/23 conserv Neck
Posts: 23 
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Post by Jessica & Onyx on Jun 9, 2014 13:36:57 GMT -7
So deeply sorry for your loss...my prayers go out to you and your family.
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Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Jun 10, 2014 4:41:43 GMT -7
My sincerest condolences on your loss, Penny. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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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 Jun 12, 2014 6:53:23 GMT -7
Penny I am so sorry for your devesating loss. Odie will live on in your hearts and memories. May those memories of happier times bring you and your family comfort in your time of sorrow. You will meet again at the Bridge, (((hugs)))
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Post by Jean & Mimi on Jun 13, 2014 7:03:56 GMT -7
Penny, I am so sorry for your loss. He is now waiting for you, running free with no pain and happy. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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