Julie's Frankie now 5/22 surgery NECK

Hi Paula,

My name is Julie.  I have busied myself Tuesday night, last night, and this morning reading information on your website and am very grateful for the resource.

Sign of pain: the only lingering sign of pain I have observed is that Frankie is arching his back when he sits.  He looks comfortable when he lays down, less so when he sits.

Medicines:
Tuesday night: the vet gave him a shot of Prednisone.  She also prescribed Tramadol (50 mg) 1/4 tablet every 12 hours and Medrol (4 mg) 1/2 tablet for 3 days.
Friday night: we took him to a different vet and she performed x-rays, another exam, and prescribed Methocarbamol (500 mg) 1/4 tablet twice a day.

Walking: no wobbling, just not as energetic as usual

Eating and drinking: no problems

Potty breaks: no problems

I am concerned because Frankie is still arching his back when he sits, and I wasn't certain if this was an indication that he is in pain. 

Thank you for your time and guidance!

You did a great job spotting the signs of pain and getting him the Vet right away. Not everyone is so fortunate. 8 Weeks of crate rest is a must, and laser therapy and accupuncture can help alot too, if that is an option. Don't be afraid to 'raise the roof' if you need to in order to get pain releif for your boy, some Vets still follow the 'pain is good because it keeps them from moving so much' line of thought. You are doing a great job - keep us posted.
Keeping you in thought and prayer.

The limited movement of the recovery suite IS the "brace". Only enough room to stand up, to turn around and when lying down to fully stretch stretch out his legs. Lots of great tips to help you get his recovery suite set up and supplies and things to make the 8 weeks go smoother are here: www.dodgerslist.com/literature.htm Look for the rose-color box for the details.

Pollysmom is so right, crating is for him and not something being done to him. Even though  it seems like a long time, it does go by quickly.. I was so busy taking care of Tyler and reading up on IVDD on the Dodgerslist website and reading all the messages, time just flew by. A blip in time is so true.  No, it isn't easy but very worthwhile..

Let us know what your vet says about adjusting his her pain medications so she can be pain free dose to dose and begin to heal.

Hi Julie,

It isn't a setback as such, Frankie is showing he is still in pain. Have you discussed this with your Vet? As Paula said, Tramadol is more effective at every 8 hours for example.   Sometimes it takes several adjustments in pain medications to get it right..  You mentioned this last Vet upped the doses.. What are the current medications and doses as of now?

I notice you did not mention if Frankie is on a stomach protectant to protect his tummy from the excess acid that steroids produce. If the stomach is not protected, internal bleeding can occur. Please ask your vet if you can give 5 mg of Pepcid AC (generic name is famotidine) 30 minutes before each dose of steroid

Also does his crate have a top opening instead of a front door? I am thinking it might be easier to get Frankie out of the crate with a top opening. Also here is a link that shows how to lift and carry your Dachsie. 

Sending comforting thoughts your way..and feel better wishes for Frankie.

Unfortunately, it seems to be quite common.

Unfortunately many vets are not experienced in treating IVDD...or perhaps fortunately in that the reason they aren't experienced is that they don't see it often. Regardless, indeed it is common for vets to misunderstand proper treatment. I was also told by a vet once that many of them don't give instructions for strict crate rest because they've had so many clients disregard the instruction so they go with something like limit activity as much as possible because at least that instruction will be followed. I disagree with the logic to my core but just telling you what I was told. One thing we can do as owners of dogs with IVDD is to help educate vets we know of that don't understand so that their next client can have a better experience.

Regarding the Pepcid, the most effective dosing is twice daily...it looks like you are giving it once daily. Also it is most effective if given about 30 minutes prior to the steroid.

Keep a close eye on Frankie's comfort level as you taper that Prednisone. If he isn't pain free it may need to go back to full dose for a few more days to completely resolve the pressure on the spinal cord. Keep in contact with the vet, you are Frankie's voice. Consider what you would do for yourself if you were experiencing something similar and do the same for Frankie.

Keep us posted on how things are going.

Hi Julie!

Crating him for the full 8 weeks is a better idea because it will give Frankie's back time to heal. He may not have ruptured a disc yet but he is in pain and walking slower than normal and arching his back. If he continues to rest, whatever disc is causing the pain will have time to heal instead of rupturing into his spinal chord. Prevention at this point in time is the best thing.  Remember dogs with IVDD are born with degenerating discs and the first episode generally happens between 3 and 6 years old..

Xrays don't show soft tissue detail such as the disc or the spinal cord. It is the expensive  adcanced imaging MRIs, CTs or myelograms that can give necessary information and those are usually only reserved for use just before surgery for a ruptured/herniated disc.

How is he feeling, is his pain under control now?

Hi there, you can get creative with crate rest to help Frankie adjust more easily. What kind of a crate are you using? We do not recommend using airline crates as this limits the dog's ability to see what is going on around him. Some dogs do better in an open-air environment such as a playpen or ex-pen. If you put your dog in an ex-pen, you can take some time to sit in there with him and pat him by enlarging it temporarily. Whatever crating situation you choose, just be sure he has enough room to fully stretch our and turn around in, but not enough room to walk around in there.

You can put his crate on a sturdy night stand (or even on your bed if propped against a wall) so that he can be near you at bedtime. Many owners put their crates on casters and move it from room to room so the dog feels included in family activities. You can place the crate out on the deck (not in direct sunlight) so that he can get some fresh air.

Here are some ideas to calm or entertain him safely: petsittervideos.com/
and www.petmusic.com/

Lastly, once Frankie is off all meds, you can use a pet stroller - take him on strolls on smooth surfaces in quiet areas. Dogs get SO much mental stimulation from stroller rides. I still use mine to this day! You can also use the pet stroller during crate rest in the home, but the dog can never be left alone in the stroller. Here's an article with more info if you are interested: dodgerslist.com/literature/strollers.htm

Glad to hear Frankie is feeling better. Just continue with the strict crate rest so his disc can fully heal. Best wishes, ~Lisa

Benadryl is safe for dogs but dosing should be prescribed by your vet. It does work on many dogs to induce a little sleepiness and calmness so that's worth a try. Another option is a prescription relaxer from your vet.

Crate training is a part of this process for many dogs as they just aren't crazy about the crate. When he's whining absolutely ignore him, don't even look at him. When he's quiet tell him he's a good boy, sometimes walk by and give him a little petting through the crate or whatever other mild reward you choose but be extremely careful it's only done when he's quiet. Intentionally leave the room to get him started whining then wait for that split second when he's quiet and quickly tell him he's a good boy. It will take a few days but eventually he'll start to catch on and you'll see improvements. He may never learn to love the crate but he can certainly learn to behave in it with diligence on your part.

Hi there, here is a good link on supplements. My dog was on methylcobalamin, which is the form of B12 that targets the nerves. My holistic vet recommended it, and he also gave acupuncture and laser light treatment (excellent for IVDD). Remember - all supplements are essentially medication, and you should not give them without a vet's permission: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Supplements.htm

To avoid Frankie lunging like that, consider setting up a 6' ex-pen in the backyard. Then you can get into the ex-pen with him on potty breaks. He will be limited as to the steps he can take, and he will be safe.

Best wishes, ~Lisa

I imagine prices would vary around the country. Here is one vet's prices. www.serenityvetacupuncture.com/index.php/faq_/

Hi, it could be that his affected disc further bulged or herniated, causing the acute pain. This could be due from him twisting the wrong way, being picked up incorrectly, or taking too many steps. The most important part of conservative treatment is the strict crate rest. It is time and limited movement that heals the disc while the meds mask the symptoms.

When you pick him up, are you supporting his rear and his chest and keeping his spine aligned like this: youtube.googleapis.com/v/kyD2IW5m0qY

Your choices are to continue with conservative treatment (8 weeks of strict crate rest to heal the disc, plus meds to mask the symptoms) or surgery. Is he still on the same meds? If he is still in pain, ask the vet for an additional pain reliever called gabapentin. It works very well at helping breakthrough pain.

Please let us know how he is. Best wishes, ~Lisa

Please let us know what the Vet says. Sometimes this IVDD journey feels like 2 steps forward and 1 step back - hoping that this is just a bump in the road on his healing journey and that he continues to improve. Keeping you in thought and prayer.