Shanie's Goosie 5/6 Conservative Neck

Diarrhea and blood is a real emergency. Please call the vet immediately. This more then likely is due to the pred. Is he on any kind of antacid now such as Pepcid. You should ask the vet about adding sucralfate.

Let us know what the vet says and an updated list of the meds he is on (mg and the frequency)

Let us know the status of the bloody diarrhea…. that is a concern to know what the bleeding is from. Was it red blood or black coffee ground looking blood in his poop. Also what does the vet assess regarding pain and any changes to his meds?

The blood basically stopped. He still has diarrhea not as bad there was a drop of blood and he went once today when yesterday he went many times and there was alot of blood and it was fresh blood not dark old blood. Anyway the bleeding has almost stopped and guess what else has stopped??? He woke up this am with nothing wrong with his neck. no pain no spasm nothing. I couldnt believe my eyes he was like his old self even being grouchy to people. when he was hurt he was nice to everyone. I didnt even have to give him any pain meds. He has seperation anxiety which i am sure i have mentioned. I had to leave for about a hour my boyfriend called me an hour after i had left and told me he was starting to have the spasms in his neck, when i got home his neck was bulging and spasming, now that i have been home for a while it again has went back to normal.

Hi, I'm just getting caught up on this thread. Please let us know how the vet visit goes today and what the vet gives for the diarrhea.

If the neck spasms continue, you could ask your vet for an additional medication, gabapentin. It works well with Tramadol to control difficult cervical pain.

Okay, sounds like you've also got to control Goosie's separation anxiety. Discuss with your vet whether the ACE could have caused the internal bleeding. Also discuss trying herbal calmers such as Composure Soft Chews, along with a pheromone spray in his kennel area. I find that playing soft music helps to calm my dogs while I'm gone. There are some products to help with boredom: petsittervideos.com/ and www.petmusic.com/.

Hang in there! Hopefully once he stops that howling (which involves neck movement), he will stop spasming and be able to start healing that disc.

Best wishes, ~Lisa

Do you have a friend or family member, or even a petsitter that could stay with Goosie or visit while you are out? It would give you peace of mind.

What kind of crate are you keeping him in? Sometimes dogs do better in an open air environment while you are home, such as a playpen or an ex-pen. If you use an ex-pen, you can actually sit in there with him and give him attention while you watch tv or read, etc. The area just has to be small enough where he can't really walk around inside. He should be able to fully stretch out and turn around. If there is extra room, you can roll up towels and place them around the perimeter to make the area smaller. Just trying to think of ideas to help make him feel less isolated. A pet stroller is a Godsend if it is within your budget. You can find used ones on Craig's List. It is easy to wheel dogs from room to room with a stroller, and it is easier to lift a dog out of a stroller instead of a crate. Only thing is, you can't leave a dog unattended in a stroller. Once the dog is off all meds, you can stroll them outside on smooth surfaces in quiet areas. You could then take both of your dogs walking. :-) Here's an article on strollers if you are interested: dodgerslist.com/literature/strollers.htm

Please do keep an eye on his diarrhea and keep giving the Pepcid! If the diarrhea continues, your vet will likely give an antidiarrheal, and perhaps something to coat the stomach such as Sucralfate.

Best wishes, ~Lisa

yes someone is always here with him i never leave him alone, i cannot keep him in a crate this is another thing that triggers the neck spasms he thrashes about in the crate trying to get out. A nurse told me that pepcid will cause diarrhea in humans if they use it to often he is with me on my bed well now my bed had turned into a matteress  on the floor he is never left unattended and he doesnt really move at all he sleeps unless we go outside to go to the bathroom

Goosie, needs to relax and not move his neck so much.  ACE is a med that can excite dogs or can calm them.  If ACE is not working to sedate him, then speak with the vet about trying a different calmer for when you have to leave the house.

Dogs can get stressed just like humans.  Stress produces extra acids which can lead to the symptoms Goosie  has of  bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Pepcid often is enough to protect the GI tract for most dogs. We have NEVER had a case of Pepcid AC causing diareah in 1000s of dogs over a 10 year period.  Pepcid is an antihistamine that reduces acid production in the stomach.  When Pepcid is not enough, sucralfate is added to the Pepcid AC.  It works in a different way to put a gel coating over the damaged areas of the GI tract to make a bandaid PLUS makes an environment that promotes healing. Discuss with your vet about getting sucralfate on board.  As always reading up on your dog's meds is important: www.marvistavet.com/html/sucralfate.html

Since he has nothing on board to work on inflammation (prednisone) and he works himself up, he really needs to be calmed, Lisa's suggestions may work too.  And his pain meds likely would have to be adjusted to a more aggressive level if you are seeing signs of pain-- those spasms.  Your vet has more in her arsenal…. she could add gabapentin, she could give a higher dose of tramadol. Are you consistently giving tramadol 3 times a day?

It is important that you do not skip pain med doses.  The reason is once pain shows its ugly  head, then it takes a longer time to get back under control.  So it is important to stay on a consistent schedule of dosing.  Plastic weekly pill box and a med chart to avoid double dosing or forgetting a dose, a safety measure in families where several persons are giving meds is very important.  Here is a sample chart  www.dodgerslist.com/literature/crateRRP/medchart.pdf

For any meds not on the Generic $4 per prescription list Walmart, grocery stores, etc. then ask the vet for a hand written Rx. Call your local pharmacies and price shop… prices of meds vary widely from pharmacy to pharmacy.

I am stunned and beyond happy, Goosie is off all meds and is b

Sorry about that Yes goosie is back to normal off all meds. I cant believe it, I am constantly watching his ears for twitching to show some kind of pain there has been none. I cant believe it, the vet suggested putting him down, omg  I wanted to thank u guys for everything, he probably wouldnt have made it through this if i wouldnt have had your help.I have to admit I was frustrated as heck especially with the crating mess he was, I am so glad I didnt give up and read your advice. I am sure someday i will need u again he is a fearless little daredevil . I am getting ramps for outside and he isnt allowed on my bed alone or if i am going to fall asleep ever....thanx again........