Hi Becki, my name is Lisa, welcome to Dodger's List. First thing you need to know is that IVDD is NOT a fatal disease, and there is no need to euthanize Ziggy. There are two treatments for IVDD: Conservative (8 weeks of strict crate rest to heal the disc, plus meds to reduce inflammation and mask pain) or Surgery. We have seen dogs with no deep pain sensation recover with conservative treatment. PLEASE read through some of our Success Stories for proof:
www.dodgerslist.com/monthstory.htmPlease also watch our brief tutorial on IVDD so that you will know more about the disease:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/IVDDcourse/index.html . If a dvd is more your style, we have an excellent one available for only $3 including shipping. It's great to have on hand to show to family/friends/petsitters so they will know what they can and cannot do with your dog and how they can help:
www.dodgerslist.com/store/DVDorder.htm Here are three links to help you with conservative treatment and crate rest:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies.htm www.dodgerslist.com/literature/conservative.htm If you are not already getting it, we highly recommend acupuncture and laser light therapy for IVDD. They both stimulate the nerves to heal and reduce pain and inflammation, and acupuncture has the additional bonus of relaxing the dog. I firmly believe acupuncture helped my Goosie regain his bladder control more quickly, and his movements were stronger after his treatments. These treatments can begin asap, as long as you can safely transport your dog to and from the appointments (crated). You can ask your vet for a referral to a holistic vet that does acupuncture and laser light therapy, or you can search for one in your area here:
www.holisticvetlist.com/ A wheelchair should not be considered or used until after the 8 weeks of strict crate rest are over because at this time you do not know how much mobility Ziggy will regain. Some dogs stand up a week or two into treatment, and others, like my dog require a much longer time (took him 11 months to walk again). Still others remain paralyzed and simply use a cart to get around - they have a GREAT quality of life. I know this for a fact because my dog used a cart for 9 months.
Some other things you should know: If Ziggy truly has lost deep pain sensation, then he also does not have bladder control. You will need to manually express his bladder 4 to 6 times per day until control returns. Please get a hands-on demonstration from your vet (preferably not the one who told you to euthanize) on how to express the bladder and watch our video here:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm When damage to the spinal cord increases, there is a predictable course of neurological deterioration. When nerve healing occurs, often it follows in the reverse order:
1. Pain
2. Wobbly walking, legs cross
3. Nails scuffing floor
4. Paws knuckle
5. Legs do not work (paralysis, dog is down)
6. Bladder control is lost
7. Tail wagging with joy is lost
8. Deep pain sensation, the last neuro function, a critical indicator for successful surgery.
Therefore, when a disc and nerves are healing, deep pain sensation will be the first neurological function to return, then tail wagging, etc. So watch for these things in the coming weeks!
Lastly, does Ziggy seem to be in any pain? I notice you said he is only on prednisone. Prednisone is a steroid which reduces inflammation on the spinal cord, and that is good. However, a stomach protectant such as Pepcid AC should be given 30 minutes before each dose of prednisone to protect Ziggy's tummy from internal bleeding due to the excess acid steroid produce. The normal dosage of Pepcid AC is 5 mg for a dog up to 15 pounds. Please tell your vet you are going to give Pepcid (generic is famotidine). In addition, Ziggy is NOT on any pain medication - does he seem to be in pain? Signs of pain are yelping, shivering/trembling, a tight-feeling tummy (like a drum), lack of appetite, reluctance to move, and panting. If you think Ziggy is in any pain, ask your vet for Tramadol, an opiate-like pain reliever frequently used for IVDD pain. If there is breakthrough pain with the Tramadol, your vet can add gabapentin and/or methocarbamol.
I know I've given you a lot of information. To sum it up in a nutshell, the most important thing for you to do for Ziggy right now is to learn to express his bladder if he has lost bladder control (if he is having accidents in his crate or squirting urine when picked up, then he has lost bladder control). Secondly, if he is in pain, get Tramadol on board. Thirdly, be sure to practice strict crate rest for 8 weeks. If he does not do well in a crate, try an ex-pen or a play pen.
Once you read through the links I've given you, you will feel more confident about Ziggy's condition and how his treatment should go. Please let us know if you have any questions. Best wishes, ~Lisa
