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Post by jsenters on Jun 11, 2013 19:03:15 GMT -7
My name is Jenny and I am new to Dodgers list. My doxie is 6 years, named Duke and my husband and I just found out that he may have IVDD. We are so unsure about it all and need the support of others that are going through it as well. Here is our story....about a month ago we took Duke for a walk. Now my husband and I have had him since he was 6 weeks old. We have always, during the spring/summer/fall months take him on long walks. Sometimes 3 miles sometimes 4. He LOVES them and in between the miles we hold him to rest his back and feet. Well about our 4 mile walk a month ago, he was fine. Came in, drank and laid down. Now he is a little over weight (only 3 pounds) and we never thought anything would happen. About a week after the walk, we went to pick him up and he yelped. We just though that maybe we hurt his arm pit and he seemed to be normal. The next day, he came out of his "bed" (crate) and his head was down and he was not himself. Didn't want to run and play with his "brother" (our cat). Again when we picked him up he yelped. The weekend came and we made him lay down the whole weekend and not move. We live in an apartment and when we would take him outside we would carry him. After the weekend, he was back to normal and we thought that the worst was over. A week later it was worse. Yelping, whining, not eating and moving. We took him to the vet the next day (Monday). She did an x-ray on him and said his spine looks good. She put him on a steroid and sent us home. After a week, we realized that his neck would have spasms and he was not getting better. So we went back to he vet and she uped the dosage on the ▲ steroids and gave us a muscle relaxer. Now its a week later and just when we thought he was fine and good (rolling on the floor, playing with his ball) he starts to have these spasms in his neck again. I just don't know if it is IVDD or something else. Has anyone else had this happen? I hate seeing him like this and just want him to be able to run again and play again. Thanks.
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Post by Linda Stowe on Jun 12, 2013 8:33:16 GMT -7
Hi Jenny Welcome to Dodgerslist. We are sorry to hear that Duke is having what sounds like a cervical disc problem. Know that it is possible for him to heal and be able to play with his brother again. Does he seem like he is in pain? I don't see that your vet has prescribed a pain reliever. Normally Tramadol is used and if there is still pain the vet has an option of adding others. So do make sure his pain is under control so he can start healing. Also, you need to be giving him an antacid such as Pepcid AC (or generic famotidine) as steroids can cause GI problems. Please tell us the exact dosage of all meds he is on currently. You need to keep Duke crated 24/7 for 8 weeks in order to give the disc a chance to fully heal. Only out to potty. Does he still have bowel and bladder control? We have a very good article on cervical disc episodes www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cervical.htm that will give you good tips on how to care for Duke. |
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Post by jsenters on Jun 12, 2013 9:50:32 GMT -7
Hi Linda. Thank you. Duke is on Methocarbamol 500mg once a day. He just finished Prednisone which we gave him 2 tablets twice daily. He does not seem to be in pain all the time. It seems like he gets super excited when my husband gets home and than he starts his yelping. He HATES being the crate so we have him next to us all the time on the couch only allowing him to move every 90 minutes to drink and go potty. (I lost my job about 2 months ago so I am with him all day) He uses the bathroom normally and has no troubles. He can walk great and he even tries to run when he goes potty. Other than that he lays down all the time and doesn't move. Thank you so much for the support. This is harder than we thought.
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,936
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Post by PaulaM on Jun 12, 2013 10:02:01 GMT -7
Jenny, I am sorry that Duke is having a disc problem. His pain meds are not YET right and he needs to be back on pred. Pred is the med that works on getting swelling down. Let your vet know of the yelping so she knows to adjust meds. Often it takes being at the anti-inflamamtory dose of prednisone (5mg 2x/day) for 1-2 weeks or even for some dogs more like a month before all the swelling is gone. On the taper to every other day, the dose is lowered to less than the anti-flammatory dose and that is the time to assess just how well reduction of swelling is going by observing for pain. Rule of thumb is: pain = swelling = more time on Pred needed. Your vet should have explained to you that the single most important part of conservative treatment is the 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 only out to potty for a full 8 weeks …. No laps, no couch, no sleeping in bed with you, no meandering around during potty times. No baths, no chiro (aka VOM). In other words do everything you can to limit the vertebrae in the neck and back from moving and putting pressure on the bad disc. Any time out of the recovery suite is a dangerous time for the early healing disc. There simply can not be ANY cheating on crate rest if you intend to give Duke the best chance to heal. The crate is the only surface that is firm, supportive for the spine, not inclining, always horizontal and keeps a dog from darting off at a TV doorbell and safe from other pets and kids from bothering them. The rest of the details of doing crate rest to ensure the best recovery in this excellent document: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm If need be use calmers to take the edge off so he can relax inside his recovery suite.Farnum's Comfort Zone with D.A.P., ANXITANE® S, Composure Soft Chews, Rescue Remedy, Plain Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) Keep you vet in the loop with all things you give your dog. Your vet also has more heavy duty prescriptiion sedatives if it comes to that. Let us know he is back on Pred and also a stomach protector, Pepcid AC (famotidine). Pain is the first phase of healing. Pain not in control deters the whole healing process. Learn about the other phases of healing here so you can better help Duke: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htm |
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