Rachel's Booboo 6/12 Conservative

Good news! The vet said this was no means as bad as last time. (He was down on all 4 legs then.) He has good anal sensation and has already pooped, and they are waiting on him to urinate. We have problems with this because he is a stubborn old man and does NOT want assistance from hands, bands, or anything else. If he goes by 5, I can take him home with another drug arsenal, and we start over. If not, he will have to stay overnight and be catheterized in the morning. So keep your fingers crossed!

He refused to urinate, as the vet and I suspected he would (because he is just.that.willful), so he stays overnight. Hopefully he will give up the fight tonight, otherwise it's catheter time for him in the morning.

They have him on a pain med, a steroid, and probably a happy pill. Same thing as last time, but I forget the brand names. I give him Kaopectate for his stomach.

Rachel

Thanks for the info about the kaopectate. I hadn't given him it yet, but I will get him some pepcid in the am.

He is still not urinating on his own. I brought him home for tonight to see if he will go on his own turf, but they cath'ed him this afternoon too.

He is on:
Prednisone 5mg 1 tablet 2x a day for 7 days, then 1 tablet for 7, 1 every other until finished
Tramodol 5mg  2 tabs every 8/12 hours
Diazepam 5mg  1/2 tab every 12/24 hours
Ciproflaxin (Vet said last cath's urine had strong smell, this is to prevent/knock out any possible UTI developing) 250mg 1/2 tablet 2x a day
Prazoin 5mg 1 tab 2x daily(this is to decrease his urethral tone and make it easier for him to go.) 

I just gave him all his meds and his dinner, so I'll take him out in 15 minutes or so to see if anything happens.

She said he has stood and wagged his tail a few times. He hasn't done it for me yet though. He is still dragging his legs and can't stand without support.

Update: I took him out, and while he did poop, still no pee, although there was a moment where he "assumed the position" (he will stick his head up in the air), I didn't find anything underneath him.

They cathed him because they couldn't get enough urine out expressing him, and he hadn't gone since he'd been there.

I would say his pain is under control -he's finally sleeping and snoring like a chainsaw as he usually does. He is not showing pain signs when he is waddling around the pen. (Vet said he would be an excellent wheelchair candidate.)

I will have to make him one of those slings, currently I am using an old curtain tie. I will have to go buy supplies tomorrow because I don't have any of that stuff on hand.

Sorry to hear Booboo is back at the vet until Monday.. Keep us posted as to how he is doing and let us know what meds the doctor sends home with him if there are changes.

After 8 weeks of crate rest during conservative treatment, he may not need a wheelchair.. but it is best not to try one until after he graduates from crate rest to prevent re- injuring the healing disc. If he does eventually need a wheelchair.. he will be just fine with that.. I have seen many very happy dogs on wheels.  As long as he is loved, he will be happy.

Sounds like a plan. Let us know when you get him home. There are some different meds the vet can give to make expressing easier. Also, when they start to regain control, they can be harder to express.

Happy to hear that you have your boy home with you again - everyone will be much happier won't they Good news about the bladder control too - we sure can get exited over pee and poop on this site. Keep us posted

Hi, tail wagging is great! Proof that some nerve messages are being able to travel through the spinal cord. Keep up the strict crate rest so that his disc can fully heal. It is time and limited movement that heals the disc while the meds mask the symptoms.

As damage to the spinal cord increases, there is a predictable course of neurological deterioration:
1. Pain
2. Wobbly walking, legs cross
3. Nails scuffing floor
4. Paws knuckle (loss of proprioception)
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

When nerve healing occurs, often it follows in the reverse order, so DPS will return first, then tail wagging, then bladder control, leg movement, etc. So watch for these neurological functions in the coming weeks. If you are seeing leg movement, that is an excellent sign. Continue with the strict crate rest so his disc can fully heal.

Glad you will be protecting his stomach with Pepcid. The usual dose for a dog up to 15 pounds is 5 mg given 30 minutes before each dose of steroid.

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 inducing a state of well-being. 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/

We look forward to hearin how Booboo does throughout crate rest! Best wishes, ~Lisa

Fantastic news about Booboo's tail wag!  Keep watch for bladder control and leg movement..

What an amazing job you're doing for your baby Booboo! Great to hear his progress as well~~~

Positive thoughts and good vibes going your way!!!!

He is walking around, although he's a bit wobbly sometimes. I am going to take him to the vet soon to see if she thinks another round of prednisone would help him. He's been finished with the first round for a few weeks now. I am so pleased with his progress.