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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Jun 26, 2017 19:10:44 GMT -7
Thank you so much! We are definitely hoping for the best for a strong recovery for Buckeye, and it definitely seems to be in the cards for him. Thank you so much to everyone who has been supporting us or even just following along during Buckeye's recovery process. It has definitely been a challenge but through the support of this forum, we have been able to stay positive and encouraged. I can't believe what an amazing recovery he has already made. I will definitely be ordering some of the cards to distribute.
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Jul 4, 2017 9:45:05 GMT -7
Freedom!!!! Happy Independence Day! Today is a special day for us as it is officially Buckeye's first day free from crate rest! He is doing great and certainly enjoying his reclaimed freedom. We are trying to get him used to being out of the crate while keeping an extra eye on him so he doesn't get into any trouble. As you can imagine, after 8 weeks he is very happy to be out, and is anxious to run and play. We have decided to still crate him at night in our bedroom for now when we go to bed. He is the type of dog who always used to jump in and out of the bed throughout the night, and with it being dark at night we have decided to just err on the side of caution for the time being. He actually enjoys the crate at night anyway (it's sort of like his private den), so this isn't a big shift or compromise for us. We are also only allowing him in spaces where we are present for now, and we have also decided to keep him separate from our other dog only if no one would be around to monitor them just in case. Buckeye is 12, but our other dog (Brutus) is only 3, so they like to rough house/puppy play at times. We live in a 3 story home, so we have also gated access to both sets of stairs. As I mentioned in a previous post, we also added a dog stair deck in our living room and a ramp for a tiny set of stairs the dogs use to go outside to potty. So far he has no interest in either, and he is very headstrong/stubborn, so for now we are just trying to be extra careful and carrying him out into the yard to potty, and just monitoring him near the couch so he doesn't try to dive off. Our vet had said that for him, re-injury would be more likely from a jump down/fall so we are doing our best to look out for that and obviously try to avoid it. He really seems to be doing great, although I have definitely observed some weakness in his back legs occasionally- if he runs, and trys to stop suddenly he kind of has to stop himself with his front legs. He's not dragging or knuckling or anything like that, it really just seems like he needs to get back used to walking around. Thanks again to all of the folks in this forum who have been guiding us through this difficult journey! I appreciate everyone's time and support more than you know. To reiterate my previous post, if you are facing a situation similar to ours, please hang in there! I know how hard it is to make adjustments to your life. My husband and I work full time, and we have a toddler and another dog at home. This has been incredibly difficult for all of us, but the reward of having Buckeye back is amazing and well worth the effort.
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Jul 4, 2017 14:05:17 GMT -7
Great news about Buckeye's graduation. I agree it is best to err on the side of caution and have him in the crate at night, at least for a while. A dog coming off of 6 weeks post op or 8 weeks of conservative treatment crate rest needs to gradually be re-introduced to activity in order to gradually build up muscles and stamina. We have some guidelines about how to do this here. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/AfterCrateRest.htmHere are some ideas to help others wih IVDD dogs if you'd like. Education about disc disease is our number one mission! We wish we did not have to hear of another dog that was put to sleep because of disc disease nor one denied the correct principles of crate rest to help them heal. --- You've been there, and are doing it....if you see another member on the Forum needing support or information share what you know to be true or point them to one of our many IVDD articles. The "search box" on each page makes quick work to find the right helpful link: www.dodgerslist.com/-- "Share" our FB/twitter/ posts to widen the reach of IVDD knowledge www.facebook.com/Dodgerslist twitter.com/DodgersList -- Hand carry our literature and introduce us to your vet. When in conversation at the grocery store line or wherever you meet breeds most prone to IVDD (Dachshunds, Beagles, Poodles, Spaniels, Shih Tzus, Pekingese, and Chihuahuas) to give out our little cards. Ask Linda to send you our free packet: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/litorder.htm-- We have a store where you might find something you absolutely need! Our earnings go to paying for our webpage and literature to hand out. www.dodgerslist.com/store.htm-- Don't forget to add a photo to the gallery and 1-2 sentences. Give inspiration to others just starting a scary IVDD journey. Directions to u/l here: dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/2262/put-dodgerslist-photo-gallery-calendar
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,493
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 4, 2017 18:52:56 GMT -7
Carolyn, congratulations with the conclusion of 8 weeks of crate rest. You and your family did it! Now over the course of several weeks begins a gradual reintroduction back to physical activity for your couch potato wth still weak legs. Slow and easy to give his muscle time to restrengthen. Slow and easy so you will be confused if muscle discomfort or a possible disc. So no free reign of the house nor back yard yet. Do check out the link Romy gave www.dodgerslist.com/literature/AfterCrateRest.htm for a sample schedule and ideas on furniture blockers, back friendly games, teaching how to use a ramp and lots of other ideas for after completing crate rest. Hopefully, Buckeye will not have another episode the rest of this life. Some dogs, however, do have multiple episodes. So we do what we can to reduce stress to the back. Sometimes we can observe an action that seems to relate to the cause of an episode such as jumping up or down. Other times it is just the last straw for an aged disc and trying to scratch an ear or an abrupt stop does it. So from now on try to avoid all steps and stairs and use ramps instead. I'm not clear what dog stair deck is. You might want to see if you can change to a ramp.
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Jul 5, 2017 10:27:47 GMT -7
Thank you both so much! We are definitely taking everything one step at a time, and the nice thing here is we have a lot of child gates already to help with containing areas. So far we have been sectioning off a room at a time (the room we are in), as best we can. This is what the thing for the living room looks like: m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=2874&cmpid=01cseYY&ref=6191&subref=AA&cmpid=PLA_G_6191&gclid=COXYvafT8tQCFRaewAodRnwMNwI wasn't sure what to call it, it is like a ramp made up of 2 graduated stairs that are connected.. We have a low sectional couch he always liked to lay on so our thought when we got it was to give him a way to access to couch without having to jump up or down. The ramp for outside is an actual ramp, but so far we are still carrying him on out.
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Post by Nicole & Sadie on Jul 7, 2017 20:23:17 GMT -7
Well, I'm a big teary eyed mess after reading your post but also full of hope! Sadie our Beagle is just starting on this journey to recovery and I pray she comes out as good as Buckeye! It's so scary, I wanted to say thank you for your post and I am SO inspired that Sadie will be just like Buckeye! Sending all the love!!!!
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Jul 12, 2017 8:38:08 GMT -7
Thank you so much, Nicole! I just read through your thread as well, and your situation reminds me so much of when we first were going through this with Buckeye. I am sending SO many positive thoughts and love your way. Our vet had also initially described all of these "worse case scenario" outcomes for Buckeye as very likely, and although I certainly understand there is always a chance of Anything (they also told us his issue might be a tumor, or if we tried with the crate rest instead of surgery he might become paralyzed, or if he doesn't drastically improve we really need to consider his comfort and happiness with life level and 'make a decision' , etc). I get it, those are possibilities, and they were trying to be upfront but that is Not what I needed to hear at that time. I felt so devastated, I was basically grieving his loss the entire first 2 weeks of crate rest. Once we got his pain managed correctly, he started feeling better, and I could see improvements every single week. You know Sadie best, and you are the best one to gauge how she is feeling, and if she is improving, especially once you know the pain signs to look out for. Many improvements are subtle. Buckeye's definitely were, especially at first. A big initial milestone for us was Buckeye being lest restless at night and seeming to sleep more deeply. Happy snoring (sure, probably somewhat from the meds but thats OK ). Another one was when we noticed him wagging his tail when he was going potty outside. Him finally licking my hand when I reached in his crate to pet him. Eventually, him wagging his tail when I approached the crate. Those may sound like small things to someone not experiencing this, but to us they were huge. I honestly believe Buckeye's determination and his love for us is what got him through this, in addition to the crate treatment and meds. He wanted to give it his best, and he put everything into his recovery, even though I know it was so hard for him too. But he wanted to, because he loves us and he knew we wanted him to try. Sadie loves you, and she is going to do her best for you too. With that being said, our pets are our family, and they know how we are feeling. I think the first few weeks for us were the hardest partially because I was so upset and worried, and Buckeye sensed that and shared in it. One of the many things I wish I had done differently is to try and stay positive and optimistic right from the get-go. (I know, easy to say that now!) Of course, the crate rest, and correct medication are paramount, but a positive mindset is also so important for you and for her. It is definitely possible for Sadie to improve! That's why this forum exists. I hope that a couple of months from now, you are sharing in the joy we are feeling right now. But the journey between now and then is not so bad. I hope you see each improvement Sadie makes as a milestone like we did, because those are really nice things to look forward to on that journey. Speaking of milestones, here is Buckeye scratching his face with the leg/paw he used to barely be able to move with when this all began. Thank you again for your kind words, Nicole, and for reading about our journey. I hope Sadie makes a strong recovery! Buckeye is sending his beagle love too.
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Jul 17, 2017 17:46:31 GMT -7
Another crate-free (mostly!) week for Buckeye! We are still crating him at night to be on the safe side, and he seems to be just fine with that. Sometimes he acts a little put out but still doesn't seem to mind being in the crate at night.
He continues to improve each day, and although we know IVDD is a lifelong disease, Buckeye has made a huge recovery! It is nerve-wracking at times because he likes to break into a beagle gallop and zoom around when he gets excited, but I have reread the 'living with the fear of IVDD" post so many times, and I try to always keep that in mind. While I definitely try to do my best to keep him safe, I can't express how joyful it makes me feel to see him back to his normal self, enjoying life.
I can't say enough how much I appreciate finding this forum and getting the help we really needed to when Buckeye needed it the most. A thousand thank yous to all of the helpful folks on this forum for guiding and supporting us. You all helped us stay encouraged when we were losing hope.
I wanted to take a moment to just send some warm wishes and hope to anyone who is experiencing an IVDD episode, dealing with treatment, or even just experiencing the recovery stages. We had been told there was little chance of a good outcome for Buckeye, and we were prepared for the worst. Instead, we are now thankful every day to be able to see Buckeye living a happy and fulfilling life.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,493
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 18, 2017 8:46:09 GMT -7
Carolyn, thanks for the good news update. It is heartwarming to see them back to enjoying life. Give yourself a pat on the back for learning about IVDD so you could make sure he had every chance at a good recovery! We wish a self educated IVDD owner for each of the dogs who come to this Forum.
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Post by Brenda & Shooter on Aug 28, 2017 19:40:37 GMT -7
HI Carolyn,
I had to check back in to see how you and Buckeye are doing - as Shooter & I were on a similar journey back in May. I am SO glad to see all is well and that Buckeye has had a successful recovery!
Cheers to our happy & healthy k9 kids!
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Aug 30, 2017 16:11:35 GMT -7
Brenda, thank you so much for checking in! I am SO happy to hear about Shooter's improvement! Buckeye is doing great! We have had a busy end to our summer, so I haven't been able to check in as much, but he is basically almost back to normal! It's really amazing to see. I am so incredibly greatful for finding this forum!
We can still see a slight weakness in his back legs at times, but it's really minor and it doesn't slow him down at all. In fact, that's how we even notice it-he loves to run around like a puppy and you can just kind of see it when he makes an abrupt turn, he just has to make a bit of a correction for balance, but he has actually adjusted to it really well. We still crate him at night to be on the safe side, but he goes right in with no trouble.
Congratulations on Shooter's recovery! I hope you both have many happy, healthy years together! 😊😊❤️❤️
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Dec 20, 2018 23:21:47 GMT -7
It has been a long while since we have posted, but with the holidays approaching I was thinking of this forum, and I wanted to check in with a quick update on Buckeye. Buckeye is still doing GREAT. It’s been a year and a half now since his IVDD diagnosis and conservative/crate rest treatment. If you saw him today you would have no idea he had never been through a time where he could barely walk, when we were concerned about him even surviving. I am thankful every day for finding this forum, and for finding the support and guidance I really needed when we were navigating such a difficult time full of so much uncertainty.
For anyone who is wondering if life can ever be back to ‘normal’ after IVDD-to be fair, we have a new ‘normal’ as we are just generally much more cautious after learning how to keep Buckeye safe from a relapse but my answer is a resounding YES. IVDD is a diagnosis, not a life sentence. You and your dog Can adjust and have a happy and fulfilling life. Buckeye is a teenage dog and he still runs and plays like a puppy. Thanks again for everything Dodgerslist. Happy holidays. ❤️
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,493
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Post by PaulaM on Dec 21, 2018 11:10:54 GMT -7
Carolyn, we absolutely LOVE updates. So wonderful to hear 1.5 years after conservative treatment, Buckeye continues running and just plain enjoying life!
Thank you for giving inspiration to those just starting the scary IVDD journey.
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Dec 22, 2018 2:00:05 GMT -7
Thank you so much Paula! Truly, for everything. Happy Holidays! Love, Carolyn and Buckeye
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Sept 17, 2019 9:18:52 GMT -7
Over 2 years later, und Buckeye is still doing great overall! However, unrelated to his IVDD, this year he went through some dental surgery and was also diagnosed with congestive heart failure, which was very worrisome. The good news is, he has responded really well to the heart medicine they prescribed, and a benefit of all of those processes were that he had multiple system blood panels and scans, and even at his age (14) with his health history and conditions, the vet was very pleased with all of his labs. She said dogs half his age sometimes don’t look as good on labs as he did. This news made me very grateful for all that I learned here, especially with all the medicines he had been on before during his IVDD episode, and how we were able to navigate his pain management while still protecting his body and organs, thanks to Dodgerslist. Thanks again to everyone here. ❤️❤️
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,493
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Post by PaulaM on Sept 17, 2019 19:20:20 GMT -7
Thanks, Carolyn, for your Buckeye update. May he have many happy years ahead with you with the aid of his heart meds!
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Sept 19, 2019 12:02:22 GMT -7
Thanks Paula! ❤️ We feel lucky to have him with us each and every day. I never would have thought, back to when he couldn’t walk and was in so much pain, that we would get another 2+ happy, healthy years with him. His transformation has been incredible. Each day is truly a gift.
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Post by Carolyn & Buckeye on Jan 17, 2021 21:43:09 GMT -7
This update is a sad one, but I do want to let anyone who had ever read or followed our posts about Buckeye. Our beloved boy crossed the rainbow bridge in October this year, due to heart disease and cancer that were likely age related. He was 15.5. We were so grateful for his 3+ bonus years (as we lovingly called them!) and although his passing was very sad, we were overwhelmingly grateful for all the extra time we got with him, and particularly grateful for finding this forum to give him a second chance at a renewed life. After he went from essentially being paralyzed with a poor outcome predicted by his vet, he healed extremely well in his conservative crate treatment to live out a very full and happy, and healthful life for over 3 years after his traumatic incident. He had most of his full motion regained, and was able to walk normally and even run and play. For anyone who is questioning the difficulty of an IVDD prognosis, or the challenge of conservative treatment, please read our story as a story of success. Lots of love to this forum and everyone in it. I have learned so much, and I share this resource with others every chance I get. Thank you for giving Buckeye a second chance at life. ❤️❤️❤️
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,722
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Post by Marjorie on Jan 18, 2021 7:44:09 GMT -7
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss, Carolyn. My sincerest condolences. Buckeye was blessed to have such a loving home and lived a full, happy, long life. Prayers for you as you grieve. And thank you for the encouraging words to others on their IVDD journey.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,493
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Post by PaulaM on Jan 18, 2021 11:10:40 GMT -7
Carolyn, it is painful to me to hear to that heart and cancer took Buckeye. I'm so glad to hear the 3+ bonus years after conservative treatment were happy, healthy and joyous ones! Buckeye and your dedicated care are certainly an inspiration to other moms and dads just starting on the IVDD journey. Thank you for continuing to help us spread the word about Dodgerslist. Need any wallet cards or brochures to hand out? Please do tell Linda to send you some. dodgerslist.com/free-literature-2 Buckeye is certainly over your shoulder in spirit as you tell his story and help folks and hopefully that vet too... to learn there is good hope in the cards with a disc episode. Sincere condolences and warm ((hugs)) to you.
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