Welcome, Melanie! We are glad you found us. Thank you for such full details on everything... that really helps us give better comments!
We’ve got valuable information we’ve gleaned from the vets Dodgerslist consults with and our own experiences with IVDD since 2002 to share with you!
Most dogs will need all three sources of pain to be covered. So if methocarbamol is fully keeping Zippie pain free dose to dose, when he has to move to be expressed, then that is good.
Watch for signs of pain and alert the vet to adjust pain meds should you observe:
❑ shivering, trembling ❑ Arched back
❑ yelping when picked up or moved ❑ can’t find a comfortable position
❑ reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions or slow to move
❑ tight tense tummy
❑ Not their normal perky selves?
Stomach protection is a MUST when on Prednisolone! We follow those vets who are proactive in not watiing for GI tract damage to happen before doing something. Early red flag signs are not eating, loose stool, vomit, bleeding ulcers, diarreah with black or red blood, deadly perforated stomach lining.
Ask if your dog has any health issues to prevent use of Pepcid AC (famotidine)? (doesn’t need it, we wait til there is problem…are NOT answers to your question!) If you get a “no health issues” answer, then go to the grocery store to purchase over the counter Pepcid AC containing one single active ingredient (famotidine).
Pepcid AC (famotidine) every 12 hours. 0.44mg per pound, 30 mins before pred and thereafter every 12 hours for as long as your dog is on pred.
www.1800petmeds.com/Famotidine-prod11171.htmlCRATE rest is to protect the disc and prevent permanent leg function loss! It needs to be implemented now, today! The hallmark component of conservative treatment is the very STRICT crate rest part (no PT, little movement). With little blood supply discs are much slower to form good scar tissue than it takes a blood rich broken bone to heal. Those weeks of a cast for a broken arm to heal is similar to the recovery suite being a kind of cast for the disc. 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 for 8 weeks provides limited movement to allow good strong scar tissue to form.
Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite, the mattress and more! —>
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htmSTRICT means:
◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches
◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you
◼︎no chiro therapy "whys":
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/chiropractic.htm◼︎no dragging at expressing times.
◼︎no PT for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc
◼︎laser or acupuncture for severe neuro damage is best at home via a mobile vet. Transports are always a risk to the disc of too much movement. Vet visits must be weighed risk vs. benefit for dogs with little to mild neuro diminishment.
EXPRESSINGThe goal with expressing to to avoid an overflowing bladder so that here are no leaks in bedding.
Overflowing bladders need to be expressed to avoid UTIs and damage to bladder tone. Review video and don't hesitate to get another hands-on-top-of-your-hands expressing lesson if you need it.
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm While on pred you would expect to express every 2-3 hours as you are learning to be proficient. When you learn to feel for the bladder and can express urine out til it is very flat, then you might even move up to every 3-4 hours. Once off of Pred expressing can go to every 4-6 hrs and even every 8 hours.
Knowledge is the power to fight the IVDD enemy and win!!The very best thing you can do for YOU, the caregiver, and for your dog is to go over to our Main Dodgerslist website as soon as possible. Begin absorbing the must-have overall sense of meds, care and how the treatment works. Your dog will be depending on your ability to learn.
Our IVDD Treasure Trove: view the 9 IVDD videos and then follow the buttons that apply to things at hand. Follow the rest of the buttons in the next couple of days. You will be amazed with yourself on how well IVDD educated you can become in a such a short time! Here's the link to bookmark to start your education:
www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm - PRINT OUT this link on conservative and tape to your fridge:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htm - use the printout as your roadmap to avoid dangerous detours in your dog’s care
- make notes/highlight to keep yourself on track
- follow all the links in the next days to become the IVDD savvy pet parent your dog needs.
- Use the “search box” to easily locate other topics you are interested in over at our Main
www.dodgerslist.com website:
Let us know you have Pepcid AC on board and Zippie has a recovery suite he uses 24/7 to protect his healing disc and prevent permanent nerve damage.
