Tracey & Duke
New Member
Duke's 15 year doxie companion Daisy has now passed. (May 7, 2005 - May 6, 2020) Kidney failure
Posts: 44
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Post by Tracey & Duke on Jul 13, 2019 22:15:06 GMT -7
Advice needed I am an old member from years ago with my dog Duke. Duke is doing great. My issue now is with my other dachshund Daisy. I apologize in advance is this will probably be a long explanation. Daisy is 14 years old . Sometime in May Daisy's right rear leg began to slip while standing. She is overweight at 22 lb and we are working on diet. At her first visit I was told it was arthritis and she was given galliprant. After a week her whole back end appeared to be slipping. I took her back in and he decided to treat her for ivdd. She did not appear to me to be in pain or have the same ivdd symptoms that I am familiar with, the crossed legs, wobbly walk, and she passed the flip test. We did this steroids, always with Pepcid first, Tramadol and Gabapentin for about 10 days with no improvement. In fact her front legs appeared to also be slipping now. I called and asked for an x-ray which was done and then it was diagnosed as lumbo sacral disease. Current medications are dexamethasone .5 , 1 1/2 pill every 12 hours, Tramadol 50 mg, one half tablet twice a day, Gabapentin 100mg capsule one capsule every 8 hours. After 7 days we started the taper on the steroid to 1 pill morning only. We are on day 3 of the taper. [Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
22 lbs
date of 100% strict rest?
Dex 0.5mg tab as of 7/5: 7.5mgs 2x/day, for 7 days, 7/12 taper test for pain / neuro
tramadol 25mgs 2x/day
gabapentin 100 mgs 3x/day
Pepcid AC 5mgs 2x/day]Yesterday she started refusing treats and food and I felt she was dehydrated and took her in. That did not I think she was dehydrated but gave her subcutaneous fluid and a B12 shot. During the night she woke five times and had runny stool. This morning she kept trying to go again but nothing came out. This continued throughout the day and this evening when I picked her up she had a bloody bottom. I had been trying to give her Pepcid 10 mg 1/2 pill 30 minutes prior to giving steroid but it didn't always work out since I was having trouble getting her to take the pills. Sometimes her steroid might have been two hours later. I am at a loss as to what to do to help her at this point since we won't be able to see her doctor until Monday. I don't feel we have a proper diagnosis but was told the only way to get a proper diagnosis is an MRI or CT at the cost of $1,800. If anyone could just tell me at this point what I can do to help her through this day until we can see her vet on Monday I would be so grateful. |
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Mary & Mila
Helpful Member 
FEMALE— DACHSHUND
Posts: 218 
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Post by Mary & Mila on Jul 14, 2019 5:51:28 GMT -7
hi Tracey Welcome back to dodgerslist. Good to hear Duke is well, sorry to hear about Daisy. Blood in stools:
You may need to increase the pepcid ac: Doxie weight dogs: 5mg Pepcid (famotidine) every 12 hours. NOTE: Pepcid AC (famotidine) for dogs is 0.44mg per pound, 30 mins before the anti-inflammatory and thereafter every 12 hours for as long as your dog is on the anti-inflammatory. www.1800petmeds.com/Famotidine-prod11171.html And add sucralfate. You need to speak to the vet about adding Sucralfate as a second stomach protector that works in a different way to bandaid the damaged mucus lining and also promotes a healing environment. Sucralfate will require timing with other meds…so do your homework so you can discuss things with the vet: www.marvistavet.com/html/sucralfate.htmlYou should be able to see blood in the stool if there is any. Regardless of whether there is blood or not, do get the Sucralfate on board. I think you should contact an emergency vet asap, as this is very urgent for daisy. Also Tracey one of our moderators will also pick up your post and give you good guidance too. please keep us updated. kind regards Mary |
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Tracey & Duke
New Member
Duke's 15 year doxie companion Daisy has now passed. (May 7, 2005 - May 6, 2020) Kidney failure
Posts: 44
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Post by Tracey & Duke on Jul 14, 2019 6:16:31 GMT -7
I am at the ER with her now. Will update soon.
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Tracey & Duke
New Member
Duke's 15 year doxie companion Daisy has now passed. (May 7, 2005 - May 6, 2020) Kidney failure
Posts: 44
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Post by Tracey & Duke on Jul 14, 2019 8:43:35 GMT -7
**UPDATE!
Found out several things at the ER. Daisy has a bleeding ulcer, is anemic, and dehydrated. She is down to ▼20 lbs now, losing 2 of those in 2 days! Her liver enzymes, kidney (BUN), and pancreas are all elevated. She will stay overnight, maybe two, be treated with IV fluids and antibiotics. She will also be started on ✙sucralfate and pepcid will be continued while they taper her off the steroid. Also learned that she has spondylosis rather than IVDD. Reading up on this condition states it is noninflammatory which means none of the steroids were even necessary. I'm upset. Thank you all for your time.
[Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
▼20 lbs
date of 100% strict rest?
Dex 0.5mg tab as of 7/5: 7.5mgs 2x/day, for 7 days, 7/12 taper test for pain / neuro
❓tramadol 25mgs 2x/day
❓gabapentin 100 mgs 3x/day
Pepcid AC 5mgs 2x/day
✙sucralfate ? mgs ?x/day ]
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Post by Julie & Perry on Jul 14, 2019 9:09:00 GMT -7
I'm glad poor Daisy is getting the help she needs to feel better.
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 14, 2019 9:10:07 GMT -7
Tracey, do ask more specifics on the spondylosis. Something is pressing on the spinal cord to cause neuro diminishment. What is pressing a bone spur or a damaged disc invading the spinal cord tunel...putting pressure on the nerves in the cord. How did ER explain first back legs affected then front legs 10 days later. A neck disc which can affect both back and front legs, or ....???
Has Daisey ever had a disc episode previously in her 14 years? Dogs who have a disc episode are then known to have been born with IVDD. There is of course natuaral aging processes of the body. The Rochester Specialists explain.
Glad you got to ER so quickly to provide Daisy a means to deal with her many issues. Please keep us posted and hope to hear her conditions have improved greatly.
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Mary & Mila
Helpful Member
FEMALE— DACHSHUND
Posts: 218
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Post by Mary & Mila on Jul 15, 2019 3:09:01 GMT -7
Hi Tracey
Glad that you found out what the issues are with Daisy
I hope when the meds are adjusted and suiting her she gets better
Thanks for the update
Mary
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Tracey & Duke
New Member
Duke's 15 year doxie companion Daisy has now passed. (May 7, 2005 - May 6, 2020) Kidney failure
Posts: 44
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Post by Tracey & Duke on Jul 16, 2019 21:01:27 GMT -7
Paula, Daisy's condition is just as you described. The xray shows a bone spur just under 2 discs in her lumbar region. He said they steroids refer to it as a bridge. She has never had an IVDD episode so I was skeptical of that. I'm beginning to think her progressive weakness was due to the stomach issue caused by the high dose of steroids. I didn't realize that her weight required a higher dose of pepcid and completely forgot to ask for sucralfate. She's lost over 2 lbs during this illness and I believe it will help her get around better. I know the spondylosis is probably going get worse. I am researching CBD oil and wondering if anyone here has any experience to share. Thank you all so much for all the help and support through the years. Both my dogs have been with me 14 years and that would not have been possible without this group.💜
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 17, 2019 7:00:31 GMT -7
Tracey, you can read Dodgerslist's statement about CBD oil here: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Supplements.htmWith the correct diagnosis now for Daisy, you can pursue finding an appropriate therapy to potentially give relief to her neurologically affected legs. May Daisy and Duke enjoy living and loving life for many years ahead! Thank you for your kind words about our support Forum group. |
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