Welcome to Dodgerslist. My name's Marjorie - what's yours? So glad you’ve joined us all. 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.
**Disc disease is not a death sentence! ** Struggling with quality of life questions? Re-think things:
www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htmWe don't pay attention to percentages of outcome such as the vet gave Ellie. We have seen far too many dogs surprise their vets and walk again. Conservative care is a viable treatment for IVDD and dogs can recover with it. Nerves do take time to heal, think more in terms of month, even a year, but heal they can.
You mentioned that Ellie is medication for nausea and diarrhea. That leads me to believe that she has had those symptoms. I see that she is on Pepcid AC. Sometimes Pepcid AC is not enough to counter the side effects of Prednisone.
When red flag signs of GI distress are seen (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting), Dodgerslist recommends two stomach protectors - BOTH Pepcid AC and Sucralfate. Sucralfate 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.htmlMuscle spasms can occur during an IVDD episode. Methocarbamol is the medication that works on the pain of muscle spasms. Methocarbamol works best when given three times a day (every 8 hours).
Please speak to the vet ASAP about the muscle spasms that you're seeing so the dosage of Methocarbamol can be adjusted.It will help us work together with you and avoid offering ideas that could cause harm or lead the discussion in the wrong direction delaying help for your dog — please share a bit more detail with us:
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Is there still currently pain? ☐shivering, trembling ☐yelping when picked up or moved ☐reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions or slow to move ☐tight tense tummy ☐can’t find a comfortable position ☐Arched back ☐ Holding front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight ☐head held high or nose to the ground ☐Not their normal perky selves? Full pain relief is expected in 1 hour and stays that way dose to dose.
If not in control your vet needs to know asap to adjust meds.Neuropathic pain is not common but you should be aware of it. This kind of pain is abnormal, phantom pain sensations with severe spinal cord damage. Signs are obsessive licking of paw, leg, genitals, tail. Escalates to biting, life-threatening chewing off parts. Immediately put on an e-collar (or lengthwise folded towel around neck and duct taped closed) to prevent access to lower body. Contact vet immediately for Gabapentin or stronger Lyrica (pregabalin) for neuropathic pain. More info:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/neuropathy.pdf❖2
How much does your dog weigh?…A
How often are you giving Gabapentin? Gabapentin works most efficiently when given 3x/day (every 8 hours) so it would be best to give it three times a day since the vet has OK'd that.
…B
For how many days has the Prednisone to be given before starting a tapering dose?
..C
As for the Pepcid AC, that comes in 10mg tablets. Are you giving 1/2 of a tablet which would be 5mg?
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Currently GI Tract problems? —Eating and drinking OK? No nausea/not eating, no vomit? —Poops OK? Normal firmness & color -no dark black or bright red blood indicating bleeding ulcers? No diarrhea?
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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 or meandering at potty times. ◼︎no PT for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc ◼︎At home laser or acupuncture for severe neuro damage is best. 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.
You asked if muscle spasms could be from acupuncture so I assume that Ellie is also having acupuncture treatments. Transport to a vet can be risky for a dog going through an IVDD episode. It would be best to have the acupuncture performed in your home. If that's not possible, be sure to pad Ellie's crate well with rolled up towels/blankets for the trip to the vet to prevent during too much movement of the spine during the car ride.
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Can your dog specifically sniff and squat and then release urine which is bladder control – OR- do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted which are indication of an overflowing bladder and loss of bladder control?
Overflowing bladders need to be expressed to avoid UTIs. Review video then get a hands-on-top-of-your-hands expressing lesson.
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmDOGs with BLADDER CONTROL:
Carry to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very few limited footsteps. Using a sling (long winter scarf, ace bandage, belt) will save your back and help to keep a wobbly dog’s back aligned and butt from tipping over. A harness and 6 foot leash is to control speed and keep footsteps to minimum as you stand in one spot. An ex-pen in the grass is an excellent alternative to minimizing footsteps with the physical and visual to indicate there will be no sniff festing going on!
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/slingwalk.jpg 
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Currently can your dog move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk?
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What is your name? ❖8
Is the vet a general DVM or a specialist surgeon: ACVIM neurology or ACVS ortho?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 get up to speed on IVDD soonest 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 - excellent video series here:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/theater.htm PRINT OUT this link 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 topics over at our Main
www.Dodgerslist.com website:
www.dodgerslist.com/index/searchBOX.jpgHealing prayers for Ellie. Please let us know what the vet says after speaking to them this morning about adding Sucralfate and adjusting the dosage of Methocarbamol.
