Maryanne's Siggy 2020 surgery 5wks; GRAD 2/23

MaryAnne, weclome to the Forum!

Do let us know when the expected discharge date will be. In the meantime you may find it beneficial to note questions as they come to mind.

Here's a starter list of questions to which you can add some of your concerns to ask your surgeon: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/dischargequestions.htm

This page is good reading by Dr. Isaacs, ACVIM (neurology) as he explains many post-op questions for our IVDD community: meds, crate rest, PT and discharge day. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/surgery.htm

See if there are any other things you can do to make post-op crate rest go smoother with these very useful tips and ideas: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm and www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies.htm

MaryAnne, I bet both you and Siggy are so glad he's back in the comfort of his home!  Thank you for his medication information.

When you are able, please do fill us in so we are prepared with all the facts before hand to comment should anything come up that would need quick attention.

❖1 Is there still currently any signs of pain?
☐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
☐Holding front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
☐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/surgeon needs to know asap to adjust meds.

MEDS missing info
carprofen ?mgs 2x/day for how many days?
gabapentin ?mg in one mL of liquid?: ?mgs 2x/day
trazodone ?mgs 2x/day
   
…C PEPCID AC: 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).

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



❖3 GI track 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?

Post-op crate rest is to allow the surgical sites to heal.
Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite, the mattress and more! —> www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm

STRICT for a post-op dog 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.

Post-op dogs will follow surgeon’s directives for PT during post-op rest as the offending disc material was surgically removed.
1. How many weeks did your surgeon direct for post-op rest?
2. What did your surgeon direct for at home PT?

❖5 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 bladder would 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.htm

DOGs with BLADDER CONTROL: Carry to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very few limited footsteps unless surgeon has directed some walking PT. 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!

❖6 Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk?

❖8 Is the surgeon a general DVM or a specialist surgeon: ACVIM neurology or ACVS ortho?

Look forward to learning all about Siggy with your answers!

The yelping when in the harness, may be a sign of pain, but he is not showing any other signs of pain that would help confirm this. Is it possibly an objection to the sling itself? That is something quite new to him.

I tried a few different types of slings when my dog was paralyzed. What worked best was a figure eight sling made out of two leashes. Here is info on how to make one. The bonus to this type of sling is that it doesn't interfere with urination.
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies/Figure8.jpg

Since Siggy does not have much feeling in his back end, he is not able to sense when something is too hot and move away. Please hold off on the heat.

Hi MaryAnne, every dog is different and you need to find out what works for Siggy. I used a shopping bag opened at the sides for my dog, which is basically what you have been doing with the scarf. If they are uncomfortable they wont go. AS long as you keep the back straight you should be fine.

It seems you have everything else under control. Its just about finding the magic balance about what works for him.

MaryAnne, that is really good news.

Hydrotherapy, laser and acupuncture are wonderful rehabilitation modalities. It will help him get stronger and help with his recovery.

It is also important to ask them what rehab you can do with him at home. It is very important to keep up a rehabilitation schedule to keep him strong even after he has fully recovered.

Just remember it has to be at his pace not yours. Nothing should be forced ever. If he is having a bad day and needs a break that's ok.

Please keep us updated as to what they advised and how he progresses.

Well done Siggy

Siggy wagged his tail yesterday and he's able to stand for a few minutes on his own. We begin hydrotherapy this week.

He begins with the underwater treadmill tomorrow. He's slowly gaining more feeling with a little more tail wagging, standing on his down for minutes at a time vs seconds, and he is really trying to use his back legs to walk. So I'm very hopeful that the underwater treadmill will really help him. And when not doing his home bound exercises, we are resting comfortably in our crate / playpen.

What a wonderful update on Siggy, Maryanne! So glad to hear how well he's doing.

Just to confirm, be sure to run the use of an agility set by the surgeon before starting any exercises at home.

Siggy began his hour long PT sessions today as he started PT with half hour sessions.  His therapists reported that he is doing very good so far. Personally I have noticed an improvement in his walking and strengthening of his rear right leg. He no longer walks like a drunken sailor but instead walks like John Wayne. I guess since we're in Texas, we can live with that for now. If all goes well then he should make parole from his crate / playpen on Feb 23rd and move to his normal crate at night as well as being restricted to rooms where he cannot jump on a bed nor sofa. Thankfully I have a one story home but I do have a back deck with two steps and am curious as to what others have used for an outdoor ramp that can take heat and the elements.

Haha, John Wayne! My Nala walks like a bow legged cowboy.😄

So glad Siggy is improving.

MaryAnne, wonderful to open to the wonderful direction of nerve healing Siggy is going in.

With graduation day, you will want to consider, perhaps, some furniture blockers and ramps in addition to all the excellent changes you have made to your home:   www.dodgerslist.com/literature/protectback.htm

ramps:  dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/867/ramps
** 

Glad to hear you are already on board with a the idea of gradually giving more freedom under controlled conditions  vs not free reign of the house and yard immediately. Lots of other ideas for living with an IVDD dog here:  www.dodgerslist.com/literature/AfterCrateRest.htm

Just curious if anyone else has observed that their dog post surgery constantly licking a hind foot. I noticed that Siggy continues to lick one of his hind feet with no indication of pain or anything else. I surmise it's related to the nerve endings continuing to rebuild and the fact that he may be a little OCD. as the feelings return. Thus I have put some neosporin on his foot and placed his cone on his head to keep him from licking his paw raw. Anyone else observe similar behaviors as their dog recuperated from surgery and through the healing process as the nerve endings were rebuilding themselves?

MaryAnne, good that you put a cone on.  Sometimes there are abnormal pain sensations ranging from tickly pin pricks to on fire like pain when a dog has had paralyzed legs..  This type of neuropathic pain can not be cured with gabapentin but gabapentin can help to provide relief until the body can resolve the problem.  Let us know what your vet/surgeon says in the morning.

MaryAnne, what did the regular vet prescribe gabapentin at in mgs and x/day for possible neuropathic pain?