Tonie's Bosco 3/7 conservative

Tonie, without full info we can't advise you properly. You will have to decide if you have an emergency that needs attention now (today) at ER.
--- If a dog when lifted leaks on you, that dog has lost bladder control. The leaking would be an overflowing bladder that needs to be manually expressed TODAY. You need a lesson on this. Read before going to get more out of the hands-on-top of your hands type of expressing lesson.
--- Bladders not being expressed when they should, means bacteria can infect the urine  to become a urinary tract infection (UTI) in a matter of days.  A bad thing that needs addressing with a vet asap. Again you have not used dates so we do not know how long he has been leaking in his bed due to loss of bladder control OR if simply you are not taking him out to pee if he has bladder control...confusing to us.
--- if you are not taking Bosco outdoors to pee every 2-3 hours while on pred, he has no option then to pee on his own in his crate. No dog wants to pee where they sleep, unless there is something wrong (you are not taking him out to pee or he has lost bladder control).
-- Proof of bladder control is to carry your dog out doors. Set him on an old pee spot. See if he sniffs, circles and the makes a decision with his brain to send a message down to the bladder to release urine. That is bladder control.
-- If you can't lift can carry him due to pain, that is another reason to get to ER today. You can't care for a dog in pain properly. Pain is not fair to Bosco when the actual right combo of pain meds could be on board, but are not.  Again we are in the dark without specific details.

QUESTIONS. 
1) list all meds with exact names, the dose in mgs and how often you give each med.
   Additional about the steroid. What day did you start it. For how many days before it begins to be lowered in dose and/or frequency.
2) What date did you go to vet?
3) Is he in pain? Tell what you observe.
◻︎ not their normal perky selves  
     Advocate that any of the pain meds be given 3x/day (every 8 hours) if they are not at 3x/day now if he is displaying signs of pain..
—Methocarbamol works on the pain of muscle spasms.
— Tramadol is the general pain reliever.
— Gabapentin works on nerve pain.
There should be no sign of pain from one dose of meds to the next. Have no patience with pain as it does hinder healing. One can't properly care for a dog in pain. Look for your dog to be acting their normal, perky self when pain is fully under control round the clock.

Tonie, very good to hear there are no signs of pain.

The key in preventing further maybe permanent neuro loss is getting swelling down in the spinal cord soonest possible.

Prednisone is used in medicine for replacement doses for dog who can't make their own steroid hormone to run the body. Then there is the anti-inflammatory dose which is higher that work on inflammation.
      The vet Rx'd the tapering dose, which does not work on swelling/inflammation as it is too low (unless there is a medical reason the vet has to keep pred low and hope for the best) Do you know of any medical reason stated by the vet?
       The taper dose is used with a disc episode to test for pain existence and the need to resume up at an anti-inflammatory level. Normally a pred course (anti-inflammatory level) is for 7-14 days. THEN a test for pain taper is tried.
       Owner education is all important in protecting their dog, speaking up on their behalf, and asking the right questions to fully understand the treatment. Please do click this link to know how prednisone is used in its anti-inflammatory capabality when dosed at the anti-inflammatory level: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsweling.htm

POTTY TIME
There is no way Bosco either peeing in his bed with direction of his brain or dangerous reflex overflowing his bladder is a good thing. Both are bad.
    If he is not in pain, then what keeps you from carrying him to and from the potty place so he can pee outdoors about every  2-3 or 3-4 hrs while on prednisone.
---The goal is you take him out often enough to pee so that his bed stays dry.  
-- Avoid Bosco having to pee in his own bed and suffer anxiety and possibly urine scald burns with the concern of developing a staph infection.
-- Reflexes releasing urine by overflowing can release a large amount...it is just that reflexes can't void all the urine as a brain directed message to the bladder to go ahead and pee would.

     Carry your dog to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very, very few limited footsteps to take care of business.
     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!

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Let us know you are on the same page about crate rest.
STRICT rest means:
- no laps              - no couches
- no baths             - no sleeping with you
- no chiro therapy  - no dragging back legs at potty times.

     The centerpiece of "DISC disease" treatment is the healing of the disc via limited movement of the back via a recovery suite. Crate rest is not your dog in a cage. It's a "recovery suite" with room service!
     100% STRICT crate rest 24/7 for 8 weeks provides limited movement to allow good strong disc scar tissue to form.
     Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm
     PLUS further guidance on conservative treatment on our "All Things IVDD page: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htm www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm

CLEAN UP TiPS
This tip and many other good ones comes including how to set up the mattress system from our supply list at the Main Dodgerslist web site. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies.htm

Use unscented baby wipes for quick clean up on your doxie. Marjorie's tip: boil and cool decaf green tea to dampen a washcloth. It is mild with acidifying, antibacterial properties to neutralize urine on skin and fur to avoid rashes from urine scald + leaves a clean earthy fragrance.


White vinegar in a spray bottle to disinfect and remove the urine ammonia smell from floors, etc. Best is to have two spray bottles, one filled with plain white vinegar the other filled with peroxide . A spritz of each on urine and poop disinfects and completely removes the odor... good on linens, floors and other hard surface. Pre test for color fastness on important fabrics. reference:  articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/21/vinegar.aspx