Josh, glad to hear the anti-inflammatory carprofen is on board so it can start work on getting rid of painful swelling around the spinal cord.
Just a few things to let you know about:
STOMACH PROTECTION.
Take no chances with the extra acids carprofen can cause. Phone your vet tomorrow.
Proactive vets don’t wait til there is lip licking of nausea, not eating, vomit, diarrhea leading to serious bleeding ulcers, red or black blood in stool due to the extra stomach acids anti-inflammatory drugs cause.
The usual dose of Pepcid AC (famotidine) with a disc episode is 0.44mg mg per pound every 12 hours. Pepcid AC has a very limited potential for side effects.
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).
CARPROFEN WITH DISC EPISODES
Good question, indeed, to want to know when he is better. There are 4 phases of healing. You can read about the other three here:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsweling.htm There is a way to know when the swelling/inflamamtion is better, in fact if it is all really gone which is the goal. With short vet visits or time to talk, a vet really does not get into the details YOU REALLY NEED to know. This article will get you up to speed, so it is highy recommended to read it now:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsweling.htmEMERGENCY RECOVERY SUITE TRAINING
Be aware you might be inadvertently training for unwanted behavior. To dogs rewards are: food, looking at them, talking to them, eye contact, approaching the crate, petting. So anytime you see unwanted behavior try speaking in your dog's language so he understands to calm down. Turn your body sideways, avoid eye contact until he calms and settles down. Preferable is to start teaching what you do want before there is too much practice in doing the unwanted behavior. Anytime your dog is sitting or lying down quietly, give a reward of a calm loving "good sit/lie." Soon your dog will see they get rewards by quietly sitting, etc.
How to teach GREET with CALM. Of course all teaching will be with done in the recovery suite and with little movement as possible.
Using any oral calmer in combination with a Pheromone diffuser seems to work best. It takes several days for these to start working - it isn't immediate but they are a much better option if you can avoid heavy duty prescription sedatives (ACE, alprazolam or trazodone). Of course always keep your vet in the loop on all things you give your dog.
Place a DAP pheromone diffusor at floor level where the recovery suite is:
Use diffusor with one oral calmer from below:
Oral calmers:
2) Composure Soft Chews are colostrum based like calming mother's milk and contain 21 mg of L-Theanine.
~ how much does Bailey weigh?
~ For how many days is he to take Carprofen
~ At the stop of carprofen, which does your vet prefer during the test for pain:
1) full stop of pain masking gabapentin OR....
2) to back off gabapentin.
~ Let us know when Pepcid AC is on board, the dose in mgs you are giving 2x/day
~ Are all signs of pain fully in control round the clock (night and day) and especially when he must move at potty time or reposition in the recovery suite? IF not advocate for the more usual of gabapentin at 3x/day and adding in the other two types of pain meds. Tramadol as the overall analgesic. Methocarbamol for pain from muscle contractions. Both at 3x/day.
~ Please do stop by. We are hoping to hear your vet's Rx's allow Bailey to heal in comfort from pain.
