Janell, welcome to the Forum, we are 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!
Many vets know IVDD and some are new to it. You really can play an instrumental role in working with the vet you have hired when you bring the best command of this disease to the table. Check out the Dodgerslist website
www.dodgerslist.com in the next week or so. Meanwhile do follow the links we point you to for the "now."
RECOVERY SUITE
Have you gotten Flash's recovery suite all set up for easiest managing his care needs? Crate rest is not your dog in a cage. It’s a “recovery suite” with room service! Great tips and ideas to make the next 8 weeks of 100% very STRICT rest go smoothly. Good reading here:
dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/PAIN:
Where is the disc in the neck or the back?
Please let us know you are not currently seeing any of these signs:
◻︎ shivering-trembling ◻︎ yelping when picked up or moved
◻︎ slow to move ◻︎ tight tense tummy
◻︎ arched back, ears pinned back ◻︎ head held high or nose to the ground.
◻︎ restless, can't find a comfortable position
◻︎ slow or reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions
◻︎ looks up with just eyes and does not move head and neck easily.
◻︎ not eating due to painful chewing or in too much overall pain
◻︎ holds front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
◻︎ not their normal perky selves , ✔️ FLASH: depressed acting
If your are seeing pain, advocate via phone asap tonight or 1st thing in the am that any of the pain meds be given 3x/day (every 8 hours). Often it can take a 3-way combo which addresses each source of pain to provide full relief. It make take in the range of 7-30 days before Pred can full rid the body of all the painful swelling.—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. Look for your dog to be acting their normal, perky self when pain is fully under control round the clock.
MEDS IN CLINIC
Please give the name of each med given during the 2-day clinic stay.
PREDNISONE, an anti-inflammatory drug
Learn what your job is starting Thurs 10/15 and why not to be disheartened should pain resurface with so far a likely total of 5 days on an anti-inflammatory by the end of 10/14.
CURRENT NEURO STATUS
Can Flash wobbly walk now?
Do his paws knuckle under?
Can he move himself up into a stand position?
Does he have bladder control proved by the ability to sniff an old pee spot in the grass and then decide to mark or release urine there?
Or does he leak on you when lifted due to loss of bladder control? Loss of bladder control means the vet gave you a hands-on-top-of-your-hands type of expressing lesson. Read and view the video at this page to perfect this new skill:
dodgerslist.com/2020/05/05/bladder-bowel-care/ PEPCID AC (famotidine) an acid suppressor for duration of Prednisone
Dogs don't speak up at first signs of stomach damage like a person would. By the time we notice black or red blood in the stools, things can quickly go from bleeding ulcers to a life threatening perforated stomach.
Proactive vets don’t wait til there are red flag signs of: 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.
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).
Let us know when you have 10mgs Pepcid AC (famotidine) on board every 12 hours.
HEALTH ISSUES: Mar Vista Vet reports: "Pepcid AC has a very limited potential for side effects, the reason of release to over-the-counter status. The dose of famotidine may require reduction in patients with liver or kidney disease as these diseases tend to prolong drug activities. There have been some reports of exacerbating heart rhythm problems in patients who already have heart rhythm problems so it may be prudent to choose another means of stomach acid control in heart patients.”
marvistavet.com/famotidine.pml Sign up for email alerts when anyone has replied on Flash's thread.
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