Welcome to Dodgerslist, Susan. 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. Know more about us and how we team up with veterinarians:
dodgerslist.com/about-team-dodgerslist/Do you currently have Riley confined to a crate or other type of recovery suite? It's imperative to restrict the movement of his spine in order to prevent further damage. More info on conservative care below:
Yes, Pepcid AC (Famotidine) is necessary as Riley is on an anti-inflammatory. He was given an injection of Solu-Medrol at the vet's office and will start Prednisone tomorrow. Please speak to the vet about this and do get it on board.
What is the dosage in mgs of the Prednisone that will start tomorrow?If you see any sign of pain at all, do speak to the vet about adjusting the pain meds, especially with Methocarbamol being reduced tomorrow. Neck injuries are often much more painful than back injuries and can often require the use of three pain meds - Tramadol, Gabapentin and Methocarbamol - and it usually takes giving the pain meds 3x/day. Have no patience with pain as it does hinder healing. Pain needs to be completely under control with no sign of pain arising from one dose of pain meds to the next. Signs of pain to be aware of:
☐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.
Riley should have a normal appetite so it's concerning that you need to hand feed him. That could be a sign of GI distress from the injection of Solu-Medrol (or that he's still in pain). If he does not eat on his own today, please contact the vet ASAP and speak to him about not only adding Pepcid AC but also 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/sucralfate.pmlBe sure to soften hard kibble to make it easier for Riley to chew. Also raise food/water dishes so he doesn't need to bend his head.
These tips will help his neck to heal:
dodgerslist.com/2020/05/05/cervical-care-tip/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 (not 4-6) 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! —>
dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/STRICT means: ◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches ◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you ◼︎no chiro therapy whys:
dodgerslist.com/2020/04/22/chiropractic/?highlight=chiropractic◼︎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.
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 a 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!
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. Owner understanding ensures proper conservaitve treatment principals:
▶︎ 4 phases of healing, what it takes to heal each phase: dodgerslist.com/healing-the-disc/
▶︎ Roadmap for your fridge so the whole family is on board. Stay the course, avoid dangerous detours for the healing disc: dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Roadmap-for-Fridge.pdf
The guest board is a temporary Guest courtesy to get immediate help until you can register. I encourage you to register and login. That way all the features of the Forum are available to you, making it faster to reply and get an email alert about replies. It also makes is far easier for us to track your dog and give the best assistance. Illustrated what to expect during registration:
www.dodgerslist.com/forumads/RegisterFORUM/register.htmHealing prayers for Riley.
