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Post by Sarah & Beric on Feb 4, 2021 0:05:33 GMT -7
Our house is completely ivdd proofed (in that all paws on the floor at all times) but my son left a bedroom gate open and beric had jumped on and then off the bed. Since his grad in august he pretty much walks normally although there is weakness in his back legs, hard to notice if you’re not me/us. For the past few days I’ve been noticing that he’s been slightly wobblier/weaker. Can’t tell if it’s in my head and am just really paying attention to his already weak legs more than usual because of the jump.
I’m looking for a bit of insight. This past summer we really broke the bank on vet bills and meds (me and my husband haven’t been working because of Covid. We’re in Canada and completely locked down. I’ve been off work since March) and we still haven’t financially recovered so I don’t wanna rush him to the vet if I’m not sure. As you all know we live in fear and I’m hoping it’s just that getting the better of me.
He’s 7 YO, about 15 lbs.
I have tons of meds left over. Should I crate and medicate just in case?
So worried
[Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
15lbs 7y.o.
2/1 jumped
2/4 wobblier - STRICT rest 2/4?]
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Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724 
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Post by Marjorie on Feb 4, 2021 6:49:20 GMT -7
An increase in wobbliness is definitely a reason for concern and you should immediately crate Beric to protect his spine from further damage should this be a damaged disc and have him examined by a vet ASAP. A vet would be able to confirm whether Beric is having another disc episode or not. You need to have that confirmation in order to know whether Beric needs another 8 weeks of strict crate rest and to have a vet oversee the proper use of medication. Please do not give Beric any meds on your own as that would tie the vet's hands as to the use of a NSAID or steroid and the administering of any pain meds would mask the pain that a vet would need to see to make a proper diagnosis.
Conservative care should only involve the expense of a vet exam and meds (an anti-inflammatory, pain meds and a stomach protector such as Pepcid AC (or any brand that includes Famotidine as the main ingredient). An MRI or CT scan would not be necessary as that should only be done just prior to surgery and Beric is a good candidate for conservative care since his symptoms are still mild. Follow-up exams during the 8 weeks of conservative care are not necessary as vets who understand the importance of strict crate agree to taking phone updates rather than bringing the dog back into the office. Take in the meds that you now have and see if the vet will approve those again and make sure you have enough. A vet can give you prescriptions for any additional meds that might be needed and you can take that to a pharmacy if that would be less expensive for you. Here in the US, the meds that are used with IVDD can be very cheaply obtained from Walmart, Target, Kroger's pharmacies.
It's always best to take the cautious approach. Should this not be another disc problem, you might have an unnecessary vet bill, which would be unfortunate. However, if this is another disc episode, Beric needs proper treatment and care to prevent more spinal damage. You don't want to unnecessarily crate him for a full 8 weeks which would be necessary no matter how mild an episode this may be and give him unnecessary meds if he's not in fact having a disc problem.
Please keep us updated. Prayers that this isn't another disc problem.
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