Elke's Jake 3/30 surgery— Nevada

[Elke's Jake 3/26 conservative]

Jake: 13 year old dachshund, weight 19 pounds

March 26--In the evening, Jake stumbled and then starting limping on back legs. I immediately put him in his crate. Within an hour, he couldn't stand or walk. His back legs appeared to be paralyzed. He showed no signed of pain. His stomach appeared bloated.
March 27--Took Jake to vet appt. Vet not convinced his IVDD is the cause of him not being able to use his back legs (I disagree) but thinks maybe just because he is old. Vet verified Jake cannot use his back legs, verified he was bloated, didn't think he was in pain, and said he showed signs of his nerves still working. Vaccinated him for DAPP, Rabies, Bordetella, and did blood and lab work. His spleen appeared to be slightly enlarged. Prescribed crate rest and meds: 5 mg of Prednisone every 12 hours, 100 mg Gabapentin every 12 hours.
March 28--Started meds including 5 mg Famotidine 15 min. prior to Prednisone. Gabapentin given 2 hours after Famotidine and Prednisone.

[Moderator's Note. Please do not edit 
19 lbs
3/26 back legs paralyzed
prednisone as of 3/28: 5mgs 2x/day for ? days, then test taper for pain/neuro
gabapentin 100mgs 2x/day
famotidine 5mgs 2x/day]

Jake is able to control his urination and release his bowels like usual on his own while I hold his rear area up--he alerts me that he needs to go or goes on command when I take him for potty breaks. He is eating and drinking well with no stomach upset. Increased thirst, urination, and panting with the steroid. The first and second day he was bloated and his weight seemed heavier than normal with a hard belly. He is still bloated but feels back to his normal weight now. Jake can wag his tail and lifts it to poop but he has no control over his back legs and cannot stand or walk. His front legs are working and support him when he sits. He doesn't show any signs of pain.

He stopped walking 3 days ago and started meds 1 day ago. He shows no sign of improvement in his legs. His condition doesn't appear to have worsened. He is comfortable and able to sleep well. He seemed confused that he couldn't walk but has adjusted to our routine of me assisting him and appears fairly content, considering. Throughout the day, there are periods where he is agitated and barks--usually when he notices that I leave the room or when my husband sits down to eat. Giving him attention usually helps to calm him.

I have my doubts about the vet's diagnosis when he said he's not convinced it is an IVDD episode but could be "and old dog thing." I will see how Jake improves and then determine if I will take him to a specialist. I have used UC Davis in the past and trust them completely for IVDD treatment. I live in Nevada now but will travel there if needed. I know there are good vets around but if he needs more treatment/care, I feel that a neurologist who specializes in nerve/spine issues and UC Davis has a department solely dedicated to neurology. Jake has never been unable to walk before. This is alarming but we are taking it one day at a time while making a backup plan (specialized treatment). I am encouraged that he can go potty on his own and can wag his tail but I don't want to miss any "fine-lines" of hin getting worse if he needs other treatment right away.

I got really worried yesterday for Jake's recovery and read the literature on your site. After reading, I decided to drive 3 hours last night to see a neurologist at UC Davis.

This being his 4th and worst episode involving paralysis and there still being a chance of saving him from permanent nerve damage and loss of deep pain sensation, I felt it was urgent to see if surgery was an option. Thank you for your website info...it spurred me to follow my gut instinct and get him to a specialist. He is a candidate for surgery and they have hope he will be mobile again. He's in surgery now and should be finished in 2 to 3 hours. They said he made the window of time to have a successful recovery with surgery.

Thank you. I will read the info to prepare me for Jake's discharge so I'll be well prepared. Surgery went well but there were some complications with a lot of bleeding. They were concerned he might bleed again the first 24 hours but he seems to be ok in that regard. They operated on one disk in the mid back which showed both new and old disk material, suggesting previous healing and a new rupture. The doc said his three previous episodes treated with crate/meds allowed him to create scar tissue each time. She thinks the scar tissue buildup eventually exacerbated the disk, and surgery was necessary.

It's been 2 days since surgery. They took him off pain meds this morning. My last update from his doc was this morning. He has not eaten, hasn't moved much, and spends most of the time sleeping. The doc said she thinks he has slight improvement in his right leg, which is the leg not showing any movement at all before. She said his recovery is "stagnant/baby steps" but hopes he will show noticeable improvement as the meds wear off. She thinks he is slow to responding to recovery due to his age of 13. I guess one thing good about him not moving much is that it has given his insides a chance to clot--they were concerned after surgery that he would start bleeding again and they would have to go back in.

I do hope he will start to show some movement and signs of improvement. He is still on a catheter which they will keep in until they feel he can go potty on his own...since he sleeps most of the time and isn't moving, they think it's best to keep it in for now. His recovery so far is so different than my Alex who was only 3 years old--major age difference. I hope his delayed recovery in the hospital is just due to his age and not a complication from surgery. Hoping to hear he's made some improvement when his doctor calls tonight. I have been receiving updates from his doctor rather than the students who are assigned to him (which is also different than when my Alex had surgery). He is still days out from being released. I am relieved he made it through surgery...one step at a time but I will be be a lot more relieved when I hear he's making some progress in recovery. "Stagnant" in recovery has me worried. 

UPDATE 4/2: Jakey is 3 days post-op. Just got his evening update! He is comfortable and spends most of his time sleeping but he is showing signs of movement in both legs and he wagged his tail! He is eating "like a champ" and isn't on an IV or pain med. Still has catheter in and not walking yet but I was super encouraged by tonight's update! 😊

I asked about the pain meds and he was on an IV with pain med but when they took him off yesterday morning, they didn't add an oral pain pill. They said he appears comfortable and not in pain.

[Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
19 lbs
3/26 back legs paralyzed
4/3 post-op back legs show movement ]

I have been busy reading up on post-op stuff and will print out the questions to bring when he's discharged. I'm super encouraged about both of his little legs moving and his tail wagging!

It's been a crazy, stressful past 24 hours. But my Jakey is back home after back surgery at UC Davis. He was discharged on 4/8. He stayed 10 days in the hospital and had a slow recovery there, attributed to his age (13). I missed him so much and am happy to have him back home again. He can't stand or walk yet but he can move his tail, both thighs, and can potty on his own, and has a healthy appetite. I think his legs show more movement than before he went in for surgery. He does not appear in pain but is anxious and needs to have his mama in sight at all times. He has a bandage on his back covering the incision--do I just leave this on? [what did surgeon say?] He's getting some thigh/leg exercise when I take him out to potty and support his back end. He's peed many times on his own since I brought him home last night. He had a huge messy and semi-runny bowel movement after I left UC David but before I got home (partly on grass with me holding him and the more oozed out later (poor little fella). I am hoping as things settle down with him being home again and back on his kibble, his bowel movements will be firmer and more regular. The doc said he had regular and well-formed poops in the hospital. I used the D.L website for reference and gave him a leg/toe massage this morning. I will do again this afternoon. He is not on any meds. He is super anxious. He doesn't do crate rest well and constantly whines and barks. He refused to sleep last night from 11 to 4:30 am but barked constantly--so I did not sleep either. I got up to take him out to pee twice during the middle of the night. I finally got up and we moved into the living room, where he kept a close eye on me but finally went to sleep while I sat in my chair and watched TV. I take him back for a recheck in several weeks. I need to figure out how to help him sleep at night so I can also sleep.

Quick add to my above paragraph. I called the vet and they prescribed a ✙medication [name? mgs/frequency] to help with what they think is crate anxiety. They do not think he is is pain but think he would benefit from medication that would help him adjust better to his crate rest which would give him a chance to rest better. They said on his last day in the hospital, he was starting to exhibit anxiety.

[Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
19 lbs
3/26 back legs paralyzed
4/3 post-op back legs show movement
✙Trazodone 25mgs 2x/day  ]

Hi! Thanks for info! We changed Jake's bandage and his incision looked clean and like it is healing well. He is on Trazodone 50 mg tablets, half a tablet every 8 hours as needed. I have been giving him 1/2 tablet in the morning and 1/2 tablet in the afternoon.

He is 2 1/2 weeks post op and is doing well I think. He continues to potty with no issues at all--he is very regular and consistent! He is sleeping 7 to 8 hours at night and takes naps during the day. He still gets antsy in his crate--I think because he is feeling good and is bored. My other two pups are watchdogs, so unfortunately they do disturb him throughout the day when they spot someone/something outside. Thankfully I am home all day and am able to provide constant care for Jake. He goes out to potty and to get fresh air numerous times a day. I use this time as a chance for PT to strengthen his legs and have him stand when we are outside. He can stand for over a minute at a time (each day for a longer period of time) and he can lift back up after a potty squat. We do PT exercises and massage during the day, using DL's exercise list and video. He doesn't really like it because he has to lay still on his side for much of it, so he tries to move around and crawl away but we have a routine and he does know the deal! He pushes back with his legs during exercises and kicks when I massage his toes on the left side. Sometimes he kicks when I massage his right foot/toes. His left side is recovering sensation faster. He gives kisses and wags his tail a lot and is happy to have me always in his sight.

I am supposed to take him back to UC Davis for his recheck 4 to 6 weeks post op. I think I will schedule this closer to 6 weeks. There is a vet in Reno (I live 40 min. away) that does formal PT which I may consider after 6 weeks. I think he is making good progress for a senior pup. I have high hopes he will walk again and am so thankful for his progress so far.

Jakey update! Tomorrow he will be 5 weeks post op. I have a message out to the place that offers PT in Reno. Jake has his post op appointment with a neurologist on May 7th at UC Davis. Jake can wobble walk briefly during potty time, then will stumble due to his back feet. His placement of his paws while standing is greatly improving. He is very interested in walking. Today when I did his home PT, he jerked his right leg and foot for the first time when I massaged his toes! This was the leg/foot that showed paralysis first and it appears to be the last to recover. I'm so happy he finally reacted to me tickling his toes! Jake lost weight in the hospital and has maintained his weight loss--so he is at ▼16 pounds now, down from 19 pounds before surgery. He is eating well, sleeping at night, and goes potty with no effort--he lowers himself to a squat and raises again. His tail has full function. He can push up briefly as he shifts in his crate with both legs now with his left leg being the stronger one. Jake is a real barker and continues to bark in his crate all day long even with his anxiety meds and being in the same room as me. We have a new routine in the evening, where I move him to a different crate and keep the door open with a bed on the outside of the opening. One of my female dogs likes to be a "gatekeeper" and lay in the outside bed, blocking him in his crate. I only keep the crate open when I am right there, so I can snag him if he decides he wants to leave his crate--although he won't try to get past his sleeping sisters! Jake seems to enjoy this evening time and will finally relax for a few hours in the evening--we are all thankful for this! I will update after his post op appointment. 

Jake had his post-op appt on May 7th. He was given the go-ahead for PT and released from crate rest.

His appt went well and they were pleased with his progress, especially since he wasn't even able to stand 10 days after surgery on his discharge date. They said he is recovering very slowly and I will see subtle progress for a few months. They feel he will probably always wobbly walk which was disappointing, however, I am grateful he can walk at all. Since his appt, he continues to make progress and has stabilized his walking quite a bit since his appt on May 7th. His back is still hunchy and his legs get tired if he's had a busy walking day (I have a huge backyard he explores when I am out with him). When I am not home, I continue to crate him for his safety. I added rails to his indoor ramps and we allow him to occasionally use the ramps when we are able to watch him but we encourage him to be a floor dog and rest in bed on the floor--his sisters used to pee on beds on the floor but so far so good which Jake is happy about! His fur has hardly grown back at all and the squared off shaving marks are still present....will he regrown his fur eventually (surgery was at the end of March)? I no longer use the sedative medication since he no longer barks since being released from crate rest. He seems very happy and is enjoying his new freedom. He enjoys being in dog beds around the house to be close to me. He sleeps, eats, and goes potty with no issues. It took me awhile to connect with a PT place (people are not great at calling back) but he's had one appt and did a variety of rehab including a water treadmill and has his second appt in a few days. At PT they thought Jake's hunchy back would eventually go back down where it is flatter as he develops more control and uses his muscles more...thoughts on this? Thank you! It has been a long past 2 months but Jake and I are both thrilled he is getting better.