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Post by Jules M on Aug 23, 2021 21:54:21 GMT -7
Hi,
My dog Wally, is an 8 year old beagle Aussie mix and weighs 32 pounds. He likey herniated a disc on 7/25. No MRI, but had an x-ray.
He was on light crate rest week 1 (was not actually recommended to us) and very strict crate rest weeks 2,3 and 4.
He takes:
56 mg Rovera 1x day
750 mg methocarbamol every 8-12hrs
100mg trazodone every 12 hrs
200mg gabapentin every 8-12 hrs
30mg codeine every 8-12 hrs
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit ]
32 lbs 8 y.o. Beagle/Aussie mix
True crate rest started only Tues 8/24?
Rovera (carprofen) as of 7/25: 56mgs 1x/day
methocarbamol 750 mgs which actually every 8 or 12 hrs?
gabapentin 200 mgs which actually 8 or 12 hours
codeine 30 mgs which every 8 or 12 hrs
traZODone 100 mgs 2x/day
needs GI tract protector, Pepcid AC, on board w/Rovera! ]
His only sign/symptom is pain and hunching his back. Full control of bladder and bowels, able to walk normally. Good proprioception.
His recovery has been bumpy. Despite being on strict crate rest for 3 weeks, he still has flare ups of a lot of pain. He will then be fine for 4-5 days and then another flare up comes and high pain returns, despite pain meds. General vet says he has maxed out oral pain meds.
Has a neurologist visit in about a month.
Would love some advice. This has happened to 2 of my other dogs in the past but their recovery progressed much faster and wasn't as up and down.
-Jules
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,528
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Post by PaulaM on Aug 23, 2021 22:38:08 GMT -7
Jules, welcome to the Forum. It takes the herniated disc 8 weeks to heal and form good scar tissue. That healing only happens with STRICT rest of being inside a recovery suite. Only time out is for potty, when you carry Wally to and from the potty area. And then Wally is permitted ONLY a very, very few footsteps to take care of business. dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Potty-leash-harness400-19kb.jpg **Please confirm that we're on the same page as to what true conservative care is. ◼︎No laps ◼︎no couches ◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you ◼︎No chiro therapy whys: dodgerslist.com/2020/04/22/chiropractic/
◼︎No meandering at potty times. ◼︎No PT for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc ◼︎ Transports are always a risk to the disc of too much movement. Vet visits must be weighed risk vs. benefit for dogs with no to little neuro diminishment. ◼︎ Avoid dangerous detours. Follow the "Roadmap." Tape it to your fridge. D/L and print out: dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Roadmap-for-Fridge.pdf ▶︎ Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite, the mattress and more! dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process1) Has Rovera, been given daily 56mgs 1x/day since 7/25?
2) Was there a Rovera stop to determine if all pain was gone (what date?)3) For each pain med, which frequency have you actually been giving? Has it been either promptly every 8 hrs or promptly every 12 hrs? Until there is a Rovera test STOP pain meds should be promptly every 8 hrs. At some point if indicated, is a surgery a consideration for your family?Thank you in advance for registering. It helps us help your dog best. |
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Post by Jules M on Aug 24, 2021 7:59:12 GMT -7
Strict crate rest began 7/31
Gabapentin and methocarbamol are given every 8 hrs on painful days and every 12 hours on days he is feeling better. As I said, he will usually have a few days where he is feeling better and there are no signs of pain but these are always followed by a couple days where pain sharply increases.
We have not trialed decreasing Rovera as he is still painful with the Rovera as it is.
Surgery potentially an option. Our GP vet said mri in our area runs about $4000. We're hoping this isn't the case.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,528
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Post by PaulaM on Aug 24, 2021 8:21:53 GMT -7
Moderator Paula is reading your post and preparing a reply. Thank you for your patience. Please refresh your browser to see new replies. EMAIL ALERTS when you register Timely communications are needed when helping your dog. How set up a bookmark for your dog's thread for email alerts when you have received a reply: dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/7353/register-bookmark-dogs-post-thread |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,528
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Post by PaulaM on Aug 24, 2021 9:16:19 GMT -7
Jules, if you could register that would be very helpful. With true conservative treatment starting on Aug 7 of very STRICT rest, it can take 7-30 days for all the painful swelling to be eliminated by Rovera. In the mean time pain meds (methocarbamol, gabapentin, codeine) would not go up and down but remain in place promptly every 8 hrs. At the point the vet guesses all pain might be gone, then Rovera is stopped and all pain meds either full stopped too or backed down (vet's choice to make). In a way you HAVE been doing many TESTs for pain, by lowering pain meds to every 12 hours every 4-5 days and then seeing existing pain exposed. The normal way pain is tested for is the vet calls for a 7-day or a 14-day Rovera course. Pain meds stay at 3x/day for the duration of the Rovera course. At the end of the Rovera course, then pain meds are backed off or full stopped. Could you try 14-days Rovera with prompt every 8 hr pain meds? If pain still exists, see if you can move up Neuro consult sooner to see if something else is going on or if Neuro recommends surgery. What state do you live in? If near a bordering state, surgery/MRI can be of different price than in some high taxed states. Locate board certified neuros or ortho specialists here: find.vetspecialists.comJust to be clear is your STRICT rest started on 8/7 the same as what we mean?-- Eats in recovery suite with bowls attached at head height? -- Are you able to carry with safety your 32 lbs Wally outside to the potty area? If not we have ideas for you. -- Is the potty area limited to only a very few footsteps that either an ex-pen setup in the grass allows or that you have him on a 6 foot leash with harness. You stand in one spot and the 6 foot leash limits his area to take footsteps in. The goal with conservative treatment is the damaged disc compressing the spinal cord will shrink back or be absorbed by the body with time. Rovera works on painful swelling and pain meds provide full comfort from pain round the clock. STRICT limit on movement allows the disc to heal by forming strong scar tissue.
The goal of surgery is to remove any offending disc pieces compressing the cord to end the painful cord swelling. |
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