Welcome to Dodgerslist. My name's Marjorie - what's yours? 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/Disc disease is not a death sentence! Struggling with quality of life questions? Re-think things:
dodgerslist.com/2020/04/18/hope-quality-life/Strict crate rest (more on that below) is vitally important. Too much movement and the damaged disc can tear more or rupture, causing more pain and nerve damage, even paralysis. Think of the crate as a cast for the spine. There are ways to help Jax calm down and adjust to the crate. Here is our page with tips. Please let us know what you try and how it works.
dodgerslist.com/2020/02/24/tips-to-help-with-recovery-suite/Surgery is not the only treatment for IVDD. Conservative care does work and consists of 8 weeks of strict crate rest (carry in and out to potty with only a very few steps allowed at potty time and then carry back in) and meds. Here is more info on surgery versus conservative treatment.
SURGERY
The purpose of surgery is to take the pressure off of the spinal cord by removing the disc material causing the compression. Surgical decompression allows a normal blood supply to return to the compressed spinal cord and for neurologic recovery to begin by the body self-healing nerves.
CONSERVATIVE
Seeks to relieve swelling/compression of the spinal cord with an anti-inflammatory. Over time the hope is that disc material where it should not be will shrink back enough so that pain resolves and nerves can start to self repair.
More excellent details about the difference between conservative vs. surgery:
dodgerslist.com/2020/02/10/surgery-vs-conservative/
Please do all that you can to find a vet who is knowledgeable about IVDD today. Best would be a Board-certified neurologist. A neurologist doesn't always need to be contacted when and if surgery is an option but can also be consulted to get the right meds on board. Jax has been given pain meds but
has not been given the very important med - an anti-inflammatory (NSAID or steroid) to work on quickly getting the swelling that's pressing on the nerves of the spine down. If you can't locate a vet this morning who can see Jax on an emergency basis, then call the emergency hospital and speak to a vet there about getting Jax on an anti-inflammatory ASAP. Any vet at the hospital can pull Jax's records and prescribe/adjust meds.
It will help us work together with you and avoid offering ideas that could cause harm or lead the discussion in the wrong direction delaying help for your dog — please share a bit more detail with us:
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Is there still currently pain? ☐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.
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Once Jax starts an anti-inflammatory, he'll also need a stomach protector (a stronger protector than yogurt). Ask if Jax 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).
i.ibb.co/DCN9611/91x-Aj-s00z-L-SY355.jpgDoxie weight dogs: 5mg Pepcid AC (famotidine) every 12 hours. NOTE: Pepcid AC (famotidine) for dogs is 0.44mg per pound, 30 mins before the anti-inflammatory and thereafter every 12 hours for as long as your dog is on the anti-inflammatory.
www.1800petmeds.com/Famotidine-prod11171.html❖3
GI Tract problems? —Eating and drinking OK? No nausea/not eating, no vomit? —Poops OK? Normal firmness & color -no dark black or bright red blood indicating bleeding ulcers? No diarrhea?
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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 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/ ◼︎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.
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Can your dog specifically sniff and squat and then release urine which is bladder control – OR- do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted which are indication of an overflowing bladder and loss of bladder control?
Overflowing bladders need to be expressed to avoid UTIs. Review video then get a hands-on-top-of-your-hands expressing lesson.
dodgerslist.com/2020/05/05/bladder-bowel-care/?highlight=expressingDOGs with BLADDER CONTROL: 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!
dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Potty-leash-harness400-19kb.jpg❖6 Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you specifically do some happy talk?
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 conservative treatment principals:
▶︎ 4 phases of healing, what it takes to heal each phase:
dodgerslist.com/in-the-right-place▶︎ 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
Healing prayers for Jax. Please keep us updated today.
