Genie's Choco 8/16 Conservative

Hi Genie, I don't have much to add. Wish I did, but I am new here too. I just wanted to say hello and wish you luck and a speedy recovery for Choco.

Welcome to Dodgerslist Genie! Please let Choco know with your utmost confidence that things are going to be ok…because they will. With this disease self education is critical not just so you make sure the right things are being done for the best recovery but for your own emotions. The unknown is simply a scary place. Get ready to fight this disease now and in the future by knowing all things IVDD. There is no better place to start than on our main web page with "Overview: the essentials" and then read all you can as soon as possible. Here's the link www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm

A tight hard tummy is a sign of pain.  Since he just started Tramadol have you noticed any improvement of the tight hard tummy?  Any shivering or trembling or reluctance to move?  Monitor him for pain, if it doesn't improve, ask the Vet if you can give it 3 times a day for better pain relief and if that doesn't work ask for an increased dosage.  The important thing about pain relief is the healing aspect.  Pain is detrimental to healing. 

Genie, please don't waste your energy on guilt.. IVDD happens because it is a degenerative disease our dogs are born with.. My Tyler had his first episode at 3 years old.. IVDD symptoms begin to appear between the ages of  3 and 7.. You had no way of knowing what was going to happen in the future while you were at college.. You can do a lot now to care for Choco during his recovery and to advocate for him with his Veterinarian.. After crate rest is over, prevent stairs and jumping but keep in mind the nature of this disease, there is no way of knowing if Choco will have one episode his entire life or more..All we an do is give them the best of care..and live with this disease the best way we can.. With knowledge.

The best tool for healing short of when surgery is indicated is just what you are doing– Crate rest— 100% STRICT crate rest for 8 weeks. That means 24/7 in the crate except for potty breaks. It's lack of movement that heals. No laps, no couch, no sleeping in bed with you, no meandering, scooting or dragging around during potty times. No baths, no Chiro, no VOM. The rest of the details of doing crate rest: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies.htm
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm

Don't worry about a wheelchair yet.  A lot can happen in 8 weeks and by then you will be better able to see where the money can be best spent..A wheelchair or physical therapy. The true success with IVDD is measured by the most important goal of returning your dog to a pain free, happy and full-of-love quality of life after crate rest. Should paralysis occur, please know that dogs do not view the lack of ability to walk as a minus as humans do. Dogs adjust to what is and then get on with the business of fully enjoying all that life has to offer until nerves repair!  www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htm

REGAINING NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION has no time limit for nerves to heal. Nerve repair is individual as each injury is different and each dog’s ability to heal is different. If deep pain perception (DPP) is present, even in paralyzed legs, there is a chance your dog may be able to walk again. For those dogs who have lost DPP, do know nerve regeneration can take place and that function may return. Once deep pain perception is regained, your dog has a chance at a walking recovery. Thousands of dogs on Dodgerslist have regained functions in as little as 2 weeks, others 11 months, and still others 3 years later. IVDD is a disease of patience to allow the body to heal on its own terms. Acupuncture and Laser Therapy stimulate the cell’s metabolism that leads to the body’s natural repair abilities and can be started at any time.

So glad you are doing so well with Expressing Choco.. If he becomes difficult to express sometimes that is a sign of bladder control returning.. Maybe his enthusiasm peeing outside is a good sign..

Take care and know we are here to help..

That sounds like a low dosage of the Tramadol, Genie. Does Choco still show signs of pain, have a tight hard tummy when you pick him up like he was two days ago? If so, yes, you do need to immediately speak to the vet about Choco's signs of pain. As Pauliana said, ask your vet if you can give Choco the Tramadol three times a day and if that doesn't help, ask if the dose can be increased. Pain must be under control and if not, the pain is detrimental to healing.

You should be giving 5 mg of Pepcid AC 30 minutes before each dose of Prednisone, so that would be twice a day.

As for the acupuncture, you're already doing the best treatment for Choco - the strict crate rest. If you can afford the acupuncture, then it would be helpful. But if not, just continue with the crate rest. The main thing right now is to get his pain completely under control. Please let us know how Choco is doing pain wise.

Genie, you can get an email alert when someone responds.  The image below will show you how
11.5 pounds.
Tramadol 25mg 2x day
Prednisone 5mg 2x a day
Pepcid AC  ? mg 2x a day  (should be 5mgs of Pepcid AC 2x a day)</div>During crate rest when the body is working hard on many repair jobs is not the time for dieting. What you can do now is to avoid extra high cal treats. Instead a treat can be a piece of carrot, apple or a  frozen broth ice cube that takes a while to lick.

Try to avoid tickling his paws as jerking and pulling in can cause undo back movement.   When he is off all meds and pain free you will need to keep his joints flexible and circulation up in his muscles.  The info highlighted in PINK pertains to a paralyzed dog.  www.dodgerslist.com/literature/massagepassiveexercises.htm

Please be persistent in getting through to your vet, Genie. The Prednisone is to bring the swelling in the disc down and the Methocarbamol is for muscle spasms. The Tramadol is for pain. It sounds like he's still having muscle spasms - the jerking of his front paw. Please immediately let your vet know about the jerking of Choco's paw and the tight tummy.

The accidents that Choco is having are from his bladder overflowing. That isn't good as it can stretch out the bladder. You might want to try to express Choco inside the house, either in the bathtub on a rubber mat or on a pee pad. Sometimes dogs will get excited when they get outside and make it difficult to express them. You can try a warm towel on his belly, too, to try to get him to relax. You should talk to the vet about the difficulty you're having in expressing Choco, too.

Adorable photo of Choco! Yes, taking care of an ill dog can be very emotionally and physically exhausting. Great that his legs seem to be a bit stronger. You're doing great with him. You just need to get the vet on board about what you're seeing with the tight tummy and leg jerks.

Please let us know what the vet says after you've spoken to him.

He's a cutie pie! Marjorie is right - he is still having pain. Have you had any luck with the Vet?? Don't be afraid to be firm in your demands for relief for Choco - he'll heal better when his pain is controlled.
I hear what you are saying about feeling like a new M0m - I remember telling my Vet that it felt like caring for a newborn.
Keep us posted

I'm very glad you were able to get through to the vet, Genie, and that he increased the Tramadol. Please let us know if you still see signs of pain with the increased dosage. I hope this will resolve his pain completely. He shouldn't show any sign of pain from one dose to the next dose.

Yes, when they start feeling better, they can be very worrisome! The pain medication is masking his pain so he feels he can do anything. The main thing is to try to limit his movements as much as possible. If rubbing his belly while he's lying on his side calms him down, then by all means, rub away. If it makes him squirm more, than don't do it. Stay away from petting his back at all.

When you say his back is curved, do you mean curved to the side?  If his back is arched, that is also a sign of pain or discomfort.  As for back braces, I know the moderators here have said that there isn't enough research on them to support their use.  Plus there's the risk of causing more pain or damage to the back putting them on and off.  So that's not something you would want to do while Choco's back is healing.

Just give Grim lots and lots of hugs and kisses and try to spend time with him, too.

Hi Genie,

Yes, a call in to your vet regarding Choco, not peeing is definitely in order.  Glad to hear he seems to be in less pain but not peeing since last night is a major concern. Hope he has peed by now..