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Post by amyomards on Aug 25, 2013 10:02:53 GMT -7
--What is your dog's name? My dog's name is OMAR --What breed is your dog and did you specifically get a diagnosis of IVDD? He's a chihuahua, and we got a diagnosis yesterday from the animal emergency hospital -- What was the date you saw the vet and started 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7? started today after seeing ER vet yesterday -- Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy? he trembled this AM when i tried to take him out to pee... then was doing that shrieking again until i put him back to rest in his crate area -- What are the exact names of meds currently given, their doses in mgs and frequencies? for the first 9 days, he will be on codeine and gabapentin... going down in frequency til it's just the gabapentin... -- Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you do some happy talk? no problems with walking, thank god. but he just cant move around much. i think it's in his neck.-- Do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up? not sure yet... -- Eating and drinking OK? sort of a bit, but not really... -- Poops OK - normal color no dark or bright red blood? he hasnt pooped yet, because i think it's too hard for him to walk... Read more: dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/27/1-introduce-dog#ixzz2d08Ckiek |
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Post by Nancy & Polly on Aug 25, 2013 10:59:59 GMT -7
Welcome to Dodgerslist. I'm sure there will be a moderator along shortly to help you. I'm so sorry you and your dog are going through this. You will need to read, read, read to become an advocate for your dog. There is a lot of information here that will be a big help.
I notice that your dog is on codeine and gabapentin for pain, but nothing as an antiinflammatory. Call your vet to ask for either a steroid or an NSAID to address the swelling that is causing the pain.
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Post by amyomards on Aug 25, 2013 11:06:01 GMT -7
hi: thank you!
he was previously on steroids (prednisone) for a week because he had a pistachio nut lodged in his nasal-pharynx passages, which was unfortunately misdiagnosed for ten days due to horrible vets (on cape cod) until he finally got to a place where they could do rhinoscopy.
... i am completely unsure if the two are unrelated, but I think that the whole trauma and procedure of getting the pistachio out actually triggered the ivdd episode. he probably had a mild case before but that pushed it over the edge.
however i feel very confident in the vets where i took him so i dont want to ask about more meds. he will be in medical boarding facility from tues on for two weeks, because i have to go to europe for work (totally unavaoidable and we live alone). so... i will ask when i bring him in? meanwhile he is responding well to the codeine plus gabapentin.
thanks!!!
amy
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,589
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Post by PaulaM on Aug 25, 2013 11:52:44 GMT -7
If he is currently shrieking, tight tummy then he IS in a good deal of pain. That means his pain meds are not yet right. Pain meds can only be properly adjusted when owners give feedback. Otherwise the vet will think what they have prescribed is doing the trick. With a disc episode pain control is a serious MUST. Pain meds for a neck disc really need to be aggressive as this is a hard to heal area and quite painful with the neck moving all the time. Call ER and strongly advocate for getting pain help for Omar. Look to the LEFT for the tab on meds. Tramadol & Gabapentin as they work synergistically together plus methocarmabol are normally the go to meds right off the bat. There is no cookie cutter pain relief…it takes trying combination and owner feedback for the vet to know what is working. What is the current dose in mg's and the frequency you give the meds now. Is the codeine mixed with another active ingredient drug in the bottle? Pain meds will do nothing at all to bring down the swelling in the spinal cord. It is anti-inflammatories that do that. Be aware of the washout period of 4-7 days when wanting to change to a NSAID from a steroid. Again do look at all the information in the "MED" tab on the left of this window. Can you be specific on what you mean by he is responding well to codiene plus gabapentin. So you are now saying he is no longer in pain? You don't observe any shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy, holding leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight? No pain signs nearing his next dose of meds nor after being moved? Often it takes being at the anti-inflamamtory dose of prednisone (5mg 2x/day) for 1-2 weeks or even for some dogs more like a month before all the swelling is gone. On the taper the dose is lowered to less than the anti-flammatory dose and that is the time to assess just how well reduction of swelling is going by observing for pain. If this is a neck issue, please check out this information on extra things you can do to help with a cervical disc problem: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cervical.htm |
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Post by amyomards on Aug 25, 2013 15:14:59 GMT -7
thanks for all this helpful info!!!
he is NOT in pain now, 99%of the time. there was one brief episode of the shrieking sound this am for a moment when i moved him very gently, but for the rest of the day not at all, in fact looking good, wanting to be petted, and even tail wagging gently at times.
We spent all day yesterday at the hospital, and he was on pain meds and a bit of light sedation, and neither when we went home last night nor all day today with the exception of that one episode this AM, he was quiet and peaceful looking. he even looked interested in chasing a fly or nibbling on an old sock today. he IS confused by being caged, and hates not sleeping in my bed as usual, but he seems doped up and also it's just something he has to adjust to.
he's currently taking 2x/100 mg gabapentine per day for 14 days
and
HALF a 15mg tab of codeine sulfate 4x a day at first, then it goes down to 3x, then 2x, for a nine day period.
Like i said, i do trust them, and as he is not acting mostly in any pain at all, i do not want to ask for more drugs. But of course if he still acts in pain i will most def ask about the anti-inflammatory drugs.
thank you!
he is going to a medical boarding facility in a day or two.
i'm not sure which one yet.
xx
amy
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Post by Pauliana on Aug 25, 2013 18:46:50 GMT -7
Amy, In order for Omar to heal he HAS to have an anti inflammatory. Asking the Vet for what he needs to have is important. You can trust your Vet but it's also important to advocate for your dog. He depends on you for that.. HE trusts you.. He can't even begin to heal without it..Codeine and Gabapentin mask the pain and that is fine but in order for him to heal the swelling has to be addressed. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsweling.htmPrayers for Omar.. |
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Post by amyomards on Nov 27, 2013 20:51:46 GMT -7
Hi everyone,
I have a question about meds, and i wonder if other people have experienced this.
My dog was diagnosed w/ IVDD in August. He had 8 weeks of cage rest largely at an animal hospital, and he's now home and takes gabapentine and prednisone daily.
(Surgery is out, they say-- the vets I've been talking to say that he's not a good candidate for surgery. So it's about keeping him as relatively pain-free as possible thru lifestyle changes and meds.)
The idea was to try tapering him down from the pred over time. Things seemed sort of OK til he was tapered down to a quarter tab of prednisone every other day; then it just seemed like he went back into reluctance to walk, and pain. So I went back up to giving him half a tab EOD. I noticed that if I skip one day he seems to feel terrible. So I"m very strict about every other day. I just wondered if it was possible that he was getting accustomed to the pred, and it wouldnt work as well over time or something?
I'd love to know from other people about meds and how well it can go to be on them permanently.
If surgery is not an option for him, I guess he will have to live on meds. Can I ask you guys about your experiences with this?
It was really helpful to get your input before he went to the cage rest: you guys told me that he HAD to have steroids, and you were absolutely right.
?
thanks so much.
Amy
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Post by Pauliana on Nov 27, 2013 22:11:58 GMT -7
Hi Amy,
Usually Prednisone is given only until the swelling has gone down.. That can take from two weeks to a month in some dogs.. A taper is started when the Vet feels the swelling might be gone.. The pain meds are backed off at the same time, so you can see if pain returns.. If it returns, then that means the swelling is not gone and Prednisone needs to be continued right away and a taper is tried again a bit later.. If there is no pain after the taper that means all medications can be stopped. Rule of thumb is Pain=swelling= means more time on Prednisone needed.
Because of side effects it is better to only use Prednisone only as long as it is needed..Most dogs with IVDD don't stay on their medications for life.. Only during an disc episode and only until the swelling is gone..
If your dog (name?) is still in pain, that means the swelling still hasn't gone down after all this time. Perhaps a different steroid would be more effective at getting the swelling down.. I would discuss this with his Vet. Also a dog that is still on steroids and Gabapentin should still be crated. Especially since he is still in pain. His disc has not healed enough to be off crate rest or the meds.. Dogs on medications will think they are better and get overactive and hurt their healing disc..
Crate rest can be done at home, dogs heal better when they are in familiar surroundings with their family.
Getting the swelling down is the goal first.. Once that happens he would be pain free.
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