Heather's Shadow 8/12 Surgery

Shadow is a mini/tween long-haired dachshund weighing in at about 15 pounds. She is a repeat offender. About last April she injured her back and over a couple days she had slow progression from slowing down to wobbly back end to dragging her back end (she never fully lost deep pain sensation although it was quite diminished and bowel and bladder function remained intact). We had tried crate rest then but eventually decided (along with our local vet) to travel 2 hours to a more specialized vet in State College, Metzger Animal Hospital. (We have been here before for our oldest dog for other reasons.) They took the conservative route, started medications (rimadyl 25 mg -1/2tab 2x day, gabapentin 100 mg 2x day, methocabamol 500 mg -1/4 tab 3xday, and tramadol 50 mg -1/2 tab 3xday, laser therapy, and then progressed with water treadmill therapy as well. Through this she regained 100% function and returned to being herself. With that episode and her current the vet has never mentioned IVDD although i will be asking on our next visit. 

This time Shadow was chasing a rabbit in the yard, yipped, and came looking as though she hurt. We feared what might happen and put her on immediate crate rest Saturday 8/10. We called the vet and immediately started the same meds as before (listed above) through our local vet and watched the same progression that took days before happen in less than 12 hours. Early Sunday morning we ended up going to Metzger's and she was started on IV therapies as well. The vet, Dr Rider, who specializes in this and saw her the year prior saw her first thing in the morning Monday 8/12 and continued testing with a CT Myleogram which diagnoses severe cord compression at L3-L4. He said he felt this time surgery was her best option and he could guarantee pain relief but said 50/50 on if she would ever walk again. They had tried Mannitol and steroids over night with no improvement. Being a nurse quality of life is very important and pain should not be part of it. We opted for surgery and she had a hemilaminectomy that afternoon. We were on our way to Michigan from SC Penna and they kept us informed the entire time and trip. 

We then picked her up that Sunday (8/18) on our way home from Michigan. She remained paralyzed with no feeling in her back end and we had to learn to express her bladder. Her 2 hr trip home from there seemed uneventful however her first night and next day showed increase in pain. We restarted her on rimadyl (she came home on methocabamol, tramadol, and gabapentin). She began not drinking well after that and we added pepcid and flavored water (unsalted chicken broth in her water) and she has imrpoved her water intake. Her pain vastly improved within 24 hrs of restarting her rimadyl. We had trouble learning bladder expression; I learned it our first night home after several tries but my husband couldn't figure it out with his big hands on a little doggie. 

She didn't show any improvement here at home until her first therapy appointment on thursday 8/22 with laser treatment. I stopped that trip to get the chicken broth as the therapist, Meredith, and doc had suggested and a crate bowl (they make ones that screw into the side of the crate, I debated if she wasn't drinking because I was holding the bowel lol). Shadow drank a good bit on the way home and while I was tending the chickens and other two dogs after getting home she was making a lot of noise in her crate I had set in the yard (we have tried to keep the crate near us because she is always with us). I thought she was just happy to be home and was jealous lol but when I went to check her she was soaked (a lot) and the vet had told me if it was a little bit of urine in her crate it was overflow and if it was a lot it was probably her. She had a few accidents that night and the next day and we noticed when we went to express her bladder it seemed as though if we started her she finished (found that out when readjusting my hands the first night after therapy). She has since developed a more tightened abdomen and seems to squat when we hold her to pee. Her legs have shown improvement since therapy as well, she was able to lift both wanting to itch her ears but couldn't do anything with them. Since that therapy we have been doing what Meredith recommended which included light massages to her back legs and paws, warm compresses, and gentle range of motion to keep those stiff legs loose and encourage blood flow (Dr Rider did not want us doing any of the at home therapy we had done last year since we picked her up until he sees her tomorrow).

Her pain continues to be under control, she has never yelled since she has been home. The night of the laser treatment she seemed a little more uncomfortable with her squinty eyes but she has since improved. She continues on the 4 meds I have mentioned (rimadyl 25 mg -1/2tab 2x day, gabapentin 100 mg 2x day, methocabamol 500 mg -1/4 tab 3xday, and tramadol 50 mg -1/2 tab 3xday, and now pepcid 10 mg daily) and we see Meredith and Dr Rider tomorrow and I am so excited to share in her progress and hear what they have to say. Her stitched should come out tomorrow as well. She is still unable to walk but she looks different when she is dragging he legs like she is trying to get them up under her. I have only seen a little tail movement. When we pcik her up we still pick her up with a pad just in case. If we notice she has drank a lot she sometimes goes from the pressure of us picking her up. Her bowel function has improved. She has always known when she had to poop but it seems she can make it out of the crate and house now to the yard, and it is normal. She has ate fine from the beginning, drinking has only been the issue and it seems to come and go. 

She continues on crate rest and has been awarded a blanky from my daughter and we tuck her in, after all she is a doxie lol. I am thankful we decided to go with surgery and not put her down. I look forward to her laser treatment tomorrow (8/27) and the progression to come.