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Post by Jessica & Roxy on Aug 1, 2022 21:28:15 GMT -7
Hello — I’m hoping for some help with my dog Roxy. She had her first bout of IVDD last year, cervical, which resolved with crate rest. This year she had an issue with her lower back [5/24]. We were walking around the yard and her hind legs went out, she was very hunched over in her back. I gave her prednisone and gabapentin and by the time we got to the emergency vet she was able to stand/walk normally but remained hunched over for several weeks. She just got off of 8 weeks of strict crate rest [7/19] one week ago. Tonight [8/1/22] she became hunched over again and had trouble walking. Very hunched almost like if she were to go to poop and trouble moving. I gave her 5 mg prednisone and 75 mg gabapentin and right away put her back in her crate. [Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
12lbs? 12 y.o.
5/24/22 back disc episode; Grad 7/19
8/1 back disc episode
prednisone as of 8/1: 5mgs ?x/day for ? days, then test taper for: _pain / _neuro
gabapentin 75mgs ?x/day
Pepcid AC (famotidine) ?mg ?x/day ]
She can stand/walk but is still very hunched [pain] over. She doesn’t seem in pain. And is resting comfortably. I am very worried about this happening so soon after she just spent so much time in crate rest and appeared healed. Do you have recommendations for what to do? It is late here so only emergency vets are open at this point.. They recommended monitoring her if she were to deteriorate to bring her in right away. But to see how the meds/crate rest help for tonight and re-evaluate with primary vet or specialist on how to move forward. Any help would be very much appreciated— I should add she is also on Pepcid — She slept through the night and didn’t move [pain] in her crate. I just put her out to go bathroom. She still looks a little stiff moving and hunched. I noticed her stiff the past few days but I thought it was because she really needs her nails cut. I wasn’t able to do them when she was on crate rest so they got very long. We were going to try to do them today but then this happened. She is still walking, going to the bathroom well. I’m having a hard time figuring out next steps. All the emergency vets in the area are limited to that service and don’t do follow up care so I can’t call them to ask questions. My primary vet is great for meds but doesn’t always recommend crate rest so I worry about following that advice. I’m hoping to contact the neurology department at the University a few hours away but they haven’t seen her in a year so I’m worried they’ll want me to bring her in and I’m afraid to move her unnecessarily. Any advice is very much appreciated! Jessica and Roxy |
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Aug 2, 2022 8:15:01 GMT -7
Jessica, I'm sorry to hear Roxy is suffering one disc episode right after another. Both times your FAST action to get prednisone on board has shown you the power of acting quickly. Identifying early neuro diminishment, acting in matter of hours, prednisone can turn the diminishment around. Once nerve damage has occurred it then can take months to self repair. Fill us in on a few details that will help us to understand and comment better: How often is the 5mg pred dose?
How often is the 75 gabapentin dose?
What is Pepcid AC dose in mgs and how often?
Does Roxy still weight 12 lbs?It sounds VERY much like Roxy IS IN pain (not moving much, hunched back). Her meds need adjusting this am asap this morning. All pain meds last for about 8 hrs. Typically takes 3 different meds to provide full relieve round the clock √ Gabapentin deals only with nerve pain. Advocate for every 8 hrs __ methocarbamol for muscle contraction pain 3x/day __ traMADol as the general analgesic 3x/day On graduation day 7/19 from the 5/24 disc episode, were you using a very gradual and slow introduction back to physical activity over a couple of months time. Something similar to the sample schedule here: dodgerslist.com/2020/06/15/back-friendly/ ? Do you recollect if maybe she had done too much activity for the just healed disc that could have caused it to re-tear? Maybe escaped from unsupervised controlled activity? If there has been a slow and gradual increase of activity and yet another back disc episode occurred, it could mean the same disc. Same disc could be one of the indicators that a surgery consult would be warranted. Do read up on the two treatments so you are informed when you talk to University MN Neuro and are able to ask good questions in deciding at this time which treatment to follow (conservative or surgery) dodgerslist.com/2020/02/10/surgery-vs-conservative/You will likely need a vet visit where the vet examines Roxy for this 8/1 disc episode. Secure her spine with rolled up blanket or towels snug up to her body. This helps to keep the spine from movement when you take a corner or come to a stop. i.postimg.cc/vmYQVvpz/Transport-CHUNK450.jpgI hope this info helps you out. Please do post and let us know what you learn from the vet who will be supervising this disc episode plus the details of her meds. |
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