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Post by Mike & Buddy on Oct 13, 2022 19:48:00 GMT -7
[Mike's Buddy 9/15 surgery5wks; GRAD 10/25] Hi, Unfortunately, Buddy had a second (and possibly third) IVDD episode. I wanted to post the details earlier, but with everything going on things moved faster than we could catch on. I am breaking down things into two parts. Name: Buddy ( 11.2 lbs). He had been completely normal (no sign of pain) after recovering from the last surgery on April, 2021. We don't allow him to climb furnitures/stairs/ jump on us. Occasionally he runs inside the house with zoomies, but we have tried to limit that as well sometimes. Breed: mixed mini poodle/DachshundDate of first noticing pain: 9/11/2022 night. I noticed his energy level was unusually low and he was walking weird. He cried out in pain when i started gently pressing around his abdomen. Date of starting crate rest: 9/12/2022 (his regular vet suggested conservative care since he was still mobile). Date of buddy becoming paraplegic: 9/15/2022 Date of surgery: 09/15/2022 Vet: Neurosurgeon, Brightcare veterinary care (San Diego). Diagnosis: Non-ambulatory paraparesis with weak motor, paraplegic with deep pain sensation before the surgery. Current situation post-op: Buddy could pee on his own right after surgery. Initially was reluctant to eat, but after 4 days started regaining appetite to his usual full level. He could fully wag his tail by 9/17/2022. We were giving him "passive range of motions" (the ones we learnt during last surgeries on 2021 from your videos) exercise right after surgery and noticed he could stand by himself on 9/28/2022. He could do wobbly walk (without falling) by 10/1/2022, and by 10/07/2022 he was looking good on his recovery. He has been complete crate rest, except potty breaks 4 times a day (the vet's recommendation). We were initially walking him with sling, but after 10/4/2022 took him on potty breaks on a leash, without sling as he looked fine. Follow-up check: He had a follow-up appointment with the neurosurgeon on 10/11/2022, and vet suggested he could be out of crate rest after another two weeks and he looks good on his recovery. Medicine: 1. Gabapentin: 1.2ml orally every 8 hours for 10 days after surgery. 2. Tramadol: 25mg tablet orally every 8 hours for 1 week after surgery. 3. Pantoprazole: 5mg tablet orally every 12 hours for 2 weeks after surgery. 4. Metronizadole: 1.2ml orally every 12 hours for 1 week after surgery (Buddy had diarrhea right after surgery). 5. Prednisolone: 2.5mg tablet every 12 hours for 4 days, then 2.5mg tablet every 24 hours for 4 days, then 2.5mg tablet every 48 hours for 4 days. 6. Prazosine: 0.25ml every 8 hours for 14 days. On 10/12/2022 night, while out on potty break on-leash without a sling, Buddy suddenly yelped out while standing in the grass. He was walking fine right until that moment and was energetic during his exercise earlier in the evening. We immediately brought him to the crate and gently pressed him around his abdomen to check for pain, but he did not show any other sign of pain. We noticed some ataxia in his right paw ( delayed response to knuckling), but we have not really kept track of the ataxia improvement after the surgery on 9/15/2022.In the early morning of 10/13/2022, he again yelped out very suddenly while standing on the carpet on a leash (I was changing his bed in the crate while my wife held him). We immediately took him back to Brightcare. The neurosurgeon was not available, and the emergency doctor evaluated him. The emergency doctor checked him and found his paw ataxia to be still present, but no other sign of pain. She suggested keeping him completely in crate rest and booked us for an appointment with the neurosurgeon on 10/20/2022. She also suggested 1.2ml/12-hour Gabapentin if Buddy continues to show signs of pain. She also suggested taking Buddy to the emergency if his situation start getting worse. We called around other neurosurgeons in the area for immediate appointments, since the neurosurgeon in Brightcare is fully booked until 10/20/2022, but other vets advised us to stay with Brightcare unless Buddy's situation gets worse and Brightcare is too full to take him in immediately. Buddy seems okay, his walking gait is the same as it has been on 10/11. The part we are concerned about is how do we assess his situation, given that he is already confined to the crate and he was still recovering from his surgery. He still can wag his tail, and stand on his own. We are still taking him to potty break 4 times a day, but limiting his movement to 5-6 ft and less than 5 minutes. We have not given him Gabapentin ever since bringing him back from the vet around the afternoon, and Buddy has not shown any other signs of pain. We are really worried and exhausted and afraid about Buddy if he happens to have a third IVDD episode. We are keeping a close eye on him since from the past we know his situation can get worse really fast and time is critical. My question right now is how do we assess his situation getting worse while he is in crate 24/7? If it is an IVDD and we need to keep Buddy in conservative treatment until 10/20 (the day the neurosurgeon can see him and hopefully do MRI), I understand until then it has to be strict crate rest. I was [⚠️]thinking of letting him walk a few feet (on-leash) in the carpet after the potty break every day (until 10/18) to see if his situation is getting worse (if worse take for immediate appointment). Is this a bad idea? |
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PaulaM
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Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 14, 2022 8:14:06 GMT -7
Mike, so sorry to hear things happening that naturally make you very nervous for Buddy. The prudent thing if ever another disc episode might be occurring is what the ER vet said: -- Crate at once to ensure the disc does not worsen to badly affect the spinal cord. -- Observe for pain and/or new or increasing neuro diminishment. -- If you do observe pain give the gabapentin and or phone for a stronger pain med approach -- if you observe new or increased neuro diminishment, get to a vet asap for an anti-inflammatory drug or to discuss a surgery. What did the ER Rx but you have not needed to give? Gabapentin formula ( ?mg in one mL liquid) formula should be on the bottle. dose: 1.2mL liquid every 12 hrs. Refresh your mind on when a surgery, when conservative treatment: dodgerslist.com/2020/02/10/surgery-vs-conservative/Refresh your mind on what the signs of pain are:SIGNS OF PAIN: ⚙︎ shivering-trembling ⚙︎ yelping when picked up or moved ⚙︎ tight tense tummy ⚙︎ arched back, ears pinned bac ⚙︎ restless, can't find a comfortable position ⚙︎ slow or reluctant to move in suite such as shift positions ⚙︎ not their normal perky interested in life selves ➕if a neck disc: ◻︎ head held high/ nose to the ground ◻︎ looks up with just eyes and does not move head and neck easily. ◻︎ not eating due to painful chewing or in too much overall pain ◻︎ holds front or back leg up flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
-- Refresh your mind about the anti-inflammatory drugs used with a disc episode. Resolution of painful spinal cord inflammation/swelling provides the relief from pain. It can take an anti-inflammatory (steroid or a non-steriodal NSAID) a range of 7 to 30 days before all painful swelling is gone.
An informed owner is a dog's best defense when taking an anti-inflammatory. dodgerslist.com/2020/04/18/steroids-vs-nsaids/ -- Refresh your mind on the order neuro diminishment happens inMONITORING NEURO FUNCTIONS As damage to the spinal cord increases, there can be a predictable stepwise deterioration of functions if excessive back/neck movement for example. 1. 10/12 Pain with initial tear of disc and ensuing swelling 2. ____ Wobbly walking ____ legs cross 3. ____ Nails/toes scuffing floor 4. ____ (existing noted 10/11post-op checkup) Delayed correction of knuckled paw 5. ____ Weak/little leg movement, ____ can't move up into a stand 6. ____ Legs do not work at all (paralysis, dog is down) 7. ____ Bladder control is lost. Leaks on you when lifted. Can no longer sniff and then pee on that old urine spot outdoors. 8. ____ Tail wagging with joy is lost 9. ____ Deep pain sensation (DPS), the last neuro function, a critical indicator for nerves to be able to self heal after surgery or with conservative treatment. If surgery is not an option (for whatever reason) then the best option is conservative therapy. Surgery can still be successful in the window of 12-24 hours after loss of deep pain sensation. Even after that window of time, there can still be a good outcome. Each hour that passes decreases that chance. Precious hours can be lost with a general vet who gets DPS wrong. Trust only the word of a neuro (ACVIM) or ortho (ACVS) surgeon about DPS. There could be other reasons for the yelp other than pain from initial tear of a disc. So fingers crossed when you see the neuro on 10/20, his diagnosis won't be another disc episode but the something else. Until then take the prudent course of action and act as if this is a disc episode. Very STRICT rest to prevent a worse disc tear that could badly affect the spinal cord.  ***Dr. Isaacs ACVIM (Neurology) answers a member's question about random pain you may find useful to talk about with your vet. dodgerslist.com/2020/08/20/random-episodes-of-painMike, please confirm that we're on the same page as to conservative care for a suspected disc episode. 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. STRICT rest means: ◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches ◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you ◼︎no chiro therapy WHYs: dodgerslist.com/2020/04/22/chiropractic/ ◼︎no meandering at potty times. Just a very few minimal footsteps to take care of business ◼︎no PT for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc |
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Post by Mike & Buddy on Oct 14, 2022 20:19:07 GMT -7
Hi Paula,
Thank you for the kind words!
We have some news. After pleading with the neurosurgeon, I was able to move Buddy's appointment to Monday (10/17). In the meanwhile, the vet suggested to limit his movement as much as possible, no walks, and ✙gabapentin twice a day (thrice if he seems in pain). The dosage is: 1.2ml/12-hour (the suspension is 50 mg/mL liquid suspension/mL).
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
11.2 lbs
✙gabapentin 50mg/mL: 60mg (1.2mL dose) 2x/day ]
Since we are able to talk the neurosurgeon [10/14] today, he told us Buddy was bit ataxic during the follow-up on 10/11/2022, so his ataxia that we observed yesterday does not seem to be a new development. Buddy's energy level seems high and he tries to be his perky self while still in the crate. We saw him stand up and shake and wag tail inside his crate, and he has not yelped out since yesterday morning. But we are being very cautious right now, and completely avoiding any PT that we were giving him post-surgery. I will keep posting here with the details. We will see what the MRI says on Monday.
I also read about the link to "random episodes of pain". This sounds very familiar to the situation we are facing. We will definitely mention about this to the neurosurgeon on Monday.
Thank you for all the help, I will keep posting here with the update.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 15, 2022 7:50:32 GMT -7
Mike, good to hear you are following the prudent cautions two vets have directed to keep to strict limited movement of the spine until you know for sure you are not dealing with a disc episode.
This is news that relieves the mind (the right paw knuckling under is not a new or increased neuro diminishment since Neuro last saw him on 10/11)!! Now to find out what the Neuro says on 10/17 about the random pain.
Since it appears you are now administering gabapentin 60 mgs (1.2mL dose) 2x/day, consider:
--- at least 8 hrs before the Neuro appt time on Monday 10/17, give the last dose of gabapentin.
--- gabapentin lasts for 8 hrs.
--- The neuro can best do his exam and get realistic responses when there are no pain masking pain meds on board.
--- won't hurt to confirm with the Neuro's office
I appreciate your taking time to keep us updated. Our general IVDD knowledge base has been accumulated over the years since 2002 as we follow along watching 15,000+ vets and dogs. Not only may we better help another member in the future, but your details clarify where to specifically comment for Buddy.
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Post by Mike & Buddy on Oct 16, 2022 9:13:33 GMT -7
Hi Paula,
We confirmed with the doctor's office about Gabapentin. We plan to give him the last dose of gabapentin at 10 am on 10/16 (Buddy's appointment is 10:30 am on 10/17). Thank you for the tip!
Buddy's situation seems stable and getting better. His gait seems much more stable; he is very alert to his surroundings and no longer yelps in pain. He is very interested in food and wants to walk and sniff in the potty breaks (which we are not letting him do right now). We have been reading about residual compression, and we plan to mention this to the doctor tomorrow. Thank you for all the help!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 16, 2022 10:00:40 GMT -7
Mike, your exemplary attention to reading and improving your knowledge adds to the dedicated care you provide Buddy. Kudos to you!! Wahoo on the improved neuro function of his gait since surgery on 9/15! We are all to happy to hear, our comments are helpful to you and Buddy and confirmed by the Neuro's office. Don't be shy about helping another member with comforting words or things you know to be true. May I add you to our "Helpful Member" group? LEARN MORE: dodgerslist.boards.net/thread/3277/helpful-memberThank you so very much for your kind words and support of Dodgerslist work. Very much appreciated. Looking forward to hearing what the Neuro thinks with Buddy's Monday morning appt. |
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Post by Mike & Buddy on Oct 19, 2022 19:30:53 GMT -7
Hi Paula,
We had the appointment with neurosurgeon on 10/18 morning. The neurosurgeon told us Buddy's recovery looks good. He also mentioned Buddy's pain might be due to the fact that it is his second surgery and there might be residual pains (the neurosurgeon used a specific word, I forgot and will add it when I get the soap notes). He suggested to keep buddy in crate rest for two extra weeks (until 11/03) beyond the initially recommended six weeks (10/20), and scheduled a follow-up for 11/7.
He also recommended continuing Gabapentin 1.2mL/12-hour until 10/24. After 10/24, if no sign of pain, we can start giving PT to Buddy and bit longer potty breaks (not more than 5 minutes).
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
11.2 lbs
gabapentin 50mg/mL: 60mg (1.2mL dose) 2x/day; continue til 10/24 ]
The neurosurgeon told us Buddy does not seem to be in any pain at the moment, and he did not think an MRI is needed. Buddy has been doing better, his energy level continues to improve and his gait indeed looks much improved every day.
Thank you for the kind words, please feel free to add our name. I will be really happy if the information we provided helps even one family in the future. All the information we have obtained from the dodgerslist have been very helpful. We knew the signs to look out for future complications and as soon as we started seeing these signs during Buddy's second IVDD, we immediately took him to a neurosurgeon before Buddy's condition got worse.
We have been thinking about doing a laser ablation surgery for buddy, to reduce the risk of future episodes. Are there any information/ information source you would be able to share? We asked our regular doctor and the neurosurgeon, unfortunately the procedure being new neither of them could share detailed information at the moment.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 20, 2022 9:55:54 GMT -7
Mike, good to hear the neuro is pleased with Buddy's nerve healing and how to deal with the " ? " type of pain. Laser Disc Ablation (LDA)There are a limited number of clinics that do LDA. Dodgerslist has asked a few of the neuros we work with, they really don't seem to have an opinion about LDA. Hope the following information provides a good jumping off point for you to Google for more information to aid you in decision making. As with any surgery there is a risk so best to talk everything over with your own vet and then call Oklahoma State U. news.okstate.edu/articles/veterinary-medicine/2016/disk-surgery-dogs-does-it-work.html or the Dallas Surgical Center dvsc.com/2020/01/laser-disc-ablation-preventing-intervertebral-disc-disease/ who do a lot of this procedure to discuss if they believe this is right for your dog. Choose a clinic that has a history/experience of doing this procedure. Every single disc in the spine has the potential to be effected by the ongoing disease process of IVDD. For the LDA procedure only 7 discs are selected to zap (those that seem to herniate most are often located mid back). When LDA was rather new, Dodgerslist contacted Dr. Dugat at Oklahoma State University to learn more about LDA. A follow up is Dugat's: 19 July 2021. Evaluation of the intervertebral disk, vertebral body, and spinal cord for changes secondary to percutaneous laser disk ablation. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/vsu.13684 |
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Post by Mike & Buddy on Oct 28, 2022 8:40:27 GMT -7
Hi Paula, Just wanted to give you an update: 1. Buddy has not yelped in pain/ shown any signs of pain. We stopped Gabapentin on 10/24, and started giving him PT on 10/24. We let him walk a bit longer in potty breaks (~5 mins). His energy and appetite seems like his normal self. Buddy's gait looks improved, but we are being cautiously optimistic.
2. I called Dallas Surgical Center about laser ablation surgery. The person there suggested me to wait at least 2 months after his surgery (so at least until 11/15), and two weeks after any kinds of pain symptom, whichever is latest. Right now, I am gathering all the soap notes from Buddy's previous surgery in 2021 and this year's surgery to email it to Dallas Surgical Center. The person suggested the procedure would cost ~$3500, which to me seems a reasonable number, compared to the cost of an IVDD surgery (even after the pet insurance) and the psychological toll of seeing Buddy paralyzed and sick. We will keep posted.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 28, 2022 11:32:18 GMT -7
Mike, nothing better than to read your report on Buddy doing so very well during his 7 weeks of post-op rest. Graduation day is scheduled for 11/3, just around the corner. We'll have lots of information to share with you then. Your investigation on LDA and your experience with the procedure for Buddy, would be a big help to those interested for their own dog. It will also update us on this procedure. Looking forward to seeing your report in November added to DL Members' Vet Directory here: dodgerslist.boards.net/board/13/member-reported-surgery-costs-recommendationsThank you for the update Buddy! |
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Post by Mike & Buddy on Nov 5, 2022 15:19:43 GMT -7
Hi Paula, Here is a couple of information to share: 1. After the neurosurgeon's visit on 10/31 (my mistake in the previous post, his follow-up was scheduled for 10/31 not 11/7), the doctor suggested we can gradually let Buddy out of the crate. Buddy has been in a supervised out-of-crate situation for the last week. His muscle strength seems to be increasing, but he is still a bit ataxic on the rear right paw, while the rear left paw is fine as normal. We don't let him out of the crate when we are not in the room with him. He does not seem to have any pain. His energy and appetite level are the same as before the IVDD episode. The particular information I have been looking for is how do I manage his out-of-crate situation this time? As I was saying, he is still a bit ataxic in one paw, and his muscle strength is not back to regular. The vet suggested he might longer to recover this time since this is his second surgery on the spine. 2. I have been giving him rehabilitative therapy daily: sit-stand, all-paw unstable, paws-up, rear-paw target, and walk-backward from this website (https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/ivdd-recovery-exercises-for-strengthening-balance-and-body-awareness/). I was wondering if this is too much/ too little/ appropriate. 3. We have a follow-up with the neurosurgeon in 3 months. We will make a decision about LDA at that time. |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 5, 2022 17:18:11 GMT -7
Mike, glad to hear your Neuro has ok'd gradually introducing Buddy back to family life and physical therapy. With time Buddy will likely get back to a pretty normal gait with all four limbs. GRADUATION, A SLOW RE-INTRODUCTION The idea is to gradually give more freedom under controlled conditions so he is not darting off. Use a leash and harness to control speed, a sling if needed at supervised times to avoid falling. Do not give him free reign of the house and yard immediately. LOL Your Buddy's muscles are soft and out of shape after the post-op rest period. Gradually build up his muscles and lungs. Take a look at our information. Gradually building your dog's muscles over a month's time will have your dog safely running and having fun again! The reason to be gradual is you do not want to be confused. Is it simple soreness from overdoing muscles? Or is it disc related and serious enough to crate and get to a vet for a diagnosis? SAMPLE SCHEDULE Here is a sample schedule to safely and slowly introduce your dog back to family life and physical activity. Move forward on the schedule to what Buddy is now capable of doing and go from there gradually increasing his exercise: dodgerslist.com/2020/06/15/back-friendly/?highlight=sample%20scheduleGradually increase his free time out of the crate when you are there to supervise and ensure he is in a good traction area so he does not fall. As an example of free time, maybe you have a rug runner that goes to the kitchen where he can watch you cook if that was something he liked to do. Or a carpeted area in the living where you watch TV or work on your laptop. I don't remember if you had 2nd suite which was an 8 panel wire ex-pen for a recovery suite? Now those panels could be easily unhinged and repurposed for blocking off certain areas while you are increasing the amount of free time out of the crate while under your supervision. In the center image below, you can see my two dogs on the couch. 2 brass wire ex-pen panels where unhinged to form an "L." It blocks them from jumping off the couch and ensures they go all the way down the green foam ramp to the floor would they want to dash to the nearby kitchen. DIY back PROTECTION around the house ![]() 1) Good ideas in making your home back friendly: dodgerslist.com/2020/07/09/home-protect-ivdd-backs/2) Ideas and products to provide improved traction on smooth floors if Buddy needs it: dodgerslist.com/2022/10/08/traction-solution-improvements/3) Teach yout dog to be safe and not jumping up or down, but to use a ramp whether over steps leading outdoors or to furniture in the home. Dogs are best at visual learning rather than verbal commands. Dog trainer Anna Jane Grossman says “Dogs learn in pictures. Inside your dog’s brain is a very simple algorithm – pleasant images in one place and unpleasant images in another."
HAPPY YEARS AHEAD 1) You and your dog have survived another disc herniation! Learn what you can do from this point forward. Ideas and tips in living with an IVDD dog from how to handle dentals to trimming nails for health & just having a lot of fun with your dog with safe IVDD activities: dodgerslist.com/living-with-ivdd-tips-2 PT THERAPY AT CLINIC or HOME Safety first. You should always consult with a veterinarian before starting any exercise program with your dog. For example, although senior dogs (not sure how old Buddy is) need to stay limber, arthritis might pain might make certain movements inappropriate. Appropriate physical therapy can help maintain the muscles in that right rear paw with diminished nerve connection. Therapy keeps muscles in optimal condition while in wait to receive more regenerating axon terminals. Exercises to help the right rear paw. At home PT ideas: --- Buy cheap cut of meat or chicken when on sale as really high value treats. Cook, cut into tiny treats and freeze to use as needed each day. --- Do all PT where there are no other distractions of kids or other dogs. --- Do PT slowly so that steps are deliberate- helps to re-train the nerves and muscles to work together in a more normal gait pattern. --- Surface with good traction such as carpet or use of a Yoga mat or rug runners --- Do therapy at meal times. Feed dinner a few kibbles at a time, for stands, sits. --- Dogs love nose work! It's fun. Scatter some kibbles on a non-slippery floor and use sling if he's bit wobbly walking to find his food. --- reward for pushing up from a sit to a stand at dinner time or if he likes to keep you company in the kitchen. ---Use sticks, broom, pvc pipes spaced out on good traction carpet. Buddy then will learn to control his lifting the right rear paw as he walks SLOWLY over each "bump". --- Single leg balance for the weaker right rear leg. While standing, lift the stronger left rear leg off the ground for a few seconds-this will force bearing weight on the weaker leg. Lower and repeat with the opposite side leg. --- Outdoors on leash/harness and if needed a sling. Walk across a gentle slope, walk up and down the slope. Walk on different textures...low grass, higher grass, on sand, snow. -- Strengthening core muscles. Core exercises don't require specialized equipment. The core muscles play an important role in supporting the spine for an IVDD dog. Here are 5 exercises you can do at home: totofit.com/five-basic-exercises-essential-to-building-core-strength/May we turn the tables and ask YOU for help? Did you know there are less than a handful who volunteer daily to help dogs and their owners? We need helping hands from other Forum members to reach out across the states. -- The Dodgerslist brochures is one of the ways we educate. They can be used at dog events, many vets like them for their clinics. The business sized cards are handy to share when you meet an owner of a breed prone to being born with IVDD: Dachshunds, Beagles, Poodles, Spaniels, Shih Tzus, Pekingese, and Chihuahuas, Frenchies. for your vet and wallet cards for you Mike, don't be a stranger! Stop in periodically. We really do love to hear how your dog is doing. We'd love a photo or a short video clip to see Buddy in action at home, at PT and living & loving life in spite of IVDD! if you see a new member in a tough spot, give them hope. A brief paragraph about your dog can be insanely supportive and inspiring in a time of need!  |
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Post by Mike & Buddy on Dec 18, 2022 13:19:02 GMT -7
Hi Paula,
Hope everything is going great. I wanted to give you an update. Buddy is doing fine. His rear right paw is still noticeably weak, we continue to give him therapy (sit and stand, standing on a balance disk etc.).
We still have not done the laser ablation surgery, we plan to reach out to Dallas vet surgeon after the holidays.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Dec 18, 2022 13:33:05 GMT -7
Hi Mike, thanks for stopping in. I imagine with time you'll be able to see improvement in the right paw. The important thing is if Buddy is a happy boy enjoying life. Do let us know how the LDA goes if you pursue it after the holidays.
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Post by Mike & Buddy on Mar 19, 2023 9:40:28 GMT -7
Hi Paula, I hope everything is good. I just wanted to give an update, Buddy has significantly recovered, and his gait, strength, and energy level are the same as before. We had a follow-up with the neurosurgeon earlier in January, he assessed Buddy to be doing well and scheduled a follow-up in April. We also have been giving him at-home therapies following the links you shared earlier ( core exercises and walking over bumps) during his meal time, which has dramatically improved his rear right paw weakness.I just subscribed to the newsletter, hope to learn about all the good stuff you folks are doing. Mike. |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 19, 2023 10:30:24 GMT -7
Mike, your updates are always full of the good stuff. By that I mean not only the nerve repair news Buddy makes, but also that you continue to support Buddy in special exercises to improve muscle to nerve coordination and keeping his core strong. We also appreciate hearing about your subscription to the quarterly Dodger's Digest. We are but a handful of volunteers doing big things on a shoestring budget. Thank you for your support! The April issue will soon be out. Does your neuro and your vet have the Dodgerslist literature for their patients too? What vets say: dodgerslist.com/2020/04/20/education-team-ivdd Ordering free literature: dodgerslist.com/free-literature-2Look forward to hearing about your April update with the neuro.  |
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