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Post by Sarah & Zac on Nov 23, 2022 20:44:29 GMT -7
[Original subject line: Zac chihuahua ]
Hi all
Zac weighs 3.5 kg
Current meds gabapentin 25mg x 3 per day.
1mg prednisone daily.
He’s been taking both lots of medication [since ±Aug 24] for three months.
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
3.5 kg/ lbs ±11 y.o.
Prednisone as of 8/24: 1 mgs 1x/day for long term
gabapentin 25mgs 3x/day]
Zac is a Chihuahua, his age isn’t truly known because he is a rescue dog. He has been with us since 2016 and would have been aged of at least 5 years when he came to us. My name is Sarah Jane (we’ve tried our absolute hardest to give Zac the very best he had a terrible beginning. He had two patella surgeries under our care. Physio and hydrotherapy etc.
Last week [11/16] Zac had an MRI scan at a referral vets which has shown he has IVDD 4 discs impacted, one compressive. MRCVS, GPCERT SAS qualified surgeon was the person looking after Zac.
C3-c4, c4-c5(compressive) c5-c6, c6-c7 plus syringomyelia c1-c4.
Zac was rested but he didn’t appear to have the improvement we’d of like which is why he had his mri.
He is managing okay, he has an orthopaedic mattress, is fed in a comfortable way. He is eating & drinking normally. He can walk okay, his balance can catch him off guard sometimes when moving from a stop to slower pace. Wags tail. Toilets okay.
I’m worried about him needing surgery, he’s quite old so his age worries me, Also his other health issues is a concern.
His legs after surgery would I imagine get weaker u
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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 24, 2022 11:04:57 GMT -7
Sarah, welcome to the Forum. You alluded to things that were not "improving". Details from you gives us ability to comment.
The only disease we feel we have good knowledge about and its care is intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
From your writing it seems Zac had a disc episode about Aug 24? By this date, now 3 months later, the disc would have healed. However, the hope with conservative treatment is any neck disc material compressing the spinal cord would be able to recede/shrink back enough to no longer aggravate the cord. Does the gabapentin and the low dose of prednisone keep him in comfort from pain round the clock, even when eating?
Syringomyelia is not a disease we know about. Your vet, your surgeon would be your guidance.
Paint a fuller picture for us with details:
• What are the specific things that have not improved?
• Tell us the status of his back legs and his front legs function is.
• What does he is fed in a comfortable way look like?
• Did the Neuro recommend surgery? For the neck disc(s)? or for the syringomyelia?
• Do you have the neuro's MRI report you can share to give us more to go on? Look to the left column above my photo. Click on my name in red "Paula M" to see my email addy.
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