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Post by Henry's Mom, Kay on Sept 11, 2013 9:31:12 GMT -7
Hi, I am the owner of Henry II, adopted from a rescue org Aug2008. Of course we had no history of his actual age, only best guess by our long time Vet. Best guess is about 10 years of age. Henry is 4 1/2 yrs post-op IVD surgery. While in our care, he's had 2 separate surgeries with the last one leaving him with paralyzed hind legs. I have had many health issues with him over the years. If I have questions or need advice from others experiencing the same issues, how do I go about posting my questions? Many thanks, Henry's Mom (Kay) Added note: This is Henry in the home-made wheels, loaned to us to see if Henry could adapt to it. Since it is a home-made type set of wheels, it must not be a good fit as it flips over too often. We have since given it back to the man that loaned it to us. This was the only wheelchair we have every tried for Henry. Also, the pic shows Henry without his usual diaper plus shorts he wears everyday. He has always tried to pull off the diaper so from day one, we put little shorts on him to cover the diaper. It works most of the time. I would like to find a wheelchair that fits him but can't spend too much as we have already spent over $8k for his 2 IVD surgeries in addition to other Vet bills due to leg scrapes related to dragging his hind legs. As he drags his hind legs, one leg in particular is always on the bottom receiving all the friction from the floor. Right now he is wearing a padded bandage on one leg (as our Vet suggested) to keep it from being scraped even more. Please don't think I'm complaining about the money spent, we love Henry very much and would do anything to keep him comfortable, pain free & happy.  |
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Sept 11, 2013 12:45:02 GMT -7
Kay, welcome to Dodgerslist. We are glad you found us. Ask away! My dog has been using a wheelchair since 2007. Truth is all wheel chairs can tip over especially with sharp turns or uneven land, so they do need to be supervised with using a cart. The important feature to look for in a cart for an IVDD dog are discussed here. Also there are all price ranges. If need be save up for the best chair your pocket book can handle as they are used every day and the ease of getting the them in and out makes a big difference. Here's the article: www.dodgerslist.com/links/cart.htmAre you expressing for both poop and for urine? Do you express every 4-6 hours? If expressed fully at each session and often enough, he should be staying dry and no need of diapers at all. Diapers have their own problems and would be best not to use if you get expressing down. MOre details here: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htmAt this time is Henry on any meds. Do you use any kind of protective garment when he scoots in the house. Several ideas in this article… scroll down to #7 www.dodgerslist.com/literature/AfterCrateRest.htm |
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Post by Henry's Mom, Kay on Sept 11, 2013 21:00:39 GMT -7
Hi Paula, thanks for the quick reply.
1) We did supervise Henry while in the borrowed wheel cart. Our backyard is quite uneven so that was a problem in itself; however even on a flat surface he had trouble keeping it upright. He was so excited to get to maneuver around on his own, he would go way too fast. Our conclusion was it was not a good fit for him. I'm not asking for charity in finding a cart for Henry; it's just that we have 2 other adopted dogs to care for too. We have another mini-Doxie, female, about 12 yrs old. She is doing fine for her age, no big health issues. Last, we have a Min-Pin mix, female, about 6 yrs old, also healthy. We love all 3 of our pooches but the cost of caring properly for Henry is breaking our budget. Do you ever hear of someone selling a used cart?
2) He is able to urinate pretty easily while just stroking his backend between his penis & rectum. I carry him outside to go on the grass, situate his back legs so he's in a normal standing position. Since he can't balance himself for long, I gently hold on to his back end with one hand while stroking him. He urinates on his own in long squirts until at the end it's just a dribble. As he urinates, I can feel he is activating his bladder on his own. After watching the video on suggestions to express the bladder, I will try that just to make sure we are getting his bladder completely empty even though he has never had a bladder infection.
3) I take him out periodically during the day to do both, pee & poop. He is unpredictable when it comes to poop. We already know how to massage his anal area & can tell if he needs to go right away or not. Even if we don't feel anything hard inside his rectum, we still massage it gently in case it just needs some "encouragement". Sometimes the gentle massaging for a couple of minutes will make it work.
4) He is not on any meds, just his once-a-month heartworm preventative.
5) I don't have a protective garment for him scooting around in the house but I will certainly look at the link you provided at the end of your posting. You know how dogs will lick their wounds if they can get to it; so as long as he has a raw spot on that one hind leg, we have to keep it bandaged for now until it heals. Our Vet recommended using a non-stick gauze pad right over the raw area, then use another gauze pad over that as padding (cushion), with a final wrap of the 3M Coban Tape to hold it all on.
Sorry this was so long. I really appreciate your suggestions. I am the major caretaker of Henry since my husband works. I retired earlier this year so I am now able to spend more of my attention on Henry's needs. Some days are overwhelming for me, so I am so glad to be able to discuss my issues with others that face the same challenges.
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Marjorie
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Post by Marjorie on Sept 12, 2013 4:53:27 GMT -7
Hi, Kay There's a dog cart made by Dogs to Go that is under $100, but it looks exactly like the one you tried: dogstogo.net/And there's a page where people post used carts and want ads. Just be careful as some of these carts were custom made for a particular dog and may not be a good fit. You'll have to research the name of the cart online to see if it's the type that would fit a dog of a certain size/weight and how easy it is to use. If you find one on this site that you like, just Google the name of the cart to find out more about it. useddogwheelchairs.com/It sounds like Henry has some bladder control. If he's still leaking after taking him out, he may not be emptying his bladder completely so yes, I would try to express his bladder to make sure he empties it each time he goes out. Or take him out more often to keep his bladder empty. I have to express my Jeremy every 3-4 hours or he has accidents. Henry can be expressed in the house, too, in the toilet or over a small pan or pee pad or in the bathtub on a rubber mat. I know how overwhelming this all can be. We're here whenever you'd like to talk. It sounds like you're doing a great job with Henry and love him very much. Blessings to you all. |
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Post by Henry's Mom, Kay on Sept 12, 2013 12:28:28 GMT -7
Hi Marjorie,
Thanks for your comments. I looked at the Dogs to Go website & am excited to learn the Millers live in the Houston area....about 47 miles from me. If they accept customers at their shop, I will drive Henry there to have Larry Miller make a custom cart just his size. Henry needs one that will keep his hind legs up so he does not drag his paws on the ground which was one of the problems with the cart that was loaned to us. The one Larry Miller makes looks very similar to the one loaned to us so I don't mind what it looks like, as long as it is a good fit for Henry. I know he will love it as he was a little Speed Racer in the other one.
I have a question for the members of disabled dogs....does your dog do a lot of licking on himself & other things? Henry licks the top of his front paws a lot. He hasn't licked the hair off yet, but worry if he keeps it up, he will. The major issue I have is he started licking his penis until it bleeds (a lot). His penis hangs out of the sheath about 1/2 inch. We used to not diaper him at night, only during the day when he's out of his crate. He used to sleep in his crate naked every night. He has a cushy bed in his crate but with a pee pad covering the padding, with a final white towel covering that. If he did have a leak during the night the towel soaked it up, with the pee pad keeping the under bedding dry. He's a Doxie so he has to sleep under a blanket too. His white towel & blanket are changed every day so he always has a clean fresh bed every night. About 6 weeks ago, he was naked as usual when put to bed for the night, but at some time after that he took to licking on his penis either during the night or early the next morning. I woke up to let the dogs out of their crates & to my shock found a big bloody spot on Henry's white towel. It wasn't immediately apparent which end it had come from. He was just sitting there, wiggling & excited as usual waiting for me to get him out of his crate. I wrapped another towel around him & took him outside, I saw what he had been doing. It quit bleeding once he could not get to it again. Of course I cleaned him up & diapered him. From then on, he sleeps with a diaper on & the little shorts. I hate to have to do that but he can't keep on licking himself until he bleeds. Why does he do this? Does anyone else have this problem with their paralyzed dog? Henry was only paralyzed in his hind legs after his 2nd IVD Surgery.
Aug2008 We adopted him from Dachshund Rescue Of Houston. They rescued him from the City Dog Pound Jan2008 as Henry's owners had "dropped him off to be euthanized". We believe they knew he had potential serious back issues & couldn't afford to keep him. He would have been euthanized if it wasn't for the Dog Pound calling DROH to come get him. DROH's Vet treated him with meds & acupuncture for several months before he was ready for adoption. We had to wait about a month before they would finally allow us to adopt but only after informing us of his past medical care. We fell in love with him the day we met him. We became his forever parents from that day on.
Sep2008 Our Vet treated him for heartworms & he survived with flying colors.
Nov2008 He went down in his hind legs crying with pain if you moved him. Our Vet examined him that same day but referred us to Bay Area Veterinary Specialists (Vet Surgical Group LLP) in Houston. Within 24 hrs Henry was in surgery for herniated disc T 11-12 and Fenestration for discs T 12-13. Complete recovery with crate rest, pain meds. Later on he was back to walking on all fours.
Apr2009 Same scenario. Our Vet referred us to the Specialists again. This time surgery on the right L3-4. Surgeon warned us this time he may not make a full recovery due to how far down the spine the rupture took place. Same recovery regimen, but this time he ended up paralyzed in the hind legs with potential problems with incontinence.
We have no stairs in our home & we carry him in and outdoors as we have a step down going out the door which is concrete once you step outside. Naturally he does not need to drag himself across concrete.
I'm wondering if he has recently become bored or is this his way of dealing with pain he may be experiencing? Otherwise he exhibits no indication of pain as far as we can tell.
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Marjorie
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Post by Marjorie on Sept 12, 2013 13:54:42 GMT -7
Kay, this licking and chewing of the penis sounds a lot like neuropathic pain. It can be very serious. Please contact your vet as soon as possible and discuss this with him. Gabapentin can be given to help. Here's some information about neuropathic pain: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/neuropathy.pdfThe sensation Henry may be feeling could be like pins and needles but that can progress to painful, on fire type of burning sensations. I don't want to frighten you but you need to be aware that dogs can sometimes chew off body parts to stop the pain. An e-collar can keep Henry from licking and chewing on himself until you can get help from your vet. I'm very glad you mentioned this. Let us know what the vet says about this. |
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Post by Henry's Mom, Kay on Sept 13, 2013 23:02:12 GMT -7
Hi Marjorie,
It's been a busy day so I'm just now getting to catch up on my messages. I have an appt on Tues, Sep 17, with Dr. Blaine Burkert, the surgeon that did Henry's last IVD surgery back in Apr2009. I called to talk to the Dr over the phone to discuss Henry's fanatical licking, but the receptionist said I should bring him in. It's probably best anyway so Dr. Burkert can get a better idea of how Henry is doing & can make a better diagnosis (I hope). I will post an update once we are back from the doctor's office.
You referred me to some read literature about Neuropathy...I printed and read it all. I have to say that is very scary about how dogs will self-mutilate themselves attempting to relieve the pain. So far, Henry has not chewed on his toes, tail or legs. He just licks at the top side of his front paws & of course he licked his little penis until it was raw & bled all over his bedding.
Something else he does.....ever since the last IVD surgery when he was crated for several weeks to recover, he would eat his feces. I was still working a full time job back then; however I took several vacation days from work so I could care for him once he was home from the hospital. If I could catch him in time, I would remove it from his crate before he had a chance to get at it. But then during his long recovery, his poop times were unpredictable. All 3 of our dogs were separately crated while we were gone to work. He has kept this bad habit ever since. I tried sprinkling the unseasoned Meat Tenderizer (no MSG) on his food.....that didn't work. Then I tried mixing a spoon of plain pumpkin out of the can with his food....didn't work either. He's a Doxie, he will eat anything. I was told this would make his poop unappetizing.....it may work for other dogs but not Henry.
This poop eating has resulted in getting a bacterial infection that possibly spread to his sinuses. He had a very foul odor coming from his mouth. Our Vet recommended another Dental, so in July he got the Dental with 9 of his teeth extracted. That is how bad it was. He was given an antibiotic injection during his Dental & they sent us home with more antibiotics. This wasn't his 1st Dental.....he has had several in the last few years mostly due to eating his feces.
It appears the really foul odor is gone but when Henry sneezes, he sometimes blows stuff out of his nose that is sort of foul smelling too. He used to never sneeze, but this started about 6 months ago, usually when he would get excited.....like when we are about to get him out of his crate in the mornings or when we start preparing to feed all the dogs. But now it's just any time of the day he may start with the sneezing & do about 7 or 8 sneezes at a time. I also have an appt toward the end of next week with our regular Vet to check him over again to determine if the infection could still be there.
Or IF he is experiencing this Neuropathy issue could the sneezing have something to do with that too?
If any other members have experienced any or all of the same issues I am dealing with, please respond with comments. Does your dog do these awful gross things too & can they be cured of doing that?
Thanks for any suggestions or comments!!
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Marjorie
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Post by Marjorie on Sept 14, 2013 10:45:53 GMT -7
Hi, Kay
I'm glad you're getting Henry in to the surgeon to check if he has neuropathic pain. His licking might be due to allergies, since he's sneezing, too, but it's certainly best to be sure, especially since it was severe enough to cause bleeding. The sneezing wouldn't have anything to do with IVDD or neuropathy.
As for his eating poop, hopefully some of our other members will have some suggestions for you. Sometimes dogs that are crated try to clean up after themselves since they don't like to sleep where they mess and it becomes a habit. You could try expressing Henry's bowels before you go to work and hopefully that will keep him from going in his crate during the day. And then again before bed. If you'd like, you can click on "edit" for your post about this and then in the upper right hand corner, you'll see a drop down menu where you can click on "Labels" where you can have your post marked "Wants Suggestion" so members can see you're looking for advice.
Please let us know what the surgeon says about Henry's licking and biting after seeing him on Tuesday.
All the best to you both.
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Post by Henry's Mom, Kay on Sept 14, 2013 18:59:25 GMT -7
Update: "Dogs to Go" are working on a cart for Henry....we will go pick it up next weekend. I'm so excited for him. And yes, they are reasonably priced & will fit into my budget. Thanks Marjorie for giving me their website.
Hello Marjorie,
Thanks for the advice/comments. The good thing is I retired in March of this year so I am a stay-at-home Mom to my fur babies. But I am the major caretaker since my husband still works. We always take Henry out to take care of his business last thing before we go to bed & when I was still working, I was the last to leave in the mornings, so I always took Henry out just before I left for work. I'm telling you the little guy is unpredictable when it comes to pooping. We just can't understand why his body is not on a schedule when it comes to that.
Yes, thanks for telling me about the Labels. I wondered how I could get other attention on specific issues when I post. Now I know.
Will let you guys know what the surgeon says on Tues.
All the best to you too!
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Sept 15, 2013 10:22:42 GMT -7
Does Henry free feed or do you have him on a 1 or 2x a day feeding schedule. What is the brand of food you feed? Have you tried the ideas given to predict when his body should be causing poop to exit such as feeding a few pieces of whole corn or small pieces of carrot www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm#poop ? Glad Henry will have his cart…do let us know what the surgeon says. |
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Post by Henry's Mom, Kay on Sept 16, 2013 10:40:00 GMT -7
Hi Paula,
Henry & my other 2 dogs are fed once in the morning & once in the evening. They do not free feed. As soon as their individual bowls are set on the floor, they eat it all right away. Nothing left......ever. I feed all 3 the same dry dog food....IAMS Healthy Naturals.
I have not tried the corn or carrot pieces in Henry's food yet. That is a good idea to determine how long it takes his body to process his food. I will try that & then I should have a good idea of when his next poop will be.
and yes, I plan on posting the outcome of his appointment with the Surgeon tomorrow. Thanks to you and Marjorie for all for your help.
As you can see from this tread, I have not heard anything from the other members if they ever experienced any of the same symptoms I'm having with Henry. Should I just be patient as the other members may not login as often as I do?
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PaulaM
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Post by PaulaM on Sept 16, 2013 19:49:28 GMT -7
Kay, you may want to look at some different kinds of dog food. The high fiber of IAMS will cause a larger volume of poop. Here are two sites where foods have been rated, you can see which might best fit your pocketbook. www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/kirkland-signature-dog-food/www.pawstoadmire.com/index_files/RateYourDogFood.htmIt can be hard to tell why a dog eats their poop..anything from nutrient deficiency to not wanting poop to be found in their crate. I found it best to just pick it up asap before they can even think of ingesting it if at all possible. The medical term you can Google is "coprophagy" to see if you can find an answer for Henry. The Forum has been a little slower than usual so that could be why others have not commented. Also once a question has been answered to keep the volume of postings down, others will likely not post. I quickly read back through your posts, is there something in particular that was not addressed enough to help you? If so can you restate in a short question again? We look foward to hearing what the surgeon says. |
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