Nicole's Jazmine 1/11 NECK conservative- GSD; GRAD 3/8

Nichole, welcome to the Forum.  When it's possible, do register and log in. It aids both in care for Jazmine. And, it gives us the information we need to best keep tabs on her for our comments.

Today (Sun 1/5) you report pain. You will need to contact any vet that can help the quickest to get that pain in control now, today. 
        The quickest assistance would likely come from any clinic where she has been examined and has ER hours. Any veterinarian at that clinic has access to her paperwork and can adjust her medications to get pain fully in control

Have you been and are you still currently providing STRICT limited movement best you can with a large dog?  Potty time is of particular importance to get the limited movement right. Limited movement is how the disc heals. 
    🚩Large dog care tips including potty time:  dodgerslist.com/2022/02/10/large-dog-care-tips-ivdd/
    🚩 Learn how to do the STRICT rest to heal the disc. Lots of tips and ideas: dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/ 


Please fill in missing info so we are in position to give specific comments.

1--  Details needed about the med list shown in pink 

name of steroid as 1/11: ?mgs ?x/day for 3 days, 1/14 test taper for: √1/20 pain / √1/20_neuro

name of steroid as of 2/1: 20mgs 1x/day for how many days? then taper]
 
Thank you for sharing the range. However we need to know exactly how often you are currently giving?
    traMADol 50mgs 3x/day WHICH? every 8 or12 hrs?
    gabapentin 300 mgs 3x/day WHICH? every 8 or12 hrs?
    methocarbamol 500 mgs 3x/day as of 2/1 WHICH? every 8 or12 hrs?
    Needs GI tract protector, Pepcid AC, on board for duration of steroid!

With the steroid taper that started 1/14, provide the details of what got worse.
   1/20 pain:  describe the worse signs of pain
   1/20 neuro: describe the neuro function loss that was new or was in increased diminishment.  Front or rear limbs?
      •  Do the back leg paws knuckle under? or can Jasmine right them even if slowly? Was there a new or increased diminishment on 1/20?
     •  The wobbly walking with back legs was that  a new neuro loss or an increased diminishment on 1/20? 
    •  OTHER?.......
     
Learn about steroids during a disc episode. Be able to: — recognize patterns
— understand the treatment your vet is Rxing
— have the ability to ask pertinent questions
— Know your job during a steroid taper   dodgerslist.com/2020/04/18/steroids-vs-nsaids/

2--  since you reported today many signs of pain including  neck pain signs, did the ortho specifically say the problematic disc was in the neck?

If you need more details on registering, look below ▼

Nicole, it is having an accurate med list and learning the dog's reaction to the meds that allows us to comment properly. You have supplied med information that makes a tremendous change in the picture. 

Still, I must ask you to look at the list below and ONLY comment on what are the current mg doses you actually give, current frequency. With your confirmation or correction, we'll have the correct med list for this point in time of Feb 6.


In order to speak up for Jaz, you're gonna have to learn some things about prednisone.  This is a hormone. Jaz's body has stopped making her own steroid hormone while on this higher "anti-inflammatory" level for the disc episode.  PREDNISONE does not just abruptly stop. It needs to be tapered when the vet makes a guess all swelling might be gone. In the years on this Forum I don't remember a vet who knows IVDD ordering a 21-day course of pred. Usually it is a 5-7 day course or maybe a 14-day course THEN a taper.  Read up on prednisone to discuss getting a more usual #-day course INCLUDING the taper schedule which ends in an every other day dose. 
       Learn about the hormone prednisone here:     marvistavet.com/prednisone.pml
   
Help us not only keep straight by using dates, give mgs/frequency, but also naming the different vets.  Your local DVM vet, the ER Lady veterinarian, the ortho vet, etc.

The SINGLE most important thing you can do for Jaz is the STRICT rest of limiting movement of her back and her neck. This is the road map to tape on your fridge. Much of healing is a a time related thing of the body self healing for which you'll need patience.  The focus is on the 8 weeks to heal the disc.  Her wobbly legs may or may not self heal in that short of time. Nerves are the slowest part of the body to heal. Think more in terms of months rather than days/weeks.

By the way, kudos to you for sensing just how limited car transports should be.... for only the most urgent of health issues.  Any transport, anytime out of the recovery suite is a danger to the healing disc.  Let us know how the laser light device works for home use works for Jaz.

ROADMAP
Avoid dangerous detours with Jaz' healing disc.  Tape the Conservative Roadmap on your fridge.
    VIEW, DOWNLOAD and print: dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Roadmap-for-Fridge.pdf


HOWEVER, have absolutely no patience at all with pain. That is what adjusting pain meds with aid of the vet are for. Once the adjustment has pain fully in control day and night, then stick with the combo.  The time to stop the pain meds is on the date the pred taper stops.

We look forward to what you learn about prednisone taper schedule from one of your 3 vets.

Have you been able to speak with your vet about a prednisone taper? Prednisone is not usually taken for 21 days without a taper. A taper is absolutely required because while the dog is on the prednisone the body gets lazy about making cortisol because it is getting the cortisol through the meds. A taper, usually tried after about 7 days, lets the body know it has to start producing it again. But in addition to this, a taper can also help tell us if all the swelling of the spinal cord is gone. If during a taper pain is seen the swelling still exists and more time on the pred is needed.