Welcome to Dodgerslist.
Is your name Jana? What country are you in? So glad you’ve joined us all. We’ve got valuable information we’ve gleaned from the vets Dodgerslist consults with and our own experiences with IVDD since 2002 to share with you. Know more about us and how we team up with veterinarians:
dodgerslist.com/about-team-dodgerslist/It will help us work together with you and avoid offering ideas that could cause harm or lead the discussion in the wrong direction delaying help for your dog — please share a bit more detail with us:
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You currently have a pain emergency that must be addressed ASAP today. You are reporting occasional painful flareups. What signs are you seeing that lead you to believe Wiley still has pain? Pain must be brought completely under control, with no pain arising from one dose to the next. Pain hinders healing so have no patience with it.
Immediately contact your vet to advise of the painful flareups that you are observing. Methocarbamol works best when given consistently (not as needed) every 8 hours, rather than 12. Your vet can also add Tramadol as a general pain med and Gabapentin for nerve pain. Full pain relief is expected in 1 hour and stays that way dose to dose.
You mentioned a medication by the name of Caprices. Did you mean Carprive or Carprofen? For how many days has this medication been prescribed?
PEPCID AC: Anytime a dog is taking an anti-inflammatory, stomach protection must be added. Ask if your dog has any health issues to prevent use of Pepcid AC (famotidine)? (doesn’t need it, we wait til there is problem…are NOT answers to your question!) If you get a “no health” issues answer, then go to the grocery store to purchase over the counter Pepcid AC containing one single active ingredient (famotidine).
i.ibb.co/DCN9611/91x-Aj-s00z-L-SY355.jpgDoxie weight dogs: 5mg Pepcid AC (famotidine) every 12 hours. NOTE: Pepcid AC (famotidine) for dogs is 0.44mg per pound, 30 mins before the anti-inflammatory and thereafter every 12 hours for as long as your dog is on the anti-inflammatory.
www.1800petmeds.com/Famotidine-prod11171.html❖2
GI Tract problems? —Eating and drinking OK? No nausea/not eating, no vomit? —Poops OK? Normal firmness & color -no dark black or bright red blood indicating bleeding ulcers? No diarrhea?
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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 (NOT 6) provides limited movement to allow good strong scar tissue to form.
Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite, the mattress and more! —>
dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/NO, a small room is not adequate. The recovery suite (crate, ex-pen) must only be large enough for Wiley to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably with legs extended. Think of the crate as a cast for the spine. Too much room and the damaged disc could rupture more, causing more spinal damage. Wiley is having a mild disc episode and is still able to walk and urinate on his own. You don't want to take any chances that he will worsen. See link above for tips on how to set up recovery suite.
STRICT means: ◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches ◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you ◼︎no chiro therapy whys:
dodgerslist.com/2020/04/22/chiropractic/ ◼︎no dragging or meandering at potty times. ◼︎no PT for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc ◼︎
At home laser or acupuncture for severe neuro damage is best. Transports are always a risk to the disc of too much movement. Vet visits must be weighed risk vs. benefit for dogs with little to mild neuro diminishment.
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DOGs with BLADDER CONTROL: Carry to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very few limited footsteps. Using a sling (long winter scarf, ace bandage, belt) will save your back and help to keep a wobbly dog’s back aligned and butt from tipping over. A harness and 6 foot leash is to control speed and keep footsteps to a minimum as you stand in one spot. An ex-pen in the grass is an excellent alternative to minimizing footsteps with the physical and visual to indicate there will be no sniff festing going on!
dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Potty-leash-harness400-19kb.jpg❖5 Is the vet a general DVM or a specialist surgeon: ACVIM neurology or ACVS ortho?
Knowledge is the power to fight the IVDD enemy and win!! The very best thing you can do for YOU, the caregiver, and for your dog is to get up to speed on IVDD soonest possible. Owner understanding ensures proper conservative treatment principals:
▶︎ 4 phases of healing, what it takes to heal each phase:
dodgerslist.com/in-the-right-place▶︎ Roadmap for your fridge so the whole family is on board. Stay the course, avoid dangerous detours for the healing disc:
dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Roadmap-for-Fridge.pdf
We're looking forward to receiving responses to the above questions so we can help you further. We also hope to hear soon that Wiley's pain is completely under control due to med adjustments by your vet. Please let us know what adjustments have been made. Healing prayers for Wiley.
