Amanada's Beans 9/8 conservative

Hi, I’m Sabrina. What’s your name? I am so sorry to hear Beans is having another disc episode. Are you familiar with the Dodger's List main site? If not, here are some good places to start reading so that you can learn all you can to help Beans through this:
Overview: Healing during a disc episode - www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htm
Index to Overview: Phases of healing - www.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htm
YES, Your Dog CAN Have a Great Quality of Life! - www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htm

You mentioned crate rest - is Beans on 100% Strict Crate Rest? "Only potty time and vet appointments are a necessity to be out of the crate. Be diligent about crate rest, cheating on crate rest promotes damage to the disc: no chiropractic therapy, no couches, no sleeping with you, no baths, or water therapy during the 8 weeks of crate rest."
Conservative treatment for disc disease (IVDD) - www.dodgerslist.com/literature/conservative.htm
Crate Rest Recovery Process - www.dodgerslist.com/literature/CrateRRP.htm
Clark's helpful supplies for crate rest - www.dodgerslist.com/literature/cratesupplies.htm

Could you fill us in on a few more details about Beans?

-- What was the date you saw the vet and started 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7?

-- Is there still currently pain - shivering, trembling, yelping when picked up or moved, reluctant/slow to move head or body, tight hard tummy?

-- What are the exact names of meds currently given, their doses in mgs and frequencies?

-- Currently can your dog wobbly walk? move the legs at all? or wag the tail when you do some happy talk?

-- Do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted up?

-- Eating and drinking OK?

-- Poops OK - normal color no dark or bright red blood?

Does Beans have any underlying health problems that would prevent him from being treated with an anti-inflammatory drug? Dogs with disc episodes are typically on an anti-inflammatory (either a steroid or an NSAID) for several weeks to a month or longer.
Medications used - www.dodgerslist.com/literature/IVDDcourse/medications_used.html
Inflammation, swelling in the spinal cord - www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsweling.htm
With any anti-inflammatory, proactive stomach protection is vital! If there isn’t a reason Beans can’t take an anti-inflammatory, ask if there is any reason Beans can’t take Pepcid AC. Many vets aren't proactive about stomach protection, but with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs there are risks of ulcers and other GI problems, so Dodger's List encourages asking your vet, "is there any medical reason my dog should not be on Pepcid AC?"

For bladder control: can Beans pass the “sniff” test – does he sniff an old pee spot and then pee?

Here is a page comparing surgery with conservative treatment: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingsurgery.htm

Also, if you haven’t already seen this, Dodger's List has a great informational DVD available: www.dodgerslist.com/store/DVDorder.htm It's great not only for your own education, but to show to friends, family, and anyone else involved in Beans’ life.

Again, I’m so sorry you are going through this again. Please tell us more about Beans so the folks here can advise you the best they can! We are here to support you!

))Hugs!((
- Sabrina

I'm so sorry to hear about Beans' second disc problem. There are two types of treatment for IVDD - surgery and conservative crate rest. Surgery is usually considered when neuro functions are lost (loss of leg movement, bladder control). However, if surgery is out of your financial reach and you don't want to put him through another surgery, then crate rest is an option. If you decide to treat with crate rest, an MRI is not necessary. MRIs are done prior to surgery to give the surgeon a better idea of which disc(s) are affected. Dogs that have lost the use of their legs can recover on crate rest.  I'll pass along our financial aid links in case you'd like to pursue any of them: www.dodgerslist.com/links/financial.htm

So again, if surgery is not an option, please continue with 100% strict crate rest 24/7. You must commit yourself to only letting Beans out of the crate to go to a vet or to do potty, being carried out to do potty and carried back in again and returned to the crate, as explained by Sabrina. This must be done for a full 8 weeks.

Have you tried to express Beans' bladder? The longer urine remains in the bladder over 4-6 hours, the more inviting it is for bacteria to begin breeding and a urinary tract infection (UTI) happens. Or the bladder can stretch out of shape. Here is our page on how to express the bladder:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm

Please let us know the exact dosage and frequency of the Deramaxx. And please include Pepcid AC as Sabrina recommended to protect Beans' GT tract. In your first posting, you mentioned that your regular vet had prescribed pain medication. Please let us know the name, exact dosage and frequency of the pain medication. It's very important to keep Beans' pain under control. Sabrina has given you the signs of pain above. Dogs can be very good at hiding pain so please observe Beans carefully for any signs of pain and if you do see any, please notify your vet immediately so the pain medication can be adjusted.

Please let us know how you make out with expressing Beans. Once we have the exact names and dosages of all medication, we'll be in a better position to advise you on that.