Welcome to Dodgerslist. We are glad you’ve joined us all. We’ve got valuable information we’ve learned from the vets Dodgerslist consults with and our own experiences with IVDD since 2002 to share with you! Learn more about us and how we team up with veterinarians:
What is your dog’s name? Your name, too? I am Romy.
There are two methods for treating IVDD; surgery and conservative. With surgery, the out-of-place disc material, pressing on the nerves is removed. Conservative treatment uses anti-inflamatories to treat the spinal cord swelling, stomach protection, pain meds and 8 weeks of Strict crate rest. The crate rest part is very important because it is immobility which allows the disc to heal. This can be compared to the cast used to treat a broken arm. The cast immobilizes the arm, which allows the disc to heal. With our dogs, we use a crate.
We have additional information about crate rest at the link below:
www.dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-proc
Is your dog currently on Strict crate rest? The crate rest must be very strict. The dog should be in the crate 24/7, out only for pottying and needed vet visits.
STRICT means:
- no laps
- no couches
- no baths
- no sleeping with you
- no chiro therapy - no dragging or meandering at potty times.
Carry to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very few limited footsteps.
Surgery is often considered in the following situations:
• If your dog can't walk OR with STRICT crate rest, neurological functions worsen and are lost (legs and bladder control)
• STRICT crate rest is employed and after several attempts to go off of the anti-inflammatory, the pain returns
• If 100% STRICT crate rest has been employed and pain medications have been adjusted (dose, frequency, and mix of pain relievers) yet the pain can’t be brought under control
• if a dog is experiencing similar signs of neck or back pain, or mild neurological deficits for the 3rd or 4th time, meaning it may be the same disc is involved.
You can read more about surgery vs conservative treatment here:
dodgerslist.com/2020/02/10/surgery-vs-conservative
What symptoms does your dog have?
-- Can he still walk, even if wobbly, move his legs?
-- Is he able to wag his tail?
Can your dog specifically sniff and squat and then release urine which is bladder control – OR- do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted which are indication of an overflowing bladder and loss of bladder control? Dogs that have lost bladder control must be expressed to avoid UTIs. Information about expressing is here:
Is your dog currently in pain? These are the signs of pain we look for; ☐shivering, trembling
☐yelping when picked up or moved
☐reluctant to move much in crate such as shift positions or slow to move
☐tight tense tummy
☐can’t find a comfortable position
☐Arched back
☐ Holding front or back leg flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
☐head held high or nose to the ground
☐Not their normal perky selves?
Full pain relief is expected in 1 hour and stays that way between doses. If not in control, your vet needs to know right away, so the pain meds can be adjusted.
Please list the exact names of meds currently given, their doses in mgs and times per day given.
If on a steroid….what was the
-- start date & dose?
-- Date of steroid taper?
If on a NSAID, for how many days has it been prescribed for?
You can find more information about commonly used meds here:
The picture above is an illustration of a dog's spine. There are different areas in the spine. For example, the cervical area, which is the neck, the thoracic area below the neck, etc. The different areas are numbered separately. For example, the cervical spine, the neck, has 7 vertebrae numbered 1-7 with one being closest to the head. The thoracic spine, the chest area, has 13 vertebrae. In this area, the vertebrae are numbered 1-13. The lumbar spine, lower back has 7. When we talk about the area of the spine with the herniated disc, we use a letter to indicate what area of the spine we are referencing. For example, C-6 would be the cervical spine, T-12 would be the thoracic spine and so on. When we are told where in the spine the herniation is, the number would be prefixed by a letter. What letter goes with your dog's herniation at 3-4?
We encourage you to register and become a member of the Forum. That way, it will be easier for you to reply and make it easier for us to track your dog and give the best of comments and support. Tips on registering:
It is very scary when our dogs have IVDD. It becomes less so when we learn all we can about the disease. There is much more information at our main website:
www.dodgerslist.com
