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Post by Erika & Bella on Nov 19, 2023 9:04:38 GMT -7
[Original subject line: Possible Stage 1 IVDD
This post is being marked for important information. Should you have additional or corrected information, please just share that in a new post. Thanks bunches!]
☆ 1 I don’t think so. I have not tried picking her up since Friday Nov 17,2023 because she would yelp.
★2 20 lbs Age? 5.5 years
Meloxicam 0.5mg, measure to 20 lbs, once a day.
Gabapentin 100 mg every 8-12 hours for pain
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
20 lbs 5.5 y.o.
11/17 DMV neck pain symptoms, strict rest not Rx'd
Meloxicam as of date: 0.5mgs 1x/day
gabapentin 100mgs ?x/day actually given
Bella needs GI tract protector, Pepcid AC, on board for duration of Meloxicam! ]
☆ 4 What breed? Dachshund Your dog’s name? Bella Your name? Erika
☆ 5 🔘 The suspect it but waiting on the radiologist to read X-rays. DVM
☆ 6 CONSERVATIVE treatment? 11/17/23
Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite, the mattress and more! —> dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/
STRICT means:
- no laps - no couches
- no baths - no sleeping with you
- no dragging or meandering at potty times.
- no PT - no chiro therapy
Why Chiropractic is not recommended for pain for an IVDD dog: dodgerslist.com/2020/04/22/chiropractic/
☆ 7 bladder control Yes
DOGs with BLADDER 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 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!
☆ 8 Walks with no problem, wags tail
Hello. I joined this group to learn more about IVDD. Our five-year-old Dachshund, Bella, started yelping when I would pick her up (one arm under her chest and the other under her bottom).
I took her to the vet Friday and they believe her neck was hurting. Did an x-ray and it showed a small calcification and narrowing at the bottom of her neck. They will send the x-rays off to a radiologist to read, but they suspect IVDD. They will call me next week with the official results.
She is overweight and we are working on that. She is having no problems walking or running, but some pain in neck.
I have so many questions. Most of which I did ask the vet, but I understand they don’t have a crystal ball. In your experience, does mild IVDD always get worse? Will we be in limbo just waiting for her to decline? I know I shouldn’t think like that and I should be grateful it’s mild, which I am. I am just so anxious and worried.
They sent her home with anti-inflammatory Metacam and pain meds Gabapentin. Her restrictions are to be confined to a kennel or small room when not being supervised. No running, playing or jumping. We ordered a crate and it will be here tomorrow. (They normally sleep with us in bed or on the couch. I got one a litter larger so she and her sister, Gigi, can stay in there together. (They’re both miniature Dachshunds and don’t rough house unless they’re out back in the yard)
I’ve put the ramps away so they don’t even come near the couch. I’ve put up a gate so they can’t leave the living room (about an 9x11 free space) They are both cuddled up in their beds on the floor and I’m on the couch.
I have not picked her up since Friday because that’s the only time she seems to be in pain. I am having to stop her from running and playing. I’ve put her toys up so as not to be tempted.
I have yet to leave them alone. Should I be more strict? Less strict?
Any advice or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 19, 2023 11:20:06 GMT -7
Thank you so much for registering. Take advantage of this feature: ➡️ EMAIL ALERTS You can receive email alerts when someone has posted. Timely interaction/communications is needed when helping your dog. Bookmark your dog's thread to receive an email alert when someone has replied. Go to the CONSERVATIVE board: dodgerslist.boards.net/board/6/conservative 1. Look for your dog's thread and checkmark it. 2. Look for the white ACTIONS button towards top. 3. Select “Notification Options" from the pull down menu — check mark “NEW POST” change from never to INSTANT email — press the SAVE button. Click the “x” to close the window 4. Next choose the “Bookmark” See the tiny book symbol now! i.postimg.cc/GhKYTNg7/Bookmarking.jpg ** ➡️ QUICK REPLY: Easy, fast and recommended! Go to the "Quick reply" typing area at bottom of your dog's thread to write a reply. Quick Reply allows scrolling up to a previous post & back down to the "Quick Reply" typing area to continue your own post.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 19, 2023 11:45:12 GMT -7
Ericka, welcome to the Forum. We are so glad you joined right away. First kudos to you for not wasting any time in getting vet help with meds. If your dog moves around too much, the disc cannot heal. With pain med gabapentin to mask pain, a dog will not be in pain and want to be more active. So it is up to you to restrict your dog’s activity for them. The single most important care is STRICT REST to avoid worsen disc damage to then impact spinal cord! 2nd of great importance to Bella's healing (ASAP, now) is to get her into a small space with an ex-pen if that is what you use to block the living room. The recovery suite dimensions that allow the neck disc to heal are: --- Enough room to easily turn around in --- Enough room to fully stretch out the legs when lying down --- Absolutely no other pet should be in the recovery suite with Bella! EXTRAS for a neck disc
There are extra things you can do at home to help the neck heal, such as softening hard kibble, raising food/water dishes, etc. More info here: ==> dodgerslist.com/2020/05/05/cervical-care-tips/Stomach ProtectionDo not delay get stomach protection on board for the duration of Meloxicam to avoid bleeding ulcers if you are aware you dog does not have kidney, liver or heart issues. Keep your vet post on Monday that you added Pepcid AC (Get the dose & full why's that your vet did not emphasize: dodgerslist.com/2020/05/06/stomach-protection/Not all vets know IVDD DVMs in a general practice see many different species- hampsters, cats, all breeds of dogs, reptiles, birds, maybe even farm animals. They practice many specialties in the course of a day: pediatrics, dentistry, surgery, internal medicine. Is it surprising, that keeping current and indepth knowledge of each and every disease for every species is probably not likely? However YOU can easily become a mini-expert on one very-important-to-you disease. The key component for healing a disc is the VERY strict rest. Always inside the recovery suite, alone with no other dogs. Food and water bowls inside the recovery suite.Only out of the suite when carried to and from the potty place. -- At potty time no other dog should be around for disc safety reasons. -- A harness and 6 foot leash is to control speed and keep footsteps to 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!The more you know, the better able you can make choices, understand the vet and bring things up to discuss. Bella will be counting on you to be the IVDD savvy pet parent she will need in you. 🚩 Shortcut Thru IVDD will give you a quick overview of the now plus living many happy years ahead: dodgerslist.com/2020/06/26/time-and-ivdd/ 🚩 Strict Rest Recovery Process will provide you with a wealth of member tips to help make the next 8 weeks of disc healing go smoother. Well worth your time: dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/ 🚩 Conservative treatment is not rocket science. Still, initially, you may be overwhelmed by the several parts to it. I recommend this page be taped on the fridge to help keep your mind organized. Knowledge also helps to keep worries less. 🚩 Xrays: Rochester Veterinary Specialists explain best the whys of xrays: "The purpose of x-rays (radiographs) in IVD disease is to help make decisions regarding treatment choices. If IVD disease is the suspected cause, then radiographs are not critical except to a surgeon.
If there is reason to suspect something other than a displaced disc (such as a vertebral tumor, infection, or fracture), then x-rays are wholly appropriate. Your veterinarian should discuss with you the purposes and need for any spinal x-rays.
Furthermore, obtaining good quality spinal x-rays requires the patient to be completely immobilized, and this usually means employing a general anesthetic.
If a dog is going to be treated medically, then knowing the precise location is unimportant." vetspecialistsofrochester.com/pdf/UnderstandingIntervertebralDiscDiseaseInDogs.pdf#zoom=100 last accessed 2015.Let us know about these things. -- if you now have Pepcid AC 5mgs 2x/day for duration of Meloxicam
-- For how many days is Bella to take Meloxicam?
-- Which do you actually promptly dose gabapentin: every 8 or 12 hours?
-- Has the vet revised the likely IVDD diagnosis to one of a higher suspicion of another disease that may well have a different treatment? What is the name of that disease?
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Post by Erika & Bella on Nov 20, 2023 18:00:26 GMT -7
The vet called today and said the Radiologist didn’t see anything concerning on the X-rays! Vet believes Bella still had a “minor episode”. Keeping her on crate rest until we go back for follow up.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 20, 2023 19:37:39 GMT -7
Erika, please read my post re: x-rays. Do update us on the questions asked.
Very concerned Bella is not getting adequate care via 100% STRICT rest. Let's keep the symptom mild by getting her inside a recovery suite and the other things mentioned. Let us know.
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Post by Erika & Bella on Nov 21, 2023 21:20:10 GMT -7
Where is your post about the X-rays?
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Nov 22, 2023 6:07:58 GMT -7
Erika scroll upwards til you see my post dated : Nov 19, 2023. Lots of other important information there also,
🚩 Xrays: Rochester Veterinary Specialists explains best the whys of xrays: "The purpose of x-rays (radiographs) in IVD disease is to help make decisions regarding treatment choices. If IVD disease is the suspected cause, then radiographs are not critical except to a surgeon.
If there is reason to suspect something other than a displaced disc (such as a vertebral tumor, infection, or fracture), then x-rays are wholly appropriate. Your veterinarian should discuss with you the purposes and need for any spinal x-rays.
Furthermore, obtaining good quality spinal x-rays requires the patient to be completely immobilized, and this usually means employing a general anesthetic.
If a dog is going to be treated medically, then knowing the precise location is unimportant." vetspecialistsofrochester.com/pdf/UnderstandingIntervertebralDiscDiseaseInDogs.pdf#zoom=100 last accessed 2015.
Let us know about these things.
-- if you now have Pepcid AC 5mgs 2x/day for duration of Meloxicam
-- For how many days is Bella to take Meloxicam?
-- Which do you actually promptly dose gabapentin: every 8 or 12 hours?
-- Has the vet revised the likely IVDD diagnosis to one of a higher suspicion of another disease that may well have a differen
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