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Post by Jennifer & McShorty on Dec 20, 2023 6:17:23 GMT -7
[Original subject line: 1 week post op. ]
1 pain? No
2 weigh? 19 Age? 6
steroid: 12/14 5mg 1.5 tablets; taper 12/18 5mg 12/23 1 tablet every other day
Pepcid yes, no signs of damage
dachshund, McShorty, Jennifer
disc herniation surgery 12/12 neurosurgeon
can walk, sniff, pee, and poop
walk, wag tail, bark let me out.
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,549
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Post by PaulaM on Dec 20, 2023 11:39:14 GMT -7
Welcome Jennifer! Sounds as though 1 wk post-op he is doing well. Could he wobbly walk before surgery so we have some basis of a before and an after.
For how many weeks does the surgeon want for post-op rest?
What home exercise did he instruct. Often when a dog can walk, a walk to and from the potty place could be the PT. Let us know what your surgeon directed.
Is there something in particular you would like us to help you with?
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Post by Jennifer & McShorty on Dec 21, 2023 14:15:27 GMT -7
He has been doing better, however today he seems to be doing a little worse. Still ate and drank well, pottied.but he’s moving much slower. He’s sleeping rather than paying attention to what is going on around him. He may just be getting depressed but he seems to be struggling a little more with walking. Have call into dr
He had just started dragging his back legs in our vets office and she said get him to specialist immediately. We are going back on 1/4 for recheck and 1/9 for first PT appt. We were doing PT but the exercise he was getting seemed like exactly the same steps he was using to walk.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,549
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Post by PaulaM on Dec 21, 2023 19:40:37 GMT -7
Jennifer, immediately crate McShorty with 100% STRICT rest to make sure no more damage happens to the spinal cord. Do NO PT, nor walking around or anything. VERY limited movement of the back and only a few minimal footsteps at potty time.
TIME matters, call the surgical hospital NOW, this evening 12/21, if you have not already contacted them.
They may want to stop tapering prednisone to very possibly getting up at the anti-inflammatory level. OR the hospital may want to see him. POTTY TIME 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! i0.wp.com/dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Potty-leash-harness400-19kb.jpgLet us know what the surgeon says. |
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Post by Jennifer & McShorty on Dec 22, 2023 7:42:50 GMT -7
? Conservative 12/22; GRAD 2/16/2024
Surgeon said to go back to original dose [?mg ?x/day on date?] of prednisone.
Calling in a prescription for something to calm him. (Anti anxiety) he can still walk and move legs just needs more support. Eating, drinking, potty fine. We are carrying him everywhere. Except when he is walking around in yard. Which is very short distance and support.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,549
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Post by PaulaM on Dec 22, 2023 9:17:13 GMT -7
Jennifer, very relieved to hear McShorty back legs are no longer dragging with the upping of Prednisone. Good job on taking the new cord damage that happened seriously by carrying him to and from the potty place. And at the potty place allowing only a very few footsteps. That means any walking around the yard is NOT allowed. When you can, do be specific whenever you mention a change in a drug. The dose in mgs and how often you actually give it. Our understanding of treatment and our comments are hindered when information is missing. Questions1. Prednisone dosed to "back on original dose" on what date? -- The mg dose? -- Number of times a day you give it? -- for how many days? then tapers 2. Other new meds RX'd OR adjusted by surgeon -- Name? ?mg ?x/day 3. What did the surgeon say was the likely reason for the new severe neuro damage of dragging legs at the 12/21 vet appt? -- Of course our immediate thought goes to a disc (the one operated on OR a another disc was damaged by too much movement) and impacted severely impacted the spinal cord. If that would be the case, then McShorty would NOW be now under conservative treatment. It takes more time AND more strict rest for a damaged disc to heal than for a post-op dog.
Conservative vs. Surgical crate rest
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