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Post by Karen & Moose on Jan 11, 2024 3:22:19 GMT -7
[Original subject line: New member ]
Weight 20 lbs
His currently taking gabapentin 50 mg twice a day . Prednisone 5mg every other day and cefpodoxime 100mg one a day.
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
20lbs 5 y.o.
12/30(?) lost rear leg function and bladder control
prednisone as of 12/30: ?mgs ?x/day for ? days, then a test taper for: 1/11 shivers pain / _neuro
gabapentin 50mgs 2x/day
defpodoxime 100mg 1x/day
Moose needs GI tract protector, Pepcid AC, on board for duration of prednisone! ]
I have a dashund he’s 5 years old his name is Moose. He was diagnosed with IVDD. I took him to the vet 12/30/23 and 1/8/24. He still shivers , able to eat and drink . Poop is ok. Wags his tail but is paralyzed from both back legs . He wets the bedding and leaks when lifted .
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Jan 11, 2024 12:32:04 GMT -7
Karen, welcome to the Forum. As I read your report, it appears with the tapering of prednisone that Moose remains in pain (shaking). Questions for you are at the end to give us a fuller picture of Moose's situation. Shaking can also be a sign of being cold or nervous. It helps to confirm pain if you also observe more than one sign of pain. SIGNS OF PAIN: ⚙︎ shivering-trembling ⚙︎ yelping when picked up or moved ⚙︎ tight tense tummy ⚙︎ arched back, ears pinned bac ⚙︎ restless, can't find a comfortable position ⚙︎ slow or reluctant to move in suite such as shift positions ⚙︎ not their normal perky interested in life selves That means the vet needs to know asap today if there is existing pain. If pain, you'd expect Prednisone to go back up to the high anti-inflammatory level as prescribed on 12/30 for another course. Course could be a 7-day or a 14 day course. Resolution of spinal cord inflammation/swelling provides the relief from pain. It may take several courses approaching 30 days before all swelling is gone. Taper days do not work on swelling! 🚩 Understand more how Prednisone is used with a disc episode. dodgerslist.com/2020/04/18/steroids-vs-nsaids/ LOST BLADDER CONTROL- expressingAdjusting meds by phone avoids a risky-to-the early healing disc during a car transport and going inside the vet building. When a dog has lost bladder control and you are not expressing the bladder every 2-3 hrs while on Pred due to just learning this new skill, leaking happens (a bad thing). HOWEVER, it sounds as though you've not been shown how to express and need this lesson pronto today! Not expressing can cause diminishment of bladder tone muscles! Not good for when bladder control returns. So going to get a lesson makes the bladder health issue override the disc damage risk during a transport. You will need an expressing lesson today 1/11. A quick view of video and tips will have you ahead of the game in getting more out of the vet's hands on your hands type of expressing lesson: 🚩 dodgerslist.com/2020/05/05/bladder-bowel-care/ This link also shows you how to express for poop....so easy you do not need a lesson! STOMACH PROTECTION with prednisone 3 stresses and why Pepcid AC! Dogs do not speak up at first signs like a person would, so best to be proactive in stomach protection. 🚩 dodgerslist.com/2020/05/06/stomach-protectionSummary of questions for you: For how many days was pred Rx'd on 12/30 before any reduction(taper) started?
How many mgs was the dose?
How many times a day did you give that dose.
Where there other Pred courses?
Why did you go to vet on 1/8?
What date lost rear leg function?
What date lost bladder control (leaks on you when lifted, urine found in bedding?)
Will be watching to learn what the vet said, changes to Rx's and that you dog's pain is being covered round the clock. |
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Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724 
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Post by Marjorie on Jan 11, 2024 16:55:02 GMT -7
I would also like to welcome you to the forum, Karen. In addition to the excellent information Paula has already given you, I would like to add the following as it is unclear to me whether Moose is currently on strict crate rest. If you have been given specific instructions on STRICT crate rest by your vet, please let us know the date strict crate rest was started (we assume 12/30/23 as that was the first date Moose was seen by a vet). 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 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! —> www.dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process/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. As Paula mentioned, getting a hands-on-your-hands demonstration by a vet on expressing the bladder to avoid UTIs would be a beneficial reason to risk transport to a vet. For transport to necessary visits, pad out the recovery suite extra space with a rolled up towel/blanket to prevent body shifts during braking or cornering. When there is severe neuro diminishment, acupuncture or laser light therapy can be be started right away if financially feasible as an adjunct to pain meds and to kick start nerve cell energy production. Options: Acupuncture vet who does home visits to avoid back moving during transports. For transport to necessary visits, pad out the recovery suite extra space with a rolled up towel/blanket to prevent body shifts during braking or cornering. CAUTIONS: ~~ Laser light therapy is contra-indicated with tumors which are detected via x-ray. www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/Not to frighten you but to help you be aware of what can sometimes develop with severe spinal cord injury, please be knowledgeable about phantom pain. Neuropathic pain is abnormal, phantom pain sensations with severe spinal cord damage. Signs are obsessive licking of paw, leg, genitals, tail. Escalates to biting, life-threatening chewing off parts. Immediately put on an e-collar (or lengthwise folded towel around neck and duct taped closed) to prevent access to lower body. Contact vet immediately for Gabapentin or stronger Lyrica (pregabalin) for neuropathic pain. More info: dodgerslist.com/2020/06/10/neuropathy/?highlight=neuropathicThe more knowledge you have, the better you can fight this disease on behalf of Moose. Excellent page to start with "Overview: the essentials" and then read all you can as soon as possible. Here's the link dodgerslist.com/healing-the-disc/Healing prayers for Moose. |
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