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:
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What is your name? I am Romy
Is Ollie showing any signs of pain currently? The signs of pain we look for are; ☐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 Ollie is showing any of these signs, please let the vet know right away so the pain meds can be adjusted. Ollie should not be in pain. Pain will only slow the healing process.
Gabapentin is a good medicine for nerve pain, but during an IVDD there may be other sources of pain. What we have seen work best is a combination of three medicines, each attacking pain differently.
Methocarbamol for painful muscle contractions 3x/day.
Tramadol Rx'd 3x/day as the general pain reliever
Gabapentin for nerve pain also Rx'd 3x/day.
If you are seeing signs of pain, speak with your vet about adding tramadol and methocarbamol to the gabapentin. These medicines do not last long in the body and may have to be taken 3x daily to provide full release.
You can read more about these and other medicines here:
www.dodgerslist.com/meds-used-during-disc-episode/
Trazadone is a sedative and may be prescribed to help keep a dog calm during recovery. It is not a pain reliever.
I know you are aware of the importance of strict crate rest, and I know how difficult it can be to keep a dog on crate rest. But I strongly urge you to confine Ollie to the crate during this episode. It is the immobility enforced by crate rest that allows the disk to heal. He should be in the crate all the time, out only for pottying and necessary vet visits. Any time out of the crate is dangerous to the healing disc.
STRICT means:
- no laps - no couches
- no baths - no sleeping with you
- no chiro therapy - no dragging or meandering at potty times
Information about useful supplies and tried and true ideas for strict rest can be found at the link below::
www.dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-procI am glad you will be starting the Pepcid AC. This will help protect Ollie from stomach damage that can be caused by excess stomach acid. All anti-inflammatories cause this excess acid.
The usual dose of Pepcid AC (famotidine) for dogs is 0.44mg per pound, 30 mins before the anti-inflammatory and thereafter every 12 hours for as long as your dog is on the anti-inflammatory.
How much does Ollie weigh?
Ollie's symptoms are not unusual during a flare-up. He is a good candidate for conservative treatment as his neuro deficits are not severe. Wobbly walking is nerve damage caused by disk material pressing on the nerves. His walking may get steadier over time.
Here is what to expect for each phase of Ollie's healing:
www.dodgerslist.com/in-the-right-place
You can easily get back up to speed on IVDD. There is a lot more information on our main web site at
www.dodgerslist.com.
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