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Post by Sammy Morris on Jul 30, 2024 21:18:31 GMT -7
[Original subject line: Age 5, 10 lb rescued fur baby]
[This post has now been marked. We don't want to miss anything new you report. Please give new or additional information in a new post. Thank you!]
☆ 1 Sammy is naturally anxious. He was a rescue and possibly abused. Determining if there's pain or anxiety has been my biggest struggle. The vet thinks his panting is anxiety driven. He is stiff in the shoulders, tends to pant every few hours until settled.
★2 10 lbs. Age 5
A.. Prednisone 2x a day He started steroids on 7/22
Gabapentin 2x a day
Trazadone as needed, only 1/2 x a day
Dexmedetomidine (sedative) as needed
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
7/20 lost control of back right leg. 7/31 dragging both(?) back legs
Prednisone as of 7/22: ?mg ?x/day for how many days? Then a TEST TAPER for _ pain and _neuro
gabapentin ?mg 2x/day
trazadone ?mg 1x/day
dexmedetomidine (sedative) ?mg ?x/day
Sammy needs GI tract protector, Pepcid AC, on board for duration of prednisone! ]
My vet didn't recommend Pepcid AC but I'm seeing this mentioned on support groups, do I need to start this for my little guy since he's on steroids?
☆ 3 -- Does you dog show red flag signs of stomach damage?
He didn't eat at first, low appetite now. [Lose bowels a few times.]
☆ 4 Mixed breed, short legs, blonde straw like hair, floppy ears.
☆ 5 🔘 T8, T9, L7 and S1 mineralization
We started with a [7/20] trip to the ER, got X-rays and pain medication. Saw our regular vet [7/22] 2 days later as this happened on a weekend. Saw chiropractor [7/24ish?] mid week. The chiropractor did an adjustment, suggested we massage his hip bones and do stretching.
🔘 -- We have not seen a neurologist or ortho. My husband lost his job recently. We don't feel we'd be able to afford MRI and surgery. Trying hard to consider conservative treatment.
☆ 6 🔘 First incident was out of nowhere, Saturday the 20th at noon Sammy suddenly lost control of his back right leg. We saw the ER that afternoon,
our regular vet on Monday 7/22. All bloodwork at our regular vet looks normal.
☆ 7 🔘 Can your dog specifically sniff and squat and then release urine which is bladder control?
He has been able to squat or lower and potty. He's had a few accidents. Lose bowels a few times.
🔘 - OR- do you find wet bedding or leaks on you when lifted which are indication of an overflowing bladder and loss of bladder control?
I ordered a sling but it was too big for Sammy's small body. I've been supported his hips and straightening his leg during bathroom breaks.
☆ 8 He is trying to scoot inside the playpen. He can move with dragging the back legs, pulling from the front legs. I don't know if I should allow this or not. His tail hasn't wagged at all but it does move up when he's focused ready to go potty.
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Post by Sammy M on Jul 31, 2024 8:46:17 GMT -7
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 31, 2024 9:39:46 GMT -7
Thank you for registering. Please login before posting. Sammy will be moved to the proper treatment board: Conservative Board, when I see you are able to login to post. Thanks so much! I am now reading your post and preparing a detailed reply. Make sure you are doing true STRICT rest for the healing disc during Conservative (non-surgical) treatment. Conservative treatment DEMANDS a more strict rest approach to allow the disc to heal than the rest after a surgery. With time the body will also heal that nerve damage. If you can commit to the STRICT rest, Sammy has a chance for many more happy years ahead living with you.  Let us know you are on board and doing the effecive single most important of care: The hallmark component of conservative treatment is the very STRICT crate rest part (no PT, no chiro, little back 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! dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-processKnowledge is key! Owner understanding ensures proper conservative treatment principals: ▶︎ Roadmap for your fridge. Stay the course, avoid dangerous detours for the healing disc: dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Roadmap-for-Fridge.pdfSTRICT rest means: ◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches ◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you ◼︎ no chiro therapy WHYs: dodgerslist.com/chiropractic/ ◼︎no dragging 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. Vets who know IVDD often take phone updates, adjust meds over the phone. |
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,928
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Post by PaulaM on Jul 31, 2024 11:00:22 GMT -7
Ashlee, we are very glad you have joined us on this Forum. Our goal is to expedite getting your dog on the correct path to healing his disc. More later on. Right now these are the two things (true STRICT rest & med adjustments) to attend to today!
====ACTIONS to take today=====
#1 is make sure you have committed to the real true method of STRICT rest for the back to prevent increased damage to the spinal cord beyond dragging right leg (or is it now both legs as of 7/31 dragging?) Let us know you are on board with the strict rest. This page has loads of tips and ideas to help you implement the very best of care at your home: 🚩 dodgerslist.com/strict-rest-recovery-process/
Use a figure-8 sling for the male dog. Make one for Sammy. The sling will save your own back and be more acceptable for the male dog at potty time.
#2 is to get his pain in check, round the clock, night and day. Get his meds adjusted by phone today. ![]()  Sammy is very likely UNDERMEDICATED for pain with only one pain med on board and only dosed only twice a day. A vet should assume a painful disease IS painful and treat as such. It is the resolution of spinal cord inflammation/swelling that provides the relief from pain. It can take an anti-inflammatory Prednisone in a range of 7 to 30 days before all painful swelling is gone.
The best pain medication control is using more than one approach to address pain from multiple fronts -- traMADol-general analgesic every 8 hrs (3x/day) -- methocarbamol- muscle spasm pain every 8 hrs (3x/day) -- gabapentin-nerve pain every 8 hrs (3x/day).
All three pain meds ought to be prescribed three times a day while predniosne is at work trying to get all painful swelling gone in 7 to 30 days! Pain is inevitable with a disc episode. However suffering is optional. Adjusting meds by phone avoids a risky-to-the disc car transport. Describe the pain that you're seeing. Make a phone call to report signs of pain nearing next dose of gabapentin or when having to move in his recovery suite. KNOW ALL THESE SIGNS OF PAIN you are to monitor for and report to the vet: dodgerslist.com/emergency-pain-medications/ There should be no sign of pain from one dose of meds to the next. Have no patience with pain as it does hinder healing. Look for your dog to be acting their normal, interested in life selves when pain is fully under control round the clock. --Advocate for the three pain meds every 8hrs. plus a stomach protector such as Pepcid AC (Famotidine) to protect against the side effects of the anti-inflammatory.
--Understand WHY you are advocating for Pepcid AC and HOW to phrase the question: 🚩https://dodgerslist.com/stomach-protection/
√Lose stool, √low appetite, √leg nerve damage, √stress of change in routine are significant pointers to likelihood of serious GI tract problems possibility. Unless there is a health reason Sammy may not take Pepcic AC, why take the risk of painful, deadly bleeding ulcers. -- Learn all about Prednisone. An informed owner is a dog's best defense when taking an anti-inflammatory. What your job is, how to arrange for a Plan B with your vet. 🚩https://dodgerslist.com/steroids-vs-nsaids/ ====ACTIONS - END =====
Ashlee, owner IVDD knowledge is the 🔑KEY to fighting the IVDD enemy! " It's not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters. ~~ great coach "Bear" Bryant 🔑 The Forum's goal is to immediately expedite getting things right specifically for your dog's needs to ensure a good outcome on graduation day from Conservative treatment on Sep 25. In other words, helping you implement at home those things that make conservative treatment work for many disc episodes. In the longer term, helping you to get up to speed on disc disease for living many happy years ahead with your dog. 🔑Do "vet" the information you'd rely on for at home care: -- Dodgerslist list teams up with veterinarians to teach about IVDD: 🚩 dodgerslist.com/education-team-ivdd/ -- Owners comment about learning to care for their dog at home: 🚩 dodgerslist.com/success-storiesFill in some blanks for us: -- What date did Sammy start dragging both hind legs? Was it after the 7/24ish? chiro adjustments?-- Is his recovery suite only large enough to surround the mattress?-- Only large enough to easily turn around in and fully stretch out his legs when lying down?-- Have you padded out any extra space with rolled up blanket as a bolster?-- Prednisone 1) What mg dose 2x/day was Rx'd on 7/20 at ER? 2) Why did it take til 7/22 to begin dosing at home? Did Sammy get a steroid shot at ER....details please. 3) For how many days is he to take the 7/22 (?)mgs twice a day? Then the dose starts to taper down.-- Pain meds
Gabapentin: ?mgs actually dosed promptly every 12hrs (2x/day)?
traZODone: ?mgs dosed every 24hrs (once a day)?
dexmedetomidine: ?mg ?x/day
We look forward to seeing you post logged in as a member. And learning more about Sammy with the answers to questions in pink. |
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