|
|
Post by Debi & Winston on Aug 10, 2024 17:46:04 GMT -7
[Original subject line: Newbie]
Good evening.. my name is Debi and my pup was diagnosed by a regular vet and about 6 X-rays..2 at the emergency vet [8/9?] the night before. Winston is his name, he is a 5 1/2 year old long haired chihuahua.
He has had difference issues since I brought him home, and I have actually taken him in about what I thought was back issues several years ago that my vet didn’t think was. Winston has luxating patella’s in both his hind legs.. grade 2.
Winston has just been diagnosed with IVDD . Originally we thought Winston’s problem was an enlarged prostate (and a slightly enlarged liver) the emergency vet also mentioned a narrow area in the spine however my vet did not see a big concern.
However Winston was having pain when I picked him up so I went back [date?] for more x rays which did show a narrow area. Winston’s to be neutered on August 20th but we changed that to September 5 to give Winston time to heal. However in what I read 4 weeks may not be enough time.
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
8/9(?) wobbly
?crated 8/10?
8/13 escaped down a flight of stairs.
6lbs 5.5 y.o
name of anti-inflammatory?
Methocarbamol as of 8/12 83mg 3x/day ]
Winston is on Methocarbamol the bottle says 500mg, each pill cut into 6 pieces. So 1/6 pill every 8 hours. 5AM and 1PM and 9PM. For 2 weeks.
Does not seem in pain today [8/10] but it’s first day on his meds. He is eating 4 small meals a day, is drinking water
And pooped yesterday but no poop today yet.
he is not real wobbly. Wags his tail and lifts his legs to pee.
I had to finally lay down with him on the first night ( last night) as he was frantic and was trying to claw his way out of his pen. I expanded his pen so I can lay down there with him tonight.
Ive started to read the Facebook posts and files. There is a lot to learn.
so glad found you. Thankyou for the add.. I can’t quite figure out how to use this thread.. to answer the questions.. I’ll be reading the files.Debi
|
|
PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,884
|
Post by PaulaM on Aug 12, 2024 11:07:06 GMT -7
Debi, welcome to the Forum. Sorry to hear that Winston is having problems. Did you get a diagnosis for IVDD (a disc episode)?
Which vet (ER or your vet) gave the diagnosis of having a disc episode?The treatment of medications you report for Winston does not line up with the treatment for a disc episode. A disc episode of pain and some nerve damage (you report wobbly legs) would be treated:-- with an anti-inflammatory to get all the painful swelling resolved in a range of 7- 30 days. -- with pain meds (ususally a 3-way combo) to provide full comfort from pain until the anti-inflammatory gets rid of all painful inflammation around the spinal cord -- The dog with this conservative (non-surgical) treatment would be under the required STRICT REST of the spine to allow the disc to heal on its own. Until you know this is not a disc episode, PLEASE assume it is a disc episode having caused: 1) pain (but now pain is under control round the clock with a muscle relaxer methocarbamol) and 2) the wobbly legs having been cause due to a degenerated/damaged disc pressing on the spinal cord. 3) MUST DO STRICT REST MEANS: ◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches ◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you ◼︎no chiro therapy WHYs: dodgerslist.com/chiropractic/ ◼︎no meandering at potty times. ◼︎no PT or other surgeries for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc ◼︎ avoid dangerous detours. Follow the "Roadmap." Tape it to your fridge. D/L and print out: dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Roadmap-for-Fridge.pdf ◼︎ 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 their IVDD, often take phone updates, they adjust meds if needed over the phone.POTTY TIME strictness Carry your dog to and from the recovery suite to the potty place and then allow a very, 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.Please confirm that you are on the same page as to conservative care as described above. 🚩 Super tried and true tips for setting up the recovery suite and what size the suite needs to be, the mattress and more! dodgerslist.com/strict-rest-recovery-process/
🚩 Get saavy about IVDD on www.DODGERSlist.com Get the indepth info on the disease your dog was born with: dodgerslist.com/ivdd-healing-the-torn-disc/
Fill us in on Winston:
Weight?
Date you began true conservative treatment of STRICT REST?
What is the reason no anti-inflammatory drug was Rxd for nerve diminishment and pain?
What is the date of wobbly leg and pain began?
Thank you so much for registering! Now you can set up to get email alerts whenever a post is waiting for you.
Bookmark Winston'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 ▼? |
|
PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,884
|
Post by PaulaM on Aug 13, 2024 10:32:39 GMT -7
8/13 Reply from Debi found and moved to Winston's thread:
Thank you for your response. Winston is 6 pounds, he was diagnosed by a regular vet after more x rays.
The only thing recommended and given to me was the Methocarbamol.
Winston has never been crated, I used a small pen I had gotten when he was first here and created his confined space. He does not wobble much as I said, I would not of thought anything was wrong except when I picked him up sometimes he’d cry and he didn’t want to go up and down the stairs.
[MED LIST/HISTORY- Moderator's Note. Please do not edit
8/9 wobbly
crated 8/9
✙ 8/13 escaped down a flight of stairs.
6lbs 5.5 y.o
name of anti-inflammatory?
Methocarbamol as of 8/12 83mg 3x/day ]
He is eating, peeing, pooping.
We are starting day five of being confined [as of 8/9],
but had an incident this morning [8/13] ✙where he got out of his area and came all the way down the stairs. I felt horrible like I just failed him.. got him back into his pen, added more secure locking and gave him his breakfast.
He does pant on excess some times. I figured that was pain.
|
|
PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,884
|
Post by PaulaM on Aug 13, 2024 10:51:13 GMT -7
Debi fingers crossed the escape down the stairs will not have done further damage to the disc trying to heal nor increased neuro damage. Monitor and report each sign of pain observed to the vet to get meds adjusted over the phone:
SIGNS OF PAIN: ⚙︎ _shivering-trembling ⚙︎ 8/13 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 Monitor and report any increased neuro diminishment: As damage to the spinal cord increases, there can be a predictable stepwise deterioration of functions if excessive back/neck movement happens for example. Nerves do heal in the exact opposite order nerve damage occured. 1. 8/9? Pain with initial tear of disc and ensuing swelling 2. 8/9? Wobbly walking legs cross 3. __Nails/toes scuffing floor 4. __Paws knuckle under. Dog is slow to correct or can't right the paw(s) at all 5. __Weak/little leg movement, __ can't move up into a stand 6. __Legs do not work at all (paralysis, dog is down) 7. __Bladder control is lost. Leaks on you when lifted. Can no longer sniff and then pee on that old urine spot outdoors. 8. __Tail wagging with joy is lost 9.__ Deep pain sensation, the last neuro function, a critical indicator for nerves to be able to self heal after surgery or with conservative treatment. If surgery is not an option (for whatever reason) then the best option is conservative therapy. Surgery can still be successful in the window of 12-24 hours after loss of deep pain sensation. Even after that window of time, there can still be a good outcome. Each hour that passes decreases that chance. Precious hours can be lost with a general vet who gets DPS wrong. Trust only the word of a neuro (ACVIM) or ortho (ACVS) surgeon about DPS. 🚩A quick overview of conservative treatment vs. a surgery: dodger12.wpenginepowered.com/surgery-vs-conservative/X dodgerslist.com/2020/02/10/surgery-vs-conservative/ 🚩Dr. Isaacs indepth Interview on surgery and conservative treatment: dodger12.wpenginepowered.com/dr-isaacs-surgery-answers/Xhttps://dodgerslist.com/2020/05/12/dr-isaacs-surgery-answers
What is the name of the diagnosis you regular vet gave and the date given?
What is the reason Winston is not on an anti-inflammatory drug which resolves the root cause of pain. Pain meds like methocarbamol do not work on the root cause, but just mask the pain. Know your anti-inflammatory drugs in order to ask good questions and understand what your vet is explaining:
🚩 dodgerslist.com/steroids-vs-nsaids/
Please keep us posted on Winston. Fingers crossed you will not observe any decline of nerve damage more than the existing wobbly walk.
|
|
