Erin's Murphy 8/19 growth?

Welcome!  I'm Paula what's your name?  I'd like to add to the information Ann has provided in the above post.

X-rays can only suspicion a disc episode, not prove a current Hansens disc episode.  Thus, X-rays generally are used only to rule out a very high suspicion of a different disease than an IVDD disc episode.  The hands on neuro exam, the breed and the way the dog acts at the visit typically helps the vet to make a diagnosis of a current disc episode.

    What might be seen on an x-ray is any abnormal narrowing between vertebrae. It could be an old narrowing or a new current narrowing.  What can't be seen is the soft tissue of the disc itself nor the spinal cord.  Did the disc space narrow due to rupture or a bulge of the disc?  If a rupture how much material escaped into the veterbral canal to squish against the spinal cord?"This x-ray film illustrates how a “normal” space should look.  Good, parallel sides, dark black “horsehead”.  Recommend reading the full article info:  dodgerslist.com/calcified-discs-meaning/

Neuro Damage
With, the breed prone to being born with IVDD (Dachshund) the hands on neuro exam plus evidence of Murphy's neuro diminishment of tripping over his back legs, that is enough give a diagnosis of a current disc episode.  Good job in getting Murphy into the vet asap, keeping mild symptoms mild.

MONITORING NEURO FUNCTIONS during conservative treatment
There could be a predictable stepwise deterioration of functions if excessive back/neck movement is allowed during STRICT crate rest for 8 weeks ending on October 14th (graduation day).
     Nerves do heal in the exact opposite order nerve damage occured.
1. Pain with initial tear of disc and ensuing swelling
2.  8/19 Wobbly walking
     8/19 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

STRICT rest MEANS
◼︎no laps ◼︎no couches ◼︎no baths ◼︎no sleeping with you
◼︎no chiro therapy WHYs: dodgerslist.com/chiropractic/
◼︎no walking around, meandering at potty times.
◼︎no PT for conservative dogs during 8 weeks to heal disc
◼︎Attach water/food bowls inside recovery suite.
◼︎How to set up mattress system for the suite plus many other tips in carrying out Strict Limited Movement Rest:
    🚩https://dodgerslist.com/strict-rest-recovery-process/
◼︎ Avoid dangerous detours. Follow the "Roadmap." Tape it to your fridge. D/L and print out:
    🚩https://dodgerslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Roadmap-for-Fridge.pdf
◼︎ Transports in to a vet 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. Murphy has mild symptoms!  If you feel the need for laser therapy, seek out a mobile vet who will come to your home.  
    Vets who know IVDD often take phone updates & adjust meds via a phone call to avoid transporting the dog into the vet.

MEDS
For how many days is anti-inflammatory carprofen to be dosed?  The stop of carprofen is the time to proove if all painful swelling is really gone.  Often vets take a guess with a 5- or 7-day course of carprofen.  Some vets might even try a 14-day course.

How much does Murphy weigh?
Caprofen-  how many mgs in one whole pill?
Gabapentin - what is the formula?  ?mgs in one mL of liquid

Stomach protection for the duration carprofen

Hope this helps you in your understanding of IVDD and caring for your Murphy at home. The links provided in our posts are from the Main www.dodgerslist.com website. There is lots of information there.... just type in your search word on the orange search bar top of every page.

Looking forward to your answers so we have the best understanding of Murphy's treatment when we make our comments.

Erin, this is the usual way meds are used with a disc episode:
--A Vet takes a guess at how long to Rx the anti-inflammatory. Often that would be a 7-day or 14-day course. The end of the course is time to test if all swellingis gone.   Murphy has been on Carprofen for 32 straight days with the stop on 9/19. There has been no proof if Carprofen has done its job to resolve any painful swelling around the spinal cord as gabapentin for nerve pain is still on board.

-- Any anti-inflammatory's job is only to get swelling down around the spinal cord.    •There are no medications that can heal nerve damage.
   •Think in terms of months rather than days to heal this slowest part of the body to heal.

-- Crate rest is to heal the damage to the disc.  It takes 8 weeks of STRICT in the recovery suite at home for best healing and to avoid excessive movement of the back.  Excessive movement whether being rambunctious in the recovery suite, too much walking around at potty time or even a cart transport could disrupt the formation of strong disc scar tissue. 
     New pain surfacing during strict rest would indicate too much movement happened and the need to start back at square one of the 8 weeks count for disc healing.

-- On the stop day of the anti-inflammatory carprofen is the time to get proof of all painful swelling around the cord is really gone.  All pain meds such as gabapentin are stopped so that YOU at home have the ability to monitor for any surfacing of pain.   Because  gabapentin is still on board, it would block pain if pain would be existing....   Gabapentin lasts for about 8 hrs. You dose it every 12 hrs. and report no pain.   Why not do the real test of stopping gabapentin to find out for sure.