Miriam sorry to hear your other dog, Indy, is having a disc episode and is being under medicated for pain. Only one pain med, gabapentin, remains on board as of 10/15.
Have no patience with pain. When the pain meds are correctly Rx'd pain would be in control within the hour and remain so right up to the next doses. Indy ought to be able to heal in comfort to reposition himself in the suite, take a minimal few footsteps at pottyime with out enduring pain!
Alert your vet to your observations. You are his eyes and ears to know when his RX might need adjustments.
It is the resolution of spinal cord inflammation/swelling that provides the relief from pain.
It can take an anti-inflammatory (steroid, prednisone) a range of 7 to 30 days before all swelling is gone. Until then pain meds properly adjusted are a MUST. Prednisone taper days do not work on swelling, taper days serve a different purpose.
The best pain medications control is using more than one approach to address pain from multiple fronts
Burprenex inj.10/14 - general analgesic. It is rapidly absorbed after injection and the effects are usually felt within 15 to 30 minutes, lasting about 8 hours.
__ traMADol-general analgesic
__ methocarbamol- muscle spasm pain
√ Gabapentin for nerve pain.
All three pain meds ought to be prescribed three times a day. Pain meds only last for 8 hrs. Every 12 hr dosing leaves the body on reduced pain meds til the next dose...not a good thing as pain will often surface.
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Advocate for the three pain meds plus a stomach protector such as Pepcid AC (Famotidine) to protect against the side effects of the anti-inflammatory steroides Dex and Prednisone.
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3 Reasons why stomach protection: dodgerslist.com/stomach-protection/ 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.
--The dose of famotidine may require reduction in patients with liver or kidney disease.
-- It may be prudent with heart murmurs to choose another class of acid reducer.
Adjusting meds by phone avoids a risky-to-the disc car transport. Describe the pain that you're seeing.
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.
Did the vet confirm the disc is in the back or the neck?
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
➕if a neck disc:
◻︎ head held high/ nose to the ground
◻︎ looks up with just eyes and does not move head and neck easily.
◻︎ not eating due to painful chewing or in too much overall pain
◻︎ holds front or back leg up flamingo style not wanting to bear weight
-- Learn 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.
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dodgerslist.com/steroids-vs-nsaids/What date did you give first dose of Prednisone?
-- For how many days do you give that same 5mgs 1x/day?
How much does Indy weigh?
Are Indy and Carly related? Siblings?
