Jean's Mimi 9/ 23 Conservative Grad: extended to Dec 2

I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in this craziness. I too feel all I do is stare at my dog and observe for EVERYTHING !! So afraid I'm going to miss something. shorty does lick his legs sometimes and I think " o god it's the deep nerve pain and he is going to chew it off". But then I watch him a little longer and realize that he was just licking and he is ok. You are a great cheerleader for everyone else on here and just wanted to give you some support as well. You're doing great and Mimi is lucky to have you.

Thanks Jean, for the hugs on my thread. I know you've been going through so much with Mimi. I hope she has a good day today. I realize what a blessing it is to have this forum, with all the speed bumps on this road to recovery.

We're all human, Jean, and can make mistakes. I know how exhausted you are. Please let us know how Mimi is tonight. I hope today went well for her.

Good! I have a feeling you gave her the Gabapentin this morning and just didn't recall it. It was a scary day for you but she's fine so all's well.

I do have everything written down, it was just one of those days lol. This morning went much smoother, no fighting the meds.

During her follow up next week, I am going to speak to my vet about alternative therapies such as accupuncture and cold laser. Does anyone have a preference? Is it too late to start them? Most of the physical therapy places (which include accupuncture and laser) around here need referrals from your vet to treat. I welcome your thoughts. Note, I am not talking about physical therapy with activity...just accupuncture or laser.

And one more question - trying to plan ahead.  In two weeks, there is a day when we will not be home during Mimi's regular dose time for her meds (middle of the afternoon - an unavoidable event that we must attend).  We well be home 3 hours before or 3 hours after.  How do I handle her medication?  Can I split the dosage 1/2 and 1/2?  Anyone ever deal with this before?

about the day you can't be at home, likely in two weeks she may not need as much as pain med due to hopefully the disc healing and swelling being reduced and the help of acupuncture or laser. Anyway, I would ask your vet about dosing pain meds for that day.

Those prices seem a little steep!! I am lucky that my Vet hospital does acupuncture and laser therapy on site. One of the veterinarians there does it and has been doing it for 12 + years. He charges 75.00 a session for a half an hour and does both the laser and acupuncture . Not sure where you live but we live in CT. Good luck with the search!

I'm not sure I've read your whole thread, but I've read a lot of it. I like the way you have recorded your journey.
My vet is very close, too, and I didn't want to switch. She was very supportive of us using another vet for acupuncture. I had hoped to see the regular vet in between the first and second treatment just so she could monitor his progress, but that didn't work out. I hope it does not get complicated to continue to work with both of them. Dobby's second acupuncture treatment will be Monday. I don't know how many sessions I will be able to afford, but I hope enough to help.
Best wishes to you & Mimi!!

Tomorrow is our follow up vet appt.  I know at this point we are going to taper again - we have to, Mimi has been on Dexamethosone for 4 weeks now.  I believe this will be the "make or break" taper and I am scared to death.  If she has pain again or loses function (what happened during the other two tries) then that is it.  We can't afford surgery.

Ok, so my question is what would be next? 4 weeks on dexamethosone, and I know she needs to get off. If the pain and loss of function happens, then what do we do? I do not want to give up but watching her suffer is not an option for me.


All signs are positive that some neuro function has returned.  By reading the reverse list, this is what I see that has come back (or she always had):

1. Pain caused by the tearing disc & inflammation in the spinal cord -no pain now but scared it will return when pain meds and steroid decreased as during previous tapers.   
2. Wobbly walking, legs cross - wobbly walk but significantly improved.  We sling her during potty to provide support but she thinks she can take a walk now.  
3. Nails scuffing floor - don't know because we don't allow this to happen.  She is always in crate on a no-skid surface
4. Paws knuckle - very little knuckling now if ever when she takes steps at potty and in crate (haven't had the neuro knuckle test yet)
5. Legs do not work (paralysis, dog is down) - was never "down" but one leg severly impaired.  No longer the case.  Left leg is weak but she can stand on it and will "walk" with it - albeit a drunken gait. 
6. Bladder control is lost - one day temporarily - total control
7. Tail wagging with joy is lost - has always had
8. Deep pain sensation, the last neuro function, a critical indicator for successful surgery.  - has always had

Signs that there is no pain:

- will roll onto her back for belly rubs
- full body shakes
- lay stretched out, and will move around.  Sometimes (like this am) I will see her in a ball but not often.
- Have seen her lick her tail but not often
- Eagerly stands in crate wagging with joy if she thinks she has a chance of going outside (sometimes fakes like she has to go to the bathroom just to get outside).
- actively seeking affection

However, she still does this semi-grunt thing when we pick her up.  Once she settles in our arms she stops.  Sometimes I hear a semi-grunt when pooping. 

Jean during conservative treatment there may be disc material which has escaped the disc and is pressing on the spinal cord. With time these pieces could be absorbed and shrink back from the spinal cord.…that is the hope so there will not be pain. If the material would not shrink back enough with time, it may be that a lower dose of steroid that is not as powerful as Dex, such as pred or perhaps a NSAID could be used more long term to allow pain free enjoyment of life. Anything is better than the finality of death. Even people with arthritis pain, might take meds for the rest of their life so they can go about enjoying life. On your next visit, it would be good to discuss your vet's thoughts and what options he would put in play.

In the mean time you have reported good progress with nerves going in a good direction of healing. The disc IS still healing and will be finished at the end of 8 weeks. All you report does point to no pain. Grunting, even my dog does that on occasion and he does not have a disc problem and is not in any pain.

Fingers and paws crossed for Mimi during this next taper.

Glad to hear good report!! Good that the vet listens and wants to go slowly.
Dobby is slower to move and maybe a little stiff in the morning and improves as the day goes on. My vet thinks it is partially due to less movement overnight + some sensitivity to the colder morning temps.

Best to you & Mimi.

It's according to how much strength Mimi has in her hind legs once she's allowed to walk again after conservative care. I found most shoes or booties to not be flexible enough for Jeremy because once he began to try to walk again, he didn't have much strength or movement so he couldn't bend his foot to place it correctly. I had better luck with PAWZ, a little rubber balloon type of boot but mostly I use those to protect his claws as he drags one of his feet. It also helps to keep the pads of their feet free of fur so they have more traction. Hopefully, Mimi will be walking well enough after crate rest that this won't be a concern.