|
|
Post by Lacey & Chloe on Oct 3, 2013 14:03:49 GMT -7
Hello everyone, my little Doxy girl, Chloe, had her first episode almost exactly two years ago. I had left her at my parent's house with my kids and my nephew, came back to get her and my other kids, and she was not herself. We left to go on a camping trip the next day, and by the time we got back from camping, she had no use of her back legs. Her vet prescribed an anti-inflammatory and another pill, and she was back up and walking within about a week or so. Ever since then she has done great, a little wobbly, had a few bladder infections, but other than that she's been good. Lately I've noticed her losing her balance, especially when she shakes her head, and becoming a little more wobbly. I've started giving her the supplement Free & Easy, (it may be expired, I bought it after her first episode almost 2 yrs. ago) but I don't think it's doing anything to help her. A little while ago Chloe was in the kitchen and I heard her feet scrambling on our laminate floor, she was making so much noise that at first I thought maybe she was having a seizure. I ran into the kitchen and, this is really hard to explain, but she looked liked she was trying to run in place, she was scrambling to gain control, and I think she was trying to hurry up and find me  I hurried up and caught up to her to calm her down. She seemed pretty shook up. She's fine now and is walking fine, but this is starting to scare me. She will be 14 years old in December. I'm thinking of taking her in for acupuncture. Are there any supplements that might help her??? I'm so desperate to help my baby Thank you so much for any advice. |
|
Sabrina
Helpful Member 
My Charley-dog, a Dodger'sList grad enjoying life!
Posts: 471 
|
Post by Sabrina on Oct 3, 2013 15:42:10 GMT -7
Hi Lacey, I'm Sabrina. I'm so sorry to hear of Chloe's history of IVDD. Am I reading correctly that the "scrambling" you described is something that happened today? Before anything else, Chloe needs to be taken to the vet. "Always crate your dog immediately when you first suspect a back problem (shivering/trembling, yelping, reluctant to move, arched back, head held high or low, wobbly walk) and get him to a vet asap. Transport carefully using a crate padded out with rolled up towels on either side of the dog to prevent movement or jarring the spine when braking or turning corners" www.dodgerslist.com/faq.htmThen afterwards let us know what the vet says. IVDD is horrible, it can affect any of the discs in Chloe's spine. Here's some places to read up on IVDD after you've taken Chloe to the vet. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htmwww.dodgerslist.com/literature/IVDDcourse/index.htmlwww.dodgerslist.com/healingindex.htmLet us know what the vet says. We're here to support you as you care for Chloe. ))Hugs!(( - Sabrina |
|
Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
|
Post by Marjorie on Oct 3, 2013 17:48:51 GMT -7
Lacey, as Sabrina said, Chloe needs to be immediately crated and checked out by a vet ASAP due to being "more wobbly", "losing her balance" and the "scrambling". If she's having another disc episode, you don't want to take any chance of making it worse by allowing her spine to move and tear more. Acupuncture is good as a supplemental treatment but Chloe needs to be crated until you find out if this is another back problem. I just wanted to chime in here as to your question concerning supplements. There isn’t much scientific evidence of what is effective and what isn’t concerning IVDD. Here is Dodgerslist's page on their information concerning supplements: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Supplements.htmHealing prayers for Chloe. |
|
|
|
Post by Lacey & Chloe on Oct 3, 2013 19:37:34 GMT -7
I took her to the vet this evening, and the vet seems to think it's seizures. Not what I wanted to hear. She said she didn't think it was related to her back issues. For now she just wants me to keep a close eye on her. She's only doing this "scrambling" when she shakes her head. For about the past month or so I've noticed when she gets up and shakes her head, she would get off balance, but today went to a whole new level. She has shaken her head quite a few times since her last scrambling episode and has been fine. Now every time she starts to shake her head it scares me to death. Guess it's time to start researching seizure disorders. Thank you for your replies.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lacey & Chloe on Oct 3, 2013 19:55:53 GMT -7
In the vet's notes it says: rule our seizural disorder vs mild vestibular epsisode vs other. I just did some quick research on vestibular disease and it actually sounds a lot like what my Chloe has been experiencing. I have noticed her head tilted just a little bit for the last couple weeks, the vertigo when shaking her head for the last month or so. I assumed this all tied into her back issues, but it turns out these are also signs of vestibular disease. It doesn't seem to be a very serious issue and sometimes it goes away on it's own. I sure hope so. Having a bad back is enough to worry about. Here's to hoping it resolves itself!
|
|
Sabrina
Helpful Member
My Charley-dog, a Dodger'sList grad enjoying life!
Posts: 471
|
Post by Sabrina on Oct 3, 2013 21:08:49 GMT -7
Lacey, I am so glad to hear that you got Chloe into the vet today! She is very lucky to have you watching out for her and researching how to help her through whatever's going on.
I'm sorry to hear that she likely has "something else" going on - there are other folks here on Dodger'sList who have to balance caring for multiple health problems on top of IVDD (I know several have dogs with seizures), so if you have questions about dealing with "something else" for an IVDD dog I bet folks here would be able to help you out.
I hope you and Chloe can have a restful night!
))Hugs!((
- Sabrina
|
|
|
|
Post by Lacey & Chloe on Oct 4, 2013 16:46:32 GMT -7
Thank you Sabrina! I spoke with the vet this morning, she had Chloe's senior blood work results. Everything looks fine, except her liver enzymes are high. They were high the year before last year, but then last year they were normal. And her thyroid was a little low. The vet wasn't too concerned. She still isn't exactly sure what is causing Chloe to have these bouts of...losing her balance, (I don't know what else to call it). She mentioned she may just be having some geriatric vertigo. I took Chlo for a ride over to my parent's house this afternoon, and she had two episodes while over there, so my parent's got to see what it looks like. After she has these "episodes", that last a few seconds, she is fine, wags her tail, walks normal, eats and drinks normal, etc. My dad does not think it's a seizure at all. He thinks it's vertigo, which I'm starting to lean towards that too. The vet told me I can give Chloe 25 mg. of Bonine, so I gave that to her a while ago. Hopefully it helps her balance when she needs to shake her head.
|
|
PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,935
|
Post by PaulaM on Oct 5, 2013 8:09:23 GMT -7
You might want to video the episodes just to have a record of it and if you feel a consultation with a neuro specialist is in order at some point, you will have something to show. I wish here at Dodgerslist we knew every disease as we do IVDD. But that is not the case. IVDD is our only area of expertise were we feel we have good information to offer. We would feel horrible if your dog was harmed from wrong advise outside of IVDD, so I hope you can understand why we do not comment on other diseases. You might see if there is a group at Yahoo dedicated to vestibular disorders who have reputable information to share. groups.yahoo.com/neoHope your vet is able find a good treatment for Chloe's balance problem so she can have many more happy and healthy years with her family. You know we are always here to support you should there be an IVDD related question. Hugs and kisses to Chloe! |
|
I hurried up and caught up to her to calm her down. She seemed pretty shook up. She's fine now and is walking fine, but this is starting to scare me. She will be 14 years old in December. I'm thinking of taking her in for acupuncture. Are there any supplements that might help her??? I'm so desperate to help my baby 
