kinda freaked out

[Kasianni]

Theo walked down the ramp from the bed about an hour ago. He yelped really loud. So I checked him out and didn't find anything. He is walking fine, no limping. He was just sitting on me on the chair and went to turn around and yelped again. I am freaked out. Could it be his back?? He does have that disc calcification and I have been so careful not to let him jump. If it was his back going down would it just happen like that or are there warning signs. He is walking around fine, and trying to get Mika to chase him but I am really nervous after those yelps, they were really loud.

[lotsadox]

It could be a lot of things. Miller did something similar a few weeks ago. He was just sitting on the bed when while I was getting ready for work and suddenly yelped. Then he seemed fine for a few minutes and then yelped again. I was sure it was his back and took him to the vet right away. It turned out it was his back leg. Evidently, he'd hurt it while playing with Scooter. I had to keep him quiet for 6 weeks (I think). No running or jumping or playing. Since that time, he's been fine. No problems.

Does he act stressed out about it at all? Miller was very upset and trembling after a couple of yelps. It seemed to really be hurting him.

[Kasianni]

It could be a lot of things. Miller did something similar a few weeks ago. He was just sitting on the bed when while I was getting ready for work and suddenly yelped. Then he seemed fine for a few minutes and then yelped again. I was sure it was his back and took him to the vet right away. It turned out it was his back leg. Evidently, he'd hurt it while playing with Scooter. I had to keep him quiet for 6 weeks (I think). No running or jumping or playing. Since that time, he's been fine. No problems.

Does he act stressed out about it at all? Miller was very upset and trembling after a couple of yelps. It seemed to really be hurting him.


No, he doesn't seem stressed out at all. Acting totally normal. I remember last year he tried to jump on a chair it was really low but he hit his chest or something, he was fine but then a few times that day he yelped took him to the vet, x-rays and all and couldn't find anything.
Another time he was laying on the bed, I was giving him a massage and he yelped, later that day he was laying on his bed and turned to look at me and yelped, I thought it was because he had an ear infection at the time but don't get why he'd yelp with that. Odd thing is I am treating him now for an ear infection but there is no way the two are related he isn't even rubbing his ear anymore. You mentioned it was Millers leg that was making him yelp was he favoring it or limping?

[Lisa]

Not to stress you out any further, but yes, it can be his back. Or as Patrice said, it could be a LOT of things.

IF it were me (big if), do NOT get any more x-rays, they will not help you if it is his back.

A slow leak, can take a few days to manifest itself. For Pixel (the two times we have been down this road), it started with a yelp and nothing else. In fact it took two days from him yelping to him showing any neurological deficit.

A blown disc is fast. Within a few hours the dogs goes from walking to completely or partially paralyzed.

That being said, let's assume (it could be many things), but let's go with it is his back, he has a slow leaking disc. Having been through this twice, let me just say it sucks, it is brutal, hard, loud, heart wrenching and a whole bunch of other words. But it is not a death sentence, is treatable with time and 8 weeks is a very small amount of time in the life of a dog.

Let's prepare for a back issue. You will need pepcid (5 mg) and a sling, I just use the thin tensor bandage. If he shakes in pain at any point during the night or yelps again he will need drugs, no matter if it is IVDD or not.

For Pixel's IVDD treatment, he gets Tramadol for the pain 3 (5mg) pills 3 X per day. He also gets Medicam (10 drops) 1 x per day. However, you will need to decided if you want to go NSAID or steroid. The first time we did steroids, this time we did medicam. I think both worked equally well.

Lots and lots of rays :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz::bigrayz: :bigrayz:

[lotsadox]

You mentioned it was Millers leg that was making him yelp was he favoring it or limping?

Nope, not at all. The vet figured out what was hurting. I would take Theo to the vet to be diagnosed. As Lisa said, xrays won't show you much as far as his back goes, but the vet may be able to determine for you if it is his back and get him started on some meds and give you a referral to an ortho if needed.

[LexieLuvr]

ITA with Lisa, 100%. More :bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz:!!

[Lisa]

Is there an update??? How is he doing?

[Kasianni]

Is there an update??? How is he doing?
Thank you for asking. I kept Theo quiet yesterday, no running, no playing, nothing. He stay in my room all day. He didn't yelp anymore since twice on Wednesday, no shaking from pain during the night and yesterday was full of energy and he acted totally normal, full of energy. During the night last night, no yelping, nothing, everything seems fine. Would I have noticed anything by now?? I let him walk around a bit today. He seems perfectly fine. Wants to run and such but not letting him at all. Wednesday night, I took my bed apart the whole frame, carried it downstairs for storage. I put my mattress on the floor. Its very thick so still comfy. I had a ramp for them to get up on the bed, but sometimes Mika and Theo would just jump right off to get a toy or something, they are so fast don't even have time to stop them. So now there is nothing they can jump on at all. The bedrooms, kitchen, dining room are all on the main floor so they can't jump from anything now. Maybe it was extreme to take my bed apart but it freaked me out Wednesday when he yelped twice and I have been on guard since then watching him.

[Lisa]

Yay, glad he is doing better today! I laughed at your extreme for our doxies comment. We are the people that don't have a couch since Pogo went down 3 years ago. If they slept with us, the bed would be on the floor :D

[lotsadox]

I"m glad he seems to be doing better. :cheer3::cheer3:

We have actually talked about just getting rid of the bed and putting the mattress and box springs on the floor. The DH doesn't like the idea though. However, we haven't bought a bed in years (like 30) even though ours is really beat up because all the new ones are very high and the one we have now is pretty low. Like yours, mine (Miller especially) will sometimes just leap off the bed. Scares me to death when he does that.

[Kasianni]

I"m glad he seems to be doing better. :cheer3::cheer3:

We have actually talked about just getting rid of the bed and putting the mattress and box springs on the floor. The DH doesn't like the idea though. However, we haven't bought a bed in years (like 30) even though ours is really beat up because all the new ones are very high and the one we have now is pretty low. Like yours, mine (Miller especially) will sometimes just leap off the bed. Scares me to death when he does that.

I know, scares the crap out of me, they did use the ramp but if they were playing and the ball went on the floor sometimes they would will jump to see who gets it first. I just bought my mattress 2 years ago, its very thick so its actually not bad on the floor. the only thing I don't like is getting up from being so low its a struggle sometimes :rotfl: However, I don't have to worry about them jumping anymore and that feels really good. I even adjusted the ramp and put it back up so they can use it, but they don't yet they just walked off the mattress. Well its a tiny jump but nothing to worry about.

[areese]

I have a very low platform bed with shallow but large drawers underneath and just a futon on top cuz there's no room for a ramp in my room (nor a dresser) and the dogs sleep with me.

[lotsadox]

I know, scares the crap out of me, they did use the ramp but if they were playing and the ball went on the floor sometimes they would will jump to see who gets it first. I just bought my mattress 2 years ago, its very thick so its actually not bad on the floor. the only thing I don't like is getting up from being so low its a struggle sometimes :rotfl: However, I don't have to worry about them jumping anymore and that feels really good. I even adjusted the ramp and put it back up so they can use it, but they don't yet they just walked off the mattress. Well its a tiny jump but nothing to worry about.

Miller mostly leaps off the bed when he's excited. Otherwise he uses the ramp. I think the DH doesn't want the bed on the floor because of it being too hard to get up. I wouldn't mind it, but he's got more bulk to get off the floor than I do :rotfl:

[Kasianni]

Miller mostly leaps off the bed when he's excited. Otherwise he uses the ramp. I think the DH doesn't want the bed on the floor because of it being too hard to get up. I wouldn't mind it, but he's got more bulk to get off the floor than I do :rotfl:


If you can convince him, go for it. Its such a relief knowing they are not going to hurt themselves flying off the bed. (they do it too when they are excited/playing.) I don't weight too much but still hard to get up from that low..but still...really worth it. :)

[LexieLuvr]

We have a really high waterbed, so putting it on the floor is out of the question. Jack sleeps with us, and I am always on alert for his jumping down. So far, he's only done it once. We are both very cautious about where he is when he's on the bed with us, so he can't have a chance to jump off. I'd love to put a bed on the floor; I'd have a problem getting up, too, I'm afraid. Here's hoping all is well!! :bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz: