Crate rest - round II is OVER

[Lisa]

8 weeks have come and gone, and today Pixel is officially off crate rest. Although he had greater paralysis this time (he was completely down in his left leg), it seemed to go smoother and easier this round.

I think I prefer NSAIDs over steroids. The steroids seemed to help get the swelling down faster, but 1) they didn't seem to relieve the pain as much 2) He had to pee all the friggin' time on the steroids and had us up at all hours which put a lot of stress on both me and Rafi. Again, JUST MY OPINION. Always go with your doctors orders.

The other thing we did different this round, we started on Acupuncture and Adequan immediately. I noticed that acupuncture improved his condition by leaps and bounds.

Finally, the mobile, elevated, soft-sided crate (MESS-C) aka Doggie Stroller really helped keep our sanity. We were able to keep him much happier read: quieter which was awesome. :)

Here are some pictures of the little man from this morning.

On Mommy's desk
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/6032281220_2f9a07e2e2.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/6032281936_abf3e9a0be.jpg

In the MESS-C
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6082/6032319694_1a9999f233.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6139/6031760261_16a7f0d114.jpg

[lotsadox]

I'm so glad that the crate test is over :cheer3::cheer3:

I'm really interested in accupuncture now. I've always known it was there as an option, but I wasn't sure how well it worked. It sounds like it really helped Pix.

The stroller, aka MESS-C, saved my sanity for sure. I don't know if I would have made it thru the 10 weeks that Bogart was on crate rest without it.

Sending more healing :bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz: for Pix.

[AgileOllie]

:cheer3::cheer3::cheer3::cheer3: Glad it's over!!!:cheer3::cheer3::cheer3::cheer3::cheer3:

[Alex's Mom]

:cheer3::cheer3::cheer3: for breaking out!!! BIG fan of acupuncture here...sure works on Wen (with his chiro). :hug99::hug99: (Great pics, BTW)

[areese]

Having watched my sister do the accupuncture and even assisted, I am convinced it is amazing. The almost immediate changes I saw in the dog were just incredible.
SOOOOOOOOO glad your cutie pie pie boy is better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cheer3::cheer3::cheer3:

[RustysMom]

WOOHOO!!!!! :cheer3::cheer3::cheer3::cheer3::cheer3:

I would never ever forget about Pixel :hearts: but I sure did forget he was on crate rest.

[oceangirls]

Sweet little Pixel :hearts:. Glad to hear the good news :)

[Lisa]

We also broke some of "the rules" this time around, as soon as his pain was over (around week 3), we started to exercise him. By that, I mean we brought him outside, Rafi literally crawled on the grass, and I supported Pixel's back end with the tensor bandage and Rafi would "correct" his left leg as he walked. We would do that until Pixel seemed to get tired.

For us, he didn't seem to lose the muscle mass like he did the first time, it also seemed to tire him out enough that he was sleeping better and less "fussy".
My thoughts were, if he is feeling good enough to bounce at the side of his crate to get out, he was good enough to burn some of that energy in a positive way to help (maybe) regain the connection between the brain and back end.

Again, this is what we did, however, I would only recommend doing what your vet and physio therapist recommends.

[Yolanda]

:cheer3::cheer3::cheer3: hopefully there will not be a round three.

[Opaleyz]

:yay: great news--thank you for sharing with us what you felt really worked this time. And hurray for new pics of our handsome pie-boy :hearts:

[lotsadox]

We also broke some of "the rules" this time around, as soon as his pain was over (around week 3), we started to exercise him. By that, I mean we brought him outside, Rafi literally crawled on the grass, and I supported Pixel's back end with the tensor bandage and Rafi would "correct" his left leg as he walked. We would do that until Pixel seemed to get tired.

For us, he didn't seem to lose the muscle mass like he did the first time, it also seemed to tire him out enough that he was sleeping better and less "fussy".
My thoughts were, if he is feeling good enough to bounce at the side of his crate to get out, he was good enough to burn some of that energy in a positive way to help (maybe) regain the connection between the brain and back end.

Again, this is what we did, however, I would only recommend doing what your vet and physio therapist recommends.

My vet actually recommended what she called "controlled walking" which is basically what you did for Bogart after the first few weeks. I'd take him out on the grass or upstairs on the carpet and let him walk a with his harness and leash on. I think it did help him and he seemed less restless once we started that.

[Rae]

three cheers for Speck! :cheer3::cheer3::cheer3:

I'm happy for him, but having spent time enforcing MESS-C time when Duchie had her stroke ... back in the day before she was so arthritic, I am also overjoyed for the crate-keepers. It's a tough job, especially when they give you that LQQK "Mom, I feel so much better!"

Congrats all the way around, and I second Yo's motion for NO round 3.

[LexieLuvr]

Awesome news!!! :bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz::bigrayz: for NO Round III!!! I, too, am a firm believer in acupuncture. It worked wonders on Jack.

[Chris]

Alex wasn't in pain the second time around, so I did the same thing as you as far as letting him walk a little. Same thing with the muscle mass. He didn't lose it like he did the first time. But if he had been in pain, I wouldn't have done it.

[Ivan]

OK, I'll bite... What does the MESS-C Doggie Stroller do? :scratch: Was it used as his all-day crate, so Pixel could be always right beside you for observation? Or for the occasional walk to keep him from whining?

[Lisa]

He was in his crate when we weren't home, but when we were home, we could put him in the doggie stroller right beside us. To him, he was "out" and therefore quiet. I don't know, maybe the elevated status over his siblings helped too? He was definitely less protesty this time around.

I know members have also had a lot of success with putting crates on utility carts and wheeling them from room to room. With IVDD they know they are injured and weak, I found with both Pogo and Pixel (first one surgery, second one conservative care), were emotionally needy. Pogo normally could care less if I am home, except at 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for meal time, he needed to be touched and in my line of sight (or Rafi's) at all times while he was healing.

[lotsadox]

With IVDD they know they are injured and weak, I found with both Pogo and Pixel (first one surgery, second one conservative care), were emotionally needy. Pogo normally could care less if I am home, except at 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for meal time, he needed to be touched and in my line of sight (or Rafi's) at all times while he was healing.

I found the same thing with mine. They were much more needy when they were injured.

[Ivan]

Very interesting. An indoor use for a stroller! Who'd have thunk it? Smart thinking, Lisa!

Awesome news about Pixel. So glad he's feeling better. It's always good to hear such wonderful news for the doggies, esp. health. Yay! :cheer3:

[jenfer]

:cheer3::cheer3::cheer3: for good news. He is looking good too. :)

[Linus]

:cheer3:Yay, Pixel!!!:cheer3: And :cheer3:Yay, Lisa and Rafi!!!:cheer3: