Angel - back rayz... ***update 2/13***

[Lisa]

How is Miss Angel this morning?

[oceangirls]

We just got back. We switched vets recently and the one we had seen once was not there (also this office is weird - they do not make appointments). But we didn't have to wait.

She is the same, just doesn't have any desire to walk long distances or jump. He checked her out and of course did not find any signs of neurological damage or tenderness (and naturally she is nervous so she is shaking and tense anyway, so it's not like he could see the differences). He said he doesn't think it's anything serious & could just be a muscle spasm. He gave her a Valium shot and had me start Rimadyl, and said to try to keep her quiet/no jumping. I asked about crating and he said I could if I wanted to for about a week.

I dunno... to me, doxie with back pain usually = IVDD. However, I can't crate a dog with a potential muscle spasm for 8 weeks (which BTW, he had not heard of... says the max is usually 4).

We're just too proactive for vets to know what to do with .

So in other words, I think I just wait until she either gets worse or better ?

edit: Oh, and thanks for the rayz (and Candy, the Tarot reading is very much appreciated).

[Lisa]

He could be right! It may be a pulled muscle. It is good that Angel isn't trying to push herself and she is taking it easy.

[LexieLuvr]

I hope your vet is right! Sounds like she's taking it easy without being crated so maybe an x-pen would be better, with very limited movement for a while. I know lots of people hate cliches, but better safe than sorry. Seriously hope it's NOT a back issue!!!

[lotsadox]

It could be muscle spasms. Bandit had them for years. She didn't have them often. Maybe once or twice a yea., But when she did she was not a happy camper. This was about 15 years ago so treatments, etc. may have changed but my vet (who always takes the conservative route on treatment) had me put her in a bath tub with the water halfway up her sides. She said that the water helped buoy up their body and take some of the stress off of her back and relax the muscles. I'd put her in for about 15 minutes 3 times a day and it did seem to help. I'm sure the warm water helped her to relax, too.

Restricted movement will probably help her feel better. It's hard to do but it can work. It worked really well with Miller's hurt leg even though it was a real PITA.

[Alex's Mom]

Geez, Kim, how the heck did I miss this??!!?? I'm so sorry to hear your beautiful girl is poorly. Sending tons and tons of and . that it is only spasms, not a disc. Keep us posted, ok??

[areese]

Laika had horrible muscle spasms that came and went...vet thought it was her stomach. But it was NOT, it was due to pain in her back. I feel so awful about that still :( I'd crate her for at least 2 weeks and see how she does. Also, use a stomach protector 1/2 hour before the rimadyl...if she continues to seem painful a muscle relaxer or tramodol will help...
a bazillion
I wish every vet was an expert on IVDD. I have trained my sister the vet...any doxie with anything that remotely could be back issues is IN THE CRATE with NSAIDS (she prefers those to steroids for whatever reason) and pepsid or sucralfrate.

[Tex]

Sending lots of feel better rays for Angel!!!!

[HokieMom]

I agree... hope it is only a muscle spasm, but I know how we worry about our babies!

[Mama S.]

Where the heck was I ???? I am so sorry that i missed this. Read a note from you about worrying about dog and went - go hunt now. Yikes:( Poor baby.. Sam was the same way - he started the shaking shivering thing a couple of days before he went down. I thought pulled muscle too until I came home and found him behind the toilet in agony.
Needless to day - he is his normal sh*tbird self so with love and the DLC you can make it through!!!