Cosco had a back episode tonight

[ScarletBegonias]

I haven't been on in a long time but I needed to talk to you guys. We came home from work and Cosco was being weird, walking all stiff in his front legs. After watching him for a minute he began to be wobbly and drop his back left leg. By the time we made it to the e-vet he was in serious pain, all wide eyed and panting and with his neck straight up in the air. The e-vet did x-rays which not too surprisingly didn't really show anything. I'm supposed to pick him up in the morning at 6 and take him to my "regular vet." Something we don't really have since the move, I mean we have a place we plan to take him but we haven't been for anything other than to get heartworm meds yet and it makes me nervous since I don't really know any of the vets there or anything. I've been reading up on crate rest and such but I'll gladly take any more suggestions and rayz of course are much needed.

[Alex's Mom]

Tons and tons of coming at you guys. Lots of good advice on here, but the very first suggestion is to find a vet who knows something about disc issues, and dachshunds. Mama, do you know anyone in your neck of the woods?? Anxiously waiting for an update!!

[oceangirls]

Go to dodgerslist.com and read the general info, just to understand what might be happening if it is IVDD. It will tell you the warning signs that would require immediate medical attention. Then like Paula said, I'd check with people in your area to find a neurosurgeon just in case... if Sandi does not know of one, you might check with a local dachshund rescue.

As far as your local vet, I think you'll be able to tell if they have any clue what they're talking about. Any doxie with Cosco's symptoms should ALWAYS be assumed to have IVDD until proven otherwise, in my opinion - so they should recommend confinement and pain meds (antiinflammatories, and usually another pain pill like tramadol), usually with a stomach protecting med like Pepcid (famotidine) or Sucralfate.

The first vet I saw for Angel (it was a Saturday) - I don't think had a clue about doxies. The vet I like had much more experience with it and supported crating, etc.

Rayz!

[lotsadox]

I agree with everything Kim said. If your vet isn't recommending some type of confinement and meds for him, confine him anyway and look for another vet. Hopefully, Sandi can recommend someone for you. In the past, I've kept mine on crate rest/confinement for longer than the vet recommended. Go with your gut. Please keep us posted.

Sending

[LexieLuvr]

Oh, no! Kim is right on - Dodgerslist.com should give you tons of great info and might even be able to recommend a specialist. Crate rest is #1! Many many

[Lisa]

Crate rest and drugs, crate rest and drugs, crate rest and drugs. And time, lots and lots of time. Just when you think you've given him enough crate rest, go for an extra two weeks.

The drugs Kim suggested are what we did with Pixel.

Don't forget the disc needs to heal and then it needs time to calcify so you don't have another episode. EIGHT weeks minimum. Just get the number in your head now it will make life easier. Not much but a bit.

And earplugs and kongs...you can't get through this without them. Frozen with PB works best (the kongs, not the earplugs).

We are here to help you and Cosco through this.

[LexieLuvr]

Lisa is SO right! MANY vets only say to crate a week or two; that is NOT NEARLY enough!!! Six to eight weeks is minimum, in my experience - better too long than not long enough. They regain their mobility and muscle mass quickly so don't worry about that issue. I would never do less than 8 weeks. Unless your vet HAS dacshunds and/or is familiar with IVDD, they just really don't know. You'd think they'd know that it takes a LOT of time for a back to heal, but the vast majority do not. A neurologist is really the best option, if you have one in your area and can afford it. Most vets in my area won't touch spinal surgery; they refer most dogs needing it to a surgery center (north of Dallas, I believe) which specializes in things like that. Luckily, when my Jack went down, I had access to a great surgeon in Austin (used by my rescue group) and she did a wonderful job! She's known nation-wide, from what I've heard. I'd use her again in a heartbeat if I had a dog needing spinal surgery. She's worth her weight in gold! Keep us posted - and good luck!

[ScarletBegonias]

So after leaving the e-vet we went to the vet where we had gotten his heart worm pills were told very bluntly that he needed surgery or he would never walk again and that basically if we couldn't afford surgery we should just give up because "those wheelchairs aren't all their cracked up to be."
Needless to say we left. We drove a town over to the vet that One L used with Chuck and they were much nicer. The vet did say that his case was very severe and he would recommend surgery if we could afford it. Which we cannot. It is so hard to say, and I feel terrible about it but there's simply no way we can afford that. This vet was more understanding and said that though his case is severe, he has seen dogs recover from worse. Being realistic he also said he has seen many who do not. To complicate matters further he is apparently much older than we thought, not 5 or so like we figured but more like 7 or possibly as old at 8 or 9. And there is concern that the disc may be cutting off nerves to his bladder.
At the vet today he got some steroids and pain meds and one round of laser therapy and acupuncture and I picked him up at 5. He is drinking water but not eating much and has not peed or pooped since I've had him back. I have taken him out twice and made a modified sling out of an old scarf. He is staying very still which I suppose is good and I've got him in the x-pen so the little one doesn't bother him. He whimpers from time to time and I've got the xpen at the foot of the couch so I can pet him when he does. He is still keeping his front legs very stiff and his head very high.
The vet seems to not want to talk much about conservative therapy. Not sure if he is trying to keep me from getting my hopes up too much or what. He kept saying that if there wasn't some improvement in the first few days, that crate rest and steroids for another 8 weeks probably wouldn't help. Is that true in your experience? I'm sure I'll try either way but I don't know what to expect.
He does have deep pain sensation in his hind legs and his tail still wags a little tiny bit but he doesn't put any weight on his hind legs and when he vet set him down he wouldn't put his pads to the ground, I forget what he called it but its one of the tests of what level of awareness they have.

[Lisa]

That is NOT TRUE!! Pixel was bad...really bad. He could not move his one leg at all and was in a LOT of pain. He fully recovered. Your #1 priority right now is to minimize pain. That is it!!!! The future is what the future is. Don't focus on that. And 7 - 9 is not old. Again, Pixel is 9 and 100% walking. Do not beat yourself up over Cosco going down. Focus on the now and his pain. Do not push him at all. What you are describing sounds more like neck pain, and that is the most painful form of IVDD. He might need 2 days of muscle relaxers (like Robaxacat) ask the vet for 3 days of pills. So he will be on steriod (give him pepcid 1/2 pill 1/2 hour before steroid), tramadol (for a few weeks) and muscle relaxers (just for a few days). It took Pixel 8 weeks before he started walking and 12 before he was perfect. The laser works wonders I hear, so please if you can, keep up with those appointments.

Drinking is important, if it is his neck, maybe try a soft food, so he doesn't have to work at chewing...it could be adding to his pain. Keep the x-pen as small as possible. I know you want to see him move around, but he can't right now. You want him as restricted as possible. Basically, you are casting his back although it can't be physically done, it has to be external.

If after 3 months he isn't walking THEN you can look at carts etc. And there are no words for how much that first vet pissed me off. Lots of dogs live happy healthy lives in carts!!!! But we are not there...so don't even start focusing on that. Again, it is all about managing his pain.

1) Pain Management and reducing swelling of the spinal cord
2) Calcification of the disc
3) Recovery - physical therapy

Hang in there!!

Lots of rayz for Cosco

[Frankie'sMom]

Sending lots and lots of rayz for Cosco. The help and support you will get here is worth it's weight in gold. It was a huge help for me.