Sammie's Back

[Tambrey]

Our miniature daschshund has developed a sudden back problem well, for a couple of days he has been owly and not quite up to par, but then would still run around as if nothing was wrong...I have not been giving him much attention because I have been sick, and my husband has been working alot, so we figured he was out of sorts from lack of attention...

But today, he was not breathing well, his entire body is tense...he is in great pain...but he is still walking, but not doing stairs...

We have his blankets on the floor, and he is not happy...he wants to be on the couch, but I will not have him jumping more...

Of couse, it was after hours when I got home from work, so the ER vet where we always take them said that for tonight, he does not want to do any heavy duty pain killers, as Sammie is still walking okay, and will shake himself and is eating well...even though he is slow in his walking, there is no feet dragging or weakness on either side...he said he wants us to just give him one baby aspirin, with some food, every 4-6 hours for the rest of tonight, to alleviate the intense pain...and we go back tomorrow hoping Sammie will be a bit more relaxed and easier to see exactly what has happened to his back...right now he is just too tense...
The vet said that he wants Sammie to be comfortable, but feel a bit of pain to remind him to take it easy for now...but if he is worse tomorrow or later, then we will go into heavier duty drugs...

He also told us to get a kennel and keep him in it for the next 5-7 days...one just big enough for him to lay in...not even be able to walk much...and we are to carry him outside to do his business, and carry him back in again...

Hopefully after going back tomorrow, we will know a bit more...but I can sure relate to how Sammie feels, I have a bad lower back and slip discs myself quite often...it is very painful...

[Marty]

Tambrey, I hope everything will be OK. Do keep him quiet...Biscotti had back surgery, so I know what you may be feeling. I'll check back...

[Tambrey]

thanks Marty...hopefully Sammie will be okay after some rest and meds...when my husband got home, Sammie got up and ran to the door to greet him, but when he went up the stairs, Sammie waited at the bottom...when hubby came back down, he laid on the floor and Sammie was all over him wagging his tail...but hubby made sure Sammie stayed on the floor and held onto him to keep him from moving too much...
I will go to the store tomorrow and get a kennel...

[Traci]

I'm concerned about the aspirin...if I read you correctly, your vet instructed you to give one baby aspirin every 4-6 hours? Did he actually examine Sammie or was this instructed over the phone?

I wouldn't take any chances here, Tambrey, I'd get him to your vet today for a full exam, x-rays and possible myelogram, providing your vet can diagnose this correctly. If your vet is uncertain at all, see a more exerienced vet (orthopedic veterinary surgeon), you can't risk this progressing into a serious problem, which could develop very quickly (disc, spine), time is of the essence.

[Marty]

Yes, and I was wondering about the 5-7 day wait, but thought I wouldn't mention it until after the Vet visit. That may have been a bad choice...we were told that if surgery is indicated, it is more successful when done immediately. I would want to consult with an Ortho also.

[Tambrey]

We are back from the vet...same one as lastnight saw him today...Sammie was feeling much better and his eyes were brighter and he was wagging his tail...
The vet was able to check his back and his walking...he said right now, we caught it early enough that there is no neurological damage, as he is walking fine, standing straight and his hind end is talking to his brain...he just takes tiny steps to protect his back by keeping his abdomen tight...there is no rupture of the dic...he said it is swollen and the gel that is inside the vertebrae is compressing the nerves, which in turn is causing the spasms...I cannot remember all exactly how he explained it...
He said Sammie will have to make some changes...no more jumping up on the couch and chasing cats...we will build some stairs and carpet them so he can continue to get on the couch, because he likes it there...

The vet we saw is one of them who does the surgeries...this is the best animal hospital in the region for emergency care...the surgical units are right there, x-rays as well as onsite lab and pharmacy...it is all self-contained and the vets there are very good and knowledgable...

For the next 7-10 days we are to keep him totally confined, and he goes into a pet carrier well, so we have used that to take him outside to go potty, rather than even carry him up and down the stairs...

He gets one Rimadyl 25mg once daily in the evening with food for the next 10 days, and he also gets 1/8 of a 500mg tablet of Methocarbamol 2x a dayfor the next 7 days...

After that, we re-evaluate and decide from there how he is doing and if he is ready to start going for short walks once a day...

[Traci]

Glad you got him in.

Watch and observe him closely (like a hawk), and watch for the following signs: increased pain, crying out, reluctance to move, shaking, inability to get up and about....if *any* of these symptoms occur, get him back to the ER immediately. The first hours after a disc or spinal problem are critical for treatment.

Ask your vet about checking Sammie's bloodwork after this first course of rimadyl, you want to ensure it's not causing adverse reactions.

[Tambrey]

I will ask at the followup about bloodwork....I will have to look and see what Rymadil can cause elsewise...

We decided rather than spend the money on a crate, which we would only use for the time being, we are going to get some 1x12 or 1x16 boards and biuld a confinement of about 2feet x 2feet...he does not jump that way, so he will not get over them...then when he is done being confined, we can use them to build the steps for the couch...

He was doing some crying out and shaking yesterday...sometimes even when he moved and no one was near...that is why we got him in right away, and lastnight he was just too tense to try to examine anything, that is why the vet had me give him the baby aspirin and we went back today...Sammie was much more relaxed and alert and obviously not in the pain he was lastnight...the vet was able to touch his back without him crying out...and he showed me how to lift him different by supporting under his chest, which I do, but putting my pther hand between his hind legs and lifting sort of between his hips, using his hip and pelvis to support with my hand, rather than his abdomen...and Sammie is comfortable with tht technique of being picked up...but I would rather just take him down the front steps in the carrier and let him out to go potty and then have him go back in and carry him back into the house in that...alot less stress on his back that way!...I just had him out and he went potty...and lifted his leg to do so...I wish I could just get him to squat!!

So far he has had 1/8 tablet of the methocarbamol and will get his 2nd dose of that plus the Rymadil this evening...he does not seem too dopey or drunk...the vet said it may relax him to the point of seeming to be drunk...but he wants Sammie to just totally veg and relax this next week or so...

[Tambrey]

I forgot to mention as well that Sammie weighs 14.5 pounds...I know he has gained a bit of weight this past few weeks because I had not been able to take him out for his twice a day walks...I have been too sick...so he has just been lazing on the couch all day long...and I thought maybe that extra weight had to do with his back going out, but the vet said no, most likely it was his chasing the cats around and running and jumping on the furniture thinking he was a cat...and for the size of miniature daschshund he is, and his bone structure, he is at a good weight...
however, I do need to get him back on his walks as soon as he is able to do so, to get those muscles strengthened back up again...plus it will help me too!!

However, when we start out walks again, he said to go maybe the equivalent of one block once a day...no more...and every few days add a bit more...we live on a quarter mile dirt road, so I will just guess...one neighbors lane for a few days...then that lane and a bit more...then to the next lane a few days after...and so on until we are back to walking the entire road length...

[Traci]

Just be sure to watch him carefully....I am also concerned about the medications being given without a more appropriate diagnostic workup, since the medications may be masking the pain and only a temporary fix. The good news is he seems to be able to get around better today, but you truly want to discern the difference between real pain and masked pain caused by the medications. This is something you should definately discuss with your vet.

Your holding technique is perfect, I always advise owners use one hand directly under the lower abdomen (center of groin) and other under chest, to keep the spine straight, that is, if the dog is not in severe pain.