the vet also agreed that for most instances, holding/picking him up like I was is okay, but since the pain is in the lower back region,where his abdomen is located, Sammie does not like being picked up that way, he would yelp out every time...hence the alternative way to pick him up to alleviate stress on his stomach and lower back right now...actually, when the vet lifted him to the table, he had the assistant...not sure if she was a vet or tech in training...help him...he held Sammie's upper body, and showed her where to position under his hips area, and the vet also supported gently under Sammie's belly...so he had LOTS of support and made sure nothing worsened his back when they lifted him to the table...
He said he does not want Sammie to be totaly pain free, as he might injure himself worse by not knowing he is in pain...he said right now a bit of pain is good to remind him that he cannot do those things...but he does want him to be comfortable and relaxed enough that his muscles are not tense and it gives his back and chance to try to heal...and as I said, we will re-evaluate in 7-10 days and decide from there the next step...
Sammie is resting on his blanket on the floor...he is not happy because he wants to be on the couch, but that is off limits for the next few days...I guess I will be spending more time sitting on the floor so he can snuggle against my leg like he likes to do...
Sammie's Back
Re: Sammie's Back
I'm glad to hear Sammie seems to be better. I hope he continues to improve and is OK with being confined (it would drive any of mine totally nuts!).
On another note, Tambrey, I'm worried about you. Haven't you been sick for at least 3 weeks? Are you improving, or are things getting worse? If you're like me, you take your animals to the vet at the drop of a hat, but put off going to the doctor yourself (and I have no excuse - there are at least 150 doctors in the building where I work, including my internist and my GYN!). Anyway, enough about about me - what does you doctor say about you?
On another note, Tambrey, I'm worried about you. Haven't you been sick for at least 3 weeks? Are you improving, or are things getting worse? If you're like me, you take your animals to the vet at the drop of a hat, but put off going to the doctor yourself (and I have no excuse - there are at least 150 doctors in the building where I work, including my internist and my GYN!). Anyway, enough about about me - what does you doctor say about you?
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
Re: Sammie's Back
Thanks Karen...
Actuallu, Sammie is not doing too bad in the kennel...we ended up borrowing one from friends who also have a doxie and they were not using it right now...they only use it when they travel...it is the perfect size for him to turn around and lay down in...we have his blankies in there and he just walks right in and lays down...I open the door every so often and offer him food and water, but right now he is not too interested...and when he has to go potty, he walks from the kennel into a pet carrier and we take him outside...he walks out and does his duty, then walks back into the carrier and we bring him back inside...that way we do not need to be picking him up and it is alot easier on his back...
However, he is learning the pill in a wad of bread trick...and pill on a piece of canned food meat trick...so we may have to just do the sticking it into his mouth and rubbing his throat...but the Rimadyl says it is chewable...he turned his nose up at that...I wonder if it NEEDS to be chewed or if we just break it and rub his throat, will that be okay?
I have been fighting pneumonia for almost 3 weeks now...two weekends ago, my husband had me in the ER twice, because I was not getting better...all they did was give me IV fluids for dehydration (due to running a 103 fever and not being able to keep much down) and pain killers because of the intense headache....due to dehydration they said...the second night, I also got IV fluids, again, as well as the same pain killer, plus they added something to settle my stomach...and sent me home again saying I just needed to let it run its course...they did draw blood both nights and said, yep there is an infection, just let it run...
Well, I continued to get worse...I could not get out of bed and slept all day...could do NOTHING...still running a 103 fever after 9 days and getting worse, so I finally got into my local clinic...the PA was the one I saw, and he took one look at me, looked at my symptoms, listened to my lungs, ordered x-rays and bloodwork and told me I had pneumonia...I got a shot of Rocephin, and I had to rest there for 20 minutes afterwards before I could leave...and within 2 hours I was feeling a difference...a good difference..plus he put me on a Z-pack for 5 days...he said every symptom I have had should have led them to get a clue I had pneumonia...but he let on like it was not too bad and just take my meds and drink LOTS of water...
a couple days later when my mom was there for a B12 shot, the same PA asked her how she was feeling overall, because they changed her BP meds as well, and she said she felt alot better than her daughter...she said he got a serious look on his face and said, "She was one sick girl when she came in here the other day."
I still feel icky, and still have a cough and congestion, but not as bad...I did lose 21 pounds in 2 weeks and that took alot out of me...I can stand to lose 21 pounds, but not like this and not this fast!!
But...my house is a PIT...I mean really bad...the guys did not much of anything around here...my husband did dishes and cleaned the kitchen all the way to scrubbing/mopping the floor...one day...I do dishes daily, of course, plus wipe counters a few times a day, and the floor gets mopped daily because the litterbox is in the kitchen!
So today I am just trying to get caught up on some laundry and dishes...I did a "spot scrub" on the floor where it looked like it needs it...but I work tonight...only 2 hours...and I want to not overdo anything and relapse...
WOW...this was longer than I expected...but there, now you have the whole story of Sammie and Me!...thanks for being concerned and asking...
Actuallu, Sammie is not doing too bad in the kennel...we ended up borrowing one from friends who also have a doxie and they were not using it right now...they only use it when they travel...it is the perfect size for him to turn around and lay down in...we have his blankies in there and he just walks right in and lays down...I open the door every so often and offer him food and water, but right now he is not too interested...and when he has to go potty, he walks from the kennel into a pet carrier and we take him outside...he walks out and does his duty, then walks back into the carrier and we bring him back inside...that way we do not need to be picking him up and it is alot easier on his back...
However, he is learning the pill in a wad of bread trick...and pill on a piece of canned food meat trick...so we may have to just do the sticking it into his mouth and rubbing his throat...but the Rimadyl says it is chewable...he turned his nose up at that...I wonder if it NEEDS to be chewed or if we just break it and rub his throat, will that be okay?
I have been fighting pneumonia for almost 3 weeks now...two weekends ago, my husband had me in the ER twice, because I was not getting better...all they did was give me IV fluids for dehydration (due to running a 103 fever and not being able to keep much down) and pain killers because of the intense headache....due to dehydration they said...the second night, I also got IV fluids, again, as well as the same pain killer, plus they added something to settle my stomach...and sent me home again saying I just needed to let it run its course...they did draw blood both nights and said, yep there is an infection, just let it run...
Well, I continued to get worse...I could not get out of bed and slept all day...could do NOTHING...still running a 103 fever after 9 days and getting worse, so I finally got into my local clinic...the PA was the one I saw, and he took one look at me, looked at my symptoms, listened to my lungs, ordered x-rays and bloodwork and told me I had pneumonia...I got a shot of Rocephin, and I had to rest there for 20 minutes afterwards before I could leave...and within 2 hours I was feeling a difference...a good difference..plus he put me on a Z-pack for 5 days...he said every symptom I have had should have led them to get a clue I had pneumonia...but he let on like it was not too bad and just take my meds and drink LOTS of water...
a couple days later when my mom was there for a B12 shot, the same PA asked her how she was feeling overall, because they changed her BP meds as well, and she said she felt alot better than her daughter...she said he got a serious look on his face and said, "She was one sick girl when she came in here the other day."
I still feel icky, and still have a cough and congestion, but not as bad...I did lose 21 pounds in 2 weeks and that took alot out of me...I can stand to lose 21 pounds, but not like this and not this fast!!
But...my house is a PIT...I mean really bad...the guys did not much of anything around here...my husband did dishes and cleaned the kitchen all the way to scrubbing/mopping the floor...one day...I do dishes daily, of course, plus wipe counters a few times a day, and the floor gets mopped daily because the litterbox is in the kitchen!
So today I am just trying to get caught up on some laundry and dishes...I did a "spot scrub" on the floor where it looked like it needs it...but I work tonight...only 2 hours...and I want to not overdo anything and relapse...
WOW...this was longer than I expected...but there, now you have the whole story of Sammie and Me!...thanks for being concerned and asking...
Re: Sammie's Back
Sammie is doing better today...he is walking better and ate almost a whole serving of dry food and drank water well...went outside to go potty and had no troubles doing that...he did wander away further than I wanted him to in the yard, and he kept looking back at me...I know he just wanted to get out and walk a bit...but when I went to him with the pet carrier, he went right into it and then into his kennel...he is sleeing peacefully right now...and is even on his side curled a little bit, and relaxed, rather than laying straight up and rigid and trembling like he was a couple of days ago...
I guess the meds and rest is working, so hopefully by Monday we can get him off of the meds and in for a follow-up and plan of action...
I guess the meds and rest is working, so hopefully by Monday we can get him off of the meds and in for a follow-up and plan of action...
Re: Sammie's Back
I've been out of town at a meeting for a couple of days and just checked the board. Glad to hear both of you are better. I suspect the ER doc thought you had the flu. Pneumonia and flu are often confused, in fact, a national study done about 5 years ago showed that up to 30% of bacterial pneumonia cases were initially misdiagnosed as influenza. It's also possible for the flu to end up causing the person infected to develop pneumonia, so, it could have happened that way too.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
Re: Sammie's Back
that is true....they drew blood both nights....
I did go to the doctor again yesterday because I am still congested and just feeling yucky...he listened and still no lung sounds in lower left, so I got 5 days of Tequin 400mg to take...he said it is the strongest thing out there to (hopefully) kill it off completely...
Sammie is beginning to get antsy being in the kennel all the time...I do open the door and have his food and water on the floor right outside, and the pet carrier and couch to barricade him in, so he can come out enough to eat and drink but that is all...he still is stiff and moany in the am...until he gets his muscle relaxant for the day...he gets one at night too, but I think because he probably sleeps all night, he is just stiff in the morning...
But we are seeing a great improvement...he is not walking as stiff when he goes out to potty...he is eating well again and that tail wags...
I did go to the doctor again yesterday because I am still congested and just feeling yucky...he listened and still no lung sounds in lower left, so I got 5 days of Tequin 400mg to take...he said it is the strongest thing out there to (hopefully) kill it off completely...
Sammie is beginning to get antsy being in the kennel all the time...I do open the door and have his food and water on the floor right outside, and the pet carrier and couch to barricade him in, so he can come out enough to eat and drink but that is all...he still is stiff and moany in the am...until he gets his muscle relaxant for the day...he gets one at night too, but I think because he probably sleeps all night, he is just stiff in the morning...
But we are seeing a great improvement...he is not walking as stiff when he goes out to potty...he is eating well again and that tail wags...
Re: Sammie's Back
*Sighs*...we have an appointment at 11:30 today...Sammie was doing great and eating well, and so forth...even wagging his tail and wanting to try to run when outside to go potty...
However, he had a hard movement and since then has been tense, whiny and in obvious pain/discomfort...we have gone through the doses of muscle relaxer, but I do not know if the vet will want to keep him on that and continued rest, or what we will do today...
He still walks okay, although slowly...and today he was wagging his tail again, but if he moves the wrong way or too fast, he yelps out...
And I know he is getting tired of being cooped up in the kennel, the most he has been out of it is to eat and drink...the kennel is not quite big enough to keep a dish of food and water in there, so when I am sitting on the couch here in th living room, I will open the door and have boxes set up on two sides...it is against the couch on the other, and he has that open door extra room to come out and eat and drink if he chooses to do so...
However, he had a hard movement and since then has been tense, whiny and in obvious pain/discomfort...we have gone through the doses of muscle relaxer, but I do not know if the vet will want to keep him on that and continued rest, or what we will do today...
He still walks okay, although slowly...and today he was wagging his tail again, but if he moves the wrong way or too fast, he yelps out...
And I know he is getting tired of being cooped up in the kennel, the most he has been out of it is to eat and drink...the kennel is not quite big enough to keep a dish of food and water in there, so when I am sitting on the couch here in th living room, I will open the door and have boxes set up on two sides...it is against the couch on the other, and he has that open door extra room to come out and eat and drink if he chooses to do so...
Re: Sammie's Back
We are back from the vet...Sammie got a shot of Torbugesic and he is quite relaxed right now...but he was so tense the vet said that even giving him a Methocarbamol would hardly work...so hopefully this will help him greatly...
Sammie also has a stool softener, Docusate 100mg to take for the next 14 days...so hopefully that will help aleviate straining and pressure on his back...
Continued kennel rest and Rimadyl as well...
The vet said to call him Thursday and let him know how Sammie is doing...if better, great, if same we may go with some prednisone, if worse, get him in immediately...
Sammie also has a stool softener, Docusate 100mg to take for the next 14 days...so hopefully that will help aleviate straining and pressure on his back...
Continued kennel rest and Rimadyl as well...
The vet said to call him Thursday and let him know how Sammie is doing...if better, great, if same we may go with some prednisone, if worse, get him in immediately...
Re: Sammie's Back
Tambrey, I'm getting concerned with continued use of pain medications, anti-inflammatories...I strongly suggest getting him seen by a vet surgeon/orthopedic surgeon for a new x-ray, possible myleogram.
..........Traci
Re: Sammie's Back
this is a vet surgeon...this is the best place to take your animals to within hundreds of miles...people come from all over to bring their animals to this hospital...
I talk to him again Thursday...I will ask him about long term meds and such then...it has been one week that Sammie has been on these, and he was doing so much better until that hard stool he had...so hopefully he will come back faster this time...
I talk to him again Thursday...I will ask him about long term meds and such then...it has been one week that Sammie has been on these, and he was doing so much better until that hard stool he had...so hopefully he will come back faster this time...