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Mon 17 Mar, 2008 01:12 pm
Yesterday morning, Friday 3/14, Dolly and Maddy were playing in the house, running around, when Maddy suddenly yelped. I watched him and he seemed OK. About two hours later, Maddy yelped several times and I called the vet and got an appointment for 1-1/2 hours later. Maddy let me put his harness for his leash on him. I had to help him get into the car and out of the car when we arrived. On his way in, Maddy peed standing without lifting his leg. Inside, I had to help him as he was trembling in fear. The vet came out and felt his legs, including hips, and didn't find anything broken. Took him to the exam room and she did some more feeling, still didn't find anything. She said she thought the injury was to the soft tissue, not the bone. She weighed Maddy to see what strength of pain meds he could take. She got a small can of dog food and gave him 2/3 of the pill by coating it with the food. He swallowed it OK. She said she didn't want to run up a big bill by x-raying Maddy at this time if it is just a muscle strain and wants to wait 2 or 3 days to see if he gets better. If not, she will x-ray him. She thinks the injury is in his back, muscle or spine, can't tell which at this time.
Last night, I drove to the store to buy a turkey baster so I could force water in his mouth as he is refusing food and water. I was worried about dehydration. I got a little water down him. Before I went to bed, I got him to eat 2 small dog biscuits and a little drink of water. Maddy gets in one spot, standing, sitting, lying down and doesn't move no matter what is happening in the house. If I tell him names of people he loves, he appears excited, but doesn't move. If I didn't see him walk a little, I would think he's paralyzed in his legs, but he isn't.
Maddy is in a lot of severe pain. When I woke up this morning, he was trembling with pain. I got his pain pill and 2 small dog biscuits down him but he refused to drink water. In about 1/2 hour, he stopped trembling. He sat in the spot for over 1/2 hour without moving. Finally, I got him to walk to the front office where he can sit-lay on his window ledge and see outside and be with me as I type this e-mail.
Dolly keeps trying to play with Maddy. I have to keep her away from him and she doesn't understand. I hope it's just a muscle strain and not a spinal injury. My poor sweet Maddy, I hate seeing him hurt so bad. I will do the best I can to get him well.
BBB
Bad news about Maddy's back
I didn't give Maddy his pain meds this morning, Monday 3/17, and took him to the Vet. She took 2 X-rays of Maddy and the result were bad news, but at least we know what we are dealing with. Maddy has three ruptured discs in his upper back, an uncommon place for this. I could see that the top disc has calcified, the other two are headed that way. The vet said it appears that Maddy has a deteriorating spine and the other discs may eventually result in the same problem.
The vet put him on Prednisone, (steroid) regimen for 4 weeks: 1 tablet every 12 hours for 5 days; 1 tablet every 24 hours for 5 days; 1 tablet every 48 hours for 10 days. She hopes this will reduce the the inflammation and reduce his pain. She said if this does not work and Maddy's pain is still severe, the only option is spinal surgery, which will cost between $3,000 and $4,000. I willing to pay that (from my savings) if it will relieve Maddy's pain. The problem is that it is possible his other discs will gradually fail and his pain won't be permanently relieved. She doesn't know how long Maddy could last without severe pain. So he might go through spinal surgery but still end up with the same pain as the other discs degenerate.
A friend of mine is recommending the top dog hospital in the country, which is in Colorado. I will seek a second opinion to learn if they have any better treatment and solutions to recommend. It will be worth the long drive from Albuquerque to the Denver area to have them evaluate Maddy.
Maddy is nearly 5 years old and has been the most wonderful companion I could have ever hoped for. I can't bear the thought of losing him but I won't let him suffer. I will give Maddy every care I can to keep him pain free, but I won't subject him to painful surgeries if it is only temporary relief. I love him too much for that and will put his comfort before my personal loss if it means ending his life.
BBB
Oh, damn, I'm very sorry to hear that, BBB.
Osso
ossobuco wrote:Oh, damn, I'm very sorry to hear that, BBB.
So am I. We had hoped it was just a muscle strain.
BBB
Hard decisions, either way you go on it. Poor baby Maddy. And very hard for you.
BBB ..... I am so sorry. Sending lots of healing thoughts your way. Maddy is in good hands and is very lucky to have you in his life.
Your love is a comforting blanket to him, no matter how much he hurts or what he is going through.
~Hugs
He's so young
I'm truly sorry to hear about Maddy BBB. I know you love each other very much.
BBB
Does anyone know anything about the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins?
Tomorrow I will call it's Small Animal Orthopedic Department to discuss Maddy's condition with them. I can arrange for Maddy's X-rays to be sent to them. Then we can decide if I should take him to Colorado to be examined.
BBB
Five is still young. What a shame.
I just came across this. So sorry BumbleBeeBoogie
btw I did attend that conference and I spoke with some of the groomers about the trachea collapsing on small dogs
TTH
TTH wrote:I just came across this. So sorry BumbleBeeBoogie
btw I did attend that conference and I spoke with some of the groomers about the trachea collapsing on small dogs
Thanks for doing that TTH, what were their responses?
BBB
They basically said that if a small dog is pulling hard against the collar, then they have to resort to taking the collar off and have another person hold the dog in place. They also said it sounded unusual to them and that they could just about bet that the owner used a collar on the dog and the dog was a puller prior to being groomed and when the dog went to the groomer a trachea collapse was the final straw, so to speak. I didn't mention anything about you or how you walked your dog or if you used a collar or not.
I am glad you did make a post about the whole incident because I use a collar on my dog and she tends to pull, which means I need to get a harness to walk her.
BBB
Monday morning, 3/17, Maddy took his first steroid pill. By 7 p.m. he was showing improvement in his movements, even wagging his tail at me. I gave him his second pill and an hour and one-half later I noticed his breathing pattern had changed. He was breathing more rapidly and with deeper breaths. Tuesday 3/18, I took him to the vet, the chief vet and owner of the hospital, to learn we should be concerned about his breathing and if it was safe to give him his pill. The vet checked his heart and lungs; found everything normal. Apparently, a side effect of the steroids, which I have to monitor that it doesn't worsen. Maddy took his two pills, and notice some increase in breathing pattern by eight p.m., but he's OK. The chief looked at Maddy's e-rays and concurred with his colleagues diagnosis and continued spinal disc failure. He said it's probably genetic in Maddy's family history.
Wednesday 3/19, Maddy jumped down from my bed this morning and actually trotted to the back door to go outside and look for his birdie friends eating the sunflower seeds I put out for them. He also ate two dog biscuits. Maddy is finally eating and drinking water from his dog bowls, a big relief. He still hesitates to try to jump up on chairs, sofas, my bed, etc. I don't know if it is because he can't or because he remembers how much pain it caused him to do it. I guess time will tell. Maddy has a long memory, just like an elephant.
I'm so relieved to see his small improvements and it gives me hope he will gradually get back to his old silly self. The worry that never goes away is the possibility that his spine will continue to deteriorate beyond the existing three damaged discs. But every day with out pain is a good day for Maddy.
BBB
BBB--
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and for Maddy.
BBB
I have a good and caring vet. She called me this morning to learn how Maddy was progressing. Is that a rare call? She has always been very fond of my dogs and they both love her.
Maddy gets a little better each day. He actually ran a little with a wagging tail to come inside the house from the back yard. First time he's done that. He's still wary of trying to jump up into a chair. Pain memory, I guess.
BBB
Re: BBB
BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:Wednesday 3/19, Maddy jumped down from my bed this morning
Please try to arrange things so that Maddy can not jump from your bed. Purchase a ramp or stairs he can climb down. Lift him down.
Please ensure that he is not jumping up onto things.
His spine is degenerating.
While the medication is preventing him from feeling some of the pain, it is not preventing further damage from occurring.
You can slow down the process, but you can't reverse or stop it.
You need to be very careful about this. Do not encourage him to jump up onto chairs/beds etc. If you can lift him up and down, do so.
~~~
Our vet calls after pretty much every appointment - even a check-up - to see how the dogs are doing. The clinic's quite good that way.
ehBeth
ehBeth, your advice is good. After I posted the above update, Maddy tried to jump up on the foot rest of my recliner chair. He couldn't seem to coordinate his body to be able to make the low jump. He's not able to jump up on anything. I have to lift him every time
This morning, when I let the two mutts outside, Maddy walked stiffly to the door, stepped outside and had difficulty keeping his balance and walking in a straight line. He kind of staggers, like a drunk. Could the steroid meds cause this?
It occurred to me that his movements remind me of someone who has had a stroke.
I fear I've lost my former silly Maddy and I'm having to care for a different dog, whom I love just the same. He expresses his love, but in a different more passive way.
Dolly doesn't understand what has happened to her big brother; wants to play with Maddy, which he can't do.
So sad!
BBB
Dogs are great comforts. They are also hostages to fortune.
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