Help Needed: pinched nerve

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Mary and Roxy
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Help Needed: pinched nerve

Post by Mary and Roxy »

Hi. Im the momma of a 6 year old cocker spanialmix. I got her at the pound and she is a nut case. For months I had to swile my finger in her water bowl so she would drink. she wont eat inless I stay in the kitchen as she eats. Im her whole world. If im not around she wont eat or drink and who ever is watching her has to drag her outside so she will finally go potty. Im the type that feels like when you get a pet and they are a little nuts. you keep them anyway just like you would a child..Till death do you part.. Shes always been a active dog. I noticed saturday that she was haveing trouble getting up on the couch.I thought it was her front paw that was hurting,I was gone a few hours and when i got back her back legs were hardly working,sunday she was draging herself around. I took her to a emergency vet hospital they took xrays and said she has a pinched nerve towards her tail. They kept her and put her on meds. Im told she needs surgery to cut away the disks that are pinching the nerve. I cant afford the surgery.I cant afford the 600 its already cost. Ive brought her home now, and shes on the meds. She dosent seam to be in any pain. Her doctor said if she dosent have the surgery she will get paralized in the back. Im willing to give the rest and meds a chance to work. but i have no idea how to take care of her. How to get her to go potty while im holding up her back end? Would she be able to go potty on her own if she has one of those cart things? My typing is horrable here, im typing this as im sobbing. I dont know if its fair to her make her go thro this, or it would be best to put her down.. Im a firm believer in chiropractors. and am looking to find a vet who does that. What I need to know is, how to do the things i need to do ???? I'm totally lost here.. If any one has any advice ide be thankful to hear it.. Thank you Mary
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critters
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Re: Help Needed: pinched nerve *LINK*

Post by critters »

LOTS of critters around the bb have had good recoveries, with or without surgery. Your baby needs to be crated; here is CarolC's info and link about this. The rest of the thread has good info, too. http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/ ... read=27833

It'd be easier on you if you'd use a walking aid-- http://www.handicappedpets.com/Mobility ... arness.htm

Stick around--lots of people are or have been in your situation.


http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/ ... read=27833
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Mary and Roxy
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Location: So. California

Re: Help Needed: pinched nerve

Post by Mary and Roxy »

Thanks for the info. Im going to crate her some how. Ill get the plastic lined pads. She has long hair.Im wondering should i shave her hind legs and rump? use diapers? Is it best to carry her outside to go potty or use some thing to keep her hind up and let her walk? do i not try to take her outside to go pottty? My vet is really no help with these questions, he says if i dont do the surgery the best thing for me to do is put her down.. I just cant do that without at least trying. What i need to know is how to take care of her? the easyest way to wash her up after accidents? will bathing her to much cause her skin probs and how to try to avoid that?? I feel so stupid right now..MY brain isnt working. she deserves better care then i know how to give. I dont want to give up becasue i dont know what to do.Money is limited, and i dont know anyone who has ever had this sort of thing happen.. Thank you sooo much.. Roxys in the dark mom Mary
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critters
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more

Post by critters »

Your baby will need to go out to poop and pee, unless you can rig up something inside that she finds acceptable. Can she poop and pee on her own, or are you expressing? Do you need directions for poop on demand? Carrying her out is a GREAT idea, if she's not too heavy for you; otherwise, you can use a bought or homemade walking aid.

I'd DEFINITELY shave her butt; if she still gets messy, we can give you the info on Cavilon, a skin barrier that will keep poop and pee off her skin (she'll need to be shaved to use Cavilon, anyway).

Diapers may be worth a try if poop on demand and expressing don't sufficiently improve the "accident" situation or if you don't want to express and she leaks a lot.
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Mary and Roxy
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Re: more

Post by Mary and Roxy »

THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH.. Yes I can carry her.. I dont know what the poop on comand is.. so far she has been able to pee when i take her out.. Shes pooped a couple times.(were gonna need a lot more practice with that one) ..Right now were waiting for her hair to dry (she is scared of a dryer) then ill get to cutting her hair.. How would i get the cream for her butt?? REALLY THANK YOU SOOO MUCH.. I dont feel all alone with anymore.. Roxy thanks you also.. now she wont have to be looking at me like your gonna try to do WHAT ;o) THANK YOU Mary
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critters
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Poop on Demand/Cavilon *LINK*

Post by critters »

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CarolC
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Poop on Demand illustrated :)

Post by CarolC »

Hi Mary,

Here is a link to an illustrated version of how to do poop on command (or poop on demand). In fact, there is a lot of info on the whole subject.

Bowel Management info

Also, did anyone give you the guidelines on how to do crate rest? A percentage of dogs will recover from a disk problem through lengthy, very STRICT crate rest. Crate rest is sometimes the only treatment given for the first incidence of a disk problem, and of course it's also for when you rule out surgery because of cost, age of the pet, etc. Here is the link:

<a href="http://www.dodgerslist.com/lit/After_Surgery.htm">Crate rest guidelines</a>

Your vet is not only wrong but WAY wrong about putting her down if she doesn't recover normal walking. The world is full of happy dogs leading happy lives in doggy wheelchairs, and wheelchairs don't have to cost that much. You can even make your own. But not yet--crate rest right now!

As far as pottying outside or inside, with my paralyzed dog I started by pottying her outside. The idea seemed to be that they were used to going outside so you took them outside. However, I along with many others in the same situation, found that it is really easier to do it inside, and the dogs are just as happy.

If you want to take her outside that's fine, and you can support her with a sling. However, if she won't go you can still do the poop on demand routine, that is what I do every day with my dog, it's GREAT! You have real control of the situation. You can do it with her just lying on her side with a puppytraining pad under her if you want. If you do it inside, have a box of kleenex next to you and drop a tissue over each plop as it falls. You'll be surprised how well that works to keep the smell down.

I agree about shaving her behind, I did that with my old dog who was kind of shaggy. It made it easier when I had to bathe him because the drying was faster. Don't worry, frequent bathing won't hurt the skin, it will help it. But hopefully with poop on demand you won't need to do much bathing.

If you need help with bladder issues, just ask.

Here is a message from Susan, because she also has a cocker and she potties her indoors. Hope this helps!

http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/msg/webbbs_config.pl?read=25690
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Mary and Roxy
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Location: So. California

Re: Poop on Demand illustrated :)

Post by Mary and Roxy »

Good morning. First off I want to THANK everyone for the help. I'm sure I would have ended up giving up. Today is day 3 and im feeling lots better about this..She seems to be doing better. When I was carrying her out this morning her hind legs weren't just hanging there.Now what we have to get past, is when she starts to go (its been really runny) and she hears some gas she stops going. All the info is great. and every one is wonderful. I look forward to hopefully being able to help others on this web site, with the things im now going to be learning. Again THANK you for being there when you feel so helpless and alone. You just don't know what it means to me Roxys not so scared mom Mary ;o)
kevin hermensky

Re: Help Needed: pinched nerve

Post by kevin hermensky »

Hi
be very careful with chiropractors.Handicapped pets has a new product. It is called a pupapedic therapeutic coat. Your dog will fit a medium.Place the gel packs in the frezzer abou 15 to 25 min.don't freeze them use the cold to reduce the swelling 20 min therapy time do this for a day then alternate to hot therapy every other 20 min therapy. after you warm her massage the injured area not hard but not to soft either
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Dianne
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More than you ever wanted to know ;)

Post by Dianne »

Hi Mary,

I've got a paralyzed doxie that has been paralyzed more than a year. I first arrived at this board when Schnitzel was paralyzed 3 weeks after a disk injury. The folks here have been wonderful helping me get through the first year. Yep, it's been over a year since my dog had his injury. They will help you too!

Schnitzel did not have surgery, and his injury was so severe that he didn't regain use of his back legs. It is possible that your dog WILL regain use of his legs with crate rest, but if he doesn't regain use of them, life can still go on.

Schnitzel can run faster on 2 legs than I can. He REALLY doesn't care that he can't walk. He still is happy, sings (barks and whines) along to his favorite music, and plays with his toys. He still enjoys life...he just can't walk.

We recently built a wheelchair using 3/4" PVC pipe(schedule 40), and wheels from a child's riding toy, for under $10. If your dog remains paralyzed it is possible to cheaply make a wheelchair that works. There is no need to pay big bucks for one!

I use "poop on demand" with my dog.

First: Feed your dog a good quality dog food. 'Ole Roy won't do. You've got to give a high quality formula. Currently we use Iams small kibble and add about a tablespoon of Pedigree ground chicken from the can. The poop is NOT runny, and isn't messy. With a high quality food, you will have less poop than with something like 'Ole Roy. My dog weighs about 25 lbs. If your dog is overweight, start cutting his portions NOW as he will be less active during recovery, and getting the weight off could help prevent further injury.

Next: My dog needs to do #2 (poop) about 3 or 4 times per day. He needs to go immediately upon awakening in the morning, several hours after his first meal in the morning, after the second meal at 3PM and then before bedtime. Try to remember his regular pattern when he could walk. Did he like to go potty immediately upon awakening?

Thirdly: I can now estimate when my dog needs to empty his bowels, and I take him to the toilet. Sometimes a dog will start to raise and lower his tail, wiggle it, or give you some cue that he needs to go. Lift both lids so that you have a wide open area. As you face the toilet, I stand on the right side of the toilet. The dog's butt is facing the back of the toilet- toward the wall. Holding the dog with my left arm, in the crook of my left elbow, I use my right hand to grasp and pull on the soft tissue around the anal area. Using my right hand, thumb and next 3 fingers, I grasp the area and gently pull. You will soon learn to FEEL whether the anal area has firm feces (poop) in it, or if it is soft and flaccid (no poop). My right hand pushes the tail up and out of the way.

If you can learn to do this, and you CAN, you will have a cleaner house, cleaner dog bedding, less laundry, and fewer accidents when holding him. I do think that people are so repulsed by the poop mess of a paralyzed pet that they give up. If you've had babies or little kids, this will not disgust you at all. Some other pet owners on this board use different methods that work for them, but this is the method that I use.

Let us know if you are successful with this.

Dianne
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CarolC
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Dianne! You made a cart???

Post by CarolC »

And you never said a word! How does he like it? Details???

PS. When I drew the pictures for P-O-D I only showed pinching with 2 fingers like picking up a penny, but I think I'll leave it. I was surprised at how many times a day Schnitzel needs to go #2 but I just read an article in a magazine called Diaper Diagnosis that discussed how often infants and toddlers need to go and there is a huge variation, from several times a day to once a week or longer. I guess dogs differ, too.
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Mary and Roxy
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Location: So. California

Re: More than you ever wanted to know ;)

Post by Mary and Roxy »

Hi Dianne.. What's Ole Roy ?.. I feed her pedigree dry with some canned ped mixed in, I'll give the Iams a try. I think she's so runny from all's she's been thro the last week. Ide love to get the toilet potty going. Do you sit the butt on the toilet?I think she's around 35 lbs. and I'm working with a bad back myself soooo maybe I can bring in a short stool to sit on while I'm trying to get her used to doing this.. Is there a way to get her to pee on demand ? If you could try to describe how your cart was made ? My husband is willing to make something, but so far I don't like his ideas. I put a diaper on her last nite. because her belly is so big in the morning.(She's drinking a WHOLE lot of water since this happened) and when I picked her up to take her outside this morning I was glad I did. I've got to say diapers sure have come a longgg way since I had my child that thing swelled up like a balloon ;o)
Thanks Mary
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CarolC
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Re: More than you ever wanted to know ;)

Post by CarolC »

Hi Mary,

I know you were talking to Dianne so I hope you guys will please excuse me for jumping in while you wait for Dianne to return to the message board. (Dianne has a heavy schedule of daily responsibilities in addition to pet care.) Earlier I gave you a link to Susan's message about how she potties her cocker. Susan does it sitting next to the toilet with her dog lying across her lap, sort of like you are thinking. However, you can also do Poop on Demand right in her bed without having to lift her if you put a puppytraining pad under her and drop kleenex over the stools as she goes. Kleenex keeps the smell down amazingly well. (Just don't put Kleenex into the toilet later, I learned the hard way--it isn't like TP, it will clog your pipes.) Anita pottied her dog Sydney lying down like that, as did Tom. I have back problems and I would rather take a handful of paper waste and carry it out to the trash than carry a heavy dog into the bathroom several times a day.

Here is the link to Susan's message:

http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/msg/webbbs_config.pl?read=25690

Also, yes there certainly is a way to make her pee on demand. Dianne does it with Schnitzel and I do it with my dog and many other people here do it with their dogs. It's called expressing the bladder. (Poop on demand could be called expressing the bowel). Here is a link to info on expressing the bladder. Glad the diapers served you well! ;)

How to express the bladder
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Mary and Roxy
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Location: So. California

Re: More than you ever wanted to know ;)

Post by Mary and Roxy »

Hi Carol..Today is the first dry..(non crying day for me)..I've got her settled now so I can take the time to read all the responses I've gotten and sort it out.. Thanks for the links ill get so studying now Thanks Mary
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Mary and Roxy
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Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 2:29 am
Location: So. California

Re: Help Needed: pinched nerve

Post by Mary and Roxy »

Thanks I hadden't thought of warm and cold packs. Hopefully my mind will kick in soon.. Thanks Mary
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