IVDD Help please!
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 2:11 pm
Hello! My dog recently had a hemilaminectomy surgery done for IVDD. It at all started with him being in severe pain...we knew he had a disc issue in his neck, but were doing conservative therapy with him. We were doing laser therapy which REALLY seemed to help him. We actually thought he was completely better. He was back to his old self. We were VERY strict with him, not allowing him to jump up on anything or go up or down stairs. Then a few weeks after his laser treatements were done, he started having SEVERE pain again. I rushed him to the ER and they said that he was losing some feeling in his front paws and he had 2 bulging discs in his neck. We agreed that surgery was the best route for us. So they kept him overnight and did surgery on him that next morning. He pulled through great and they even said he got to go home early he was doing so well. This was an answer to my prayers! So, he had surgery on Tuesday, and they sent him home on Thursday evening. I got home around 8 pm and we let him eat a little and drink then put him in his crate for the night, right beside our bed. He did wonderful! I noticed the next day that he seemed in pain... the panting and breathing as well as shaking. I thought... well he just had MAJOR surgery on his neck, he is probably just sore. They sent him home with the instructions to give him 1/2 of a tramadol every 8 hours which is 25 mg. He also had a fentenyl patch on his back. By that evening he still looked very uncomfortable and began whining. I thought he had to pee so I picked him up very carefully and he screamed so loud. I totally freaked out and began crying. I sat him down and he continued this terrible sound for about 10 seconds. I rushed him back to the ER because I was so upset and couldnt get any rest because I was so worried about him. They kept him overnight and gave him IV meds. They called me the next morning and said he was doing wonderful, I could come get him. This time he had about 8 diff meds though. He has an antibiotic, 3 meds to prevent stomache ulcers, tramadol, methacarbamol, and prednisone. I have had him home since Thursday morning. Today is Sunday. He had been doing so well, totally pain free and I thought things were starting to look up.
I am still VERY strict with his cage rest as well as potty time he only gets to walk a few steps. I am also strict with his meds and give them to him right when they are due.. I even get up during the night at intervals to give him meds. This morning around 4:30 he had his pain medication due, it was right at 8 hours so it was probably worn off. I gave him his meds and he drank a bit of water in his cage and then I tried to get him to get out of his cage to potty. I took him outside and when I went to set him down to pee he let out that horrible scream again. I just brought him back inside and took him back to his cage, and when I went to set him down in his cage, he did it again... so loud it even woke my husband up. I held him for about ten minutes while he shook and panted and finally I was able to work him into his cage to lay down. He slept through the morning and when I took him out to pee around 9:30, he let out a small whimper, but walked a few steps and did his business. Then he just stretched out in the grass, I had a hard time getting him to get up but he finally did. No whimpering getting back in his cage this time, but I could tell he was uncomfortable.
The vet told me the possibilities of him having another disc that has slipped or having material that migrated and is hurting him. They did a myelogram before and after surgery, and he had no other problematic places other than the 2 discs that were bulging. I just cant wrap my mind around the fact that I could have possibly just spent 4500 bucks and he already slipped another, or something has went wrong. I don't see how he could have, I have been SO incredibly strict with him. I also know that they have to tell me the worst possible scenario too. I don't feel that he has slipped another disc.. its just my gut instinct. I am wanting to talk to someone or hear from someone about the recovery process of this surgery. I know he did fenestration on the other discs in his neck surrounding the 2 that were removed. So that really makes me believe it is not another slipped disc. Is it normal for a dog to still have pain 5 days after this surgery? The vet told me that it can be, and I do need to realize that he just had major surgery on his spinal cord... I know it has to be painful especially at the neck. Do you think he is just really sore from the surgery and that it will fade with time? He is walking just fine, a little wobbly when on the muscle relaxer... just so painful. I am losing sleep over this as well as my sanity. Please someone give me some advice!!!!!!! I don't know what to do if he still has a disc issue in his neck... I simply cannot afford another 4500 bucks I really couldnt afford it the first time, and I can't lose my best friend.
I am still VERY strict with his cage rest as well as potty time he only gets to walk a few steps. I am also strict with his meds and give them to him right when they are due.. I even get up during the night at intervals to give him meds. This morning around 4:30 he had his pain medication due, it was right at 8 hours so it was probably worn off. I gave him his meds and he drank a bit of water in his cage and then I tried to get him to get out of his cage to potty. I took him outside and when I went to set him down to pee he let out that horrible scream again. I just brought him back inside and took him back to his cage, and when I went to set him down in his cage, he did it again... so loud it even woke my husband up. I held him for about ten minutes while he shook and panted and finally I was able to work him into his cage to lay down. He slept through the morning and when I took him out to pee around 9:30, he let out a small whimper, but walked a few steps and did his business. Then he just stretched out in the grass, I had a hard time getting him to get up but he finally did. No whimpering getting back in his cage this time, but I could tell he was uncomfortable.
The vet told me the possibilities of him having another disc that has slipped or having material that migrated and is hurting him. They did a myelogram before and after surgery, and he had no other problematic places other than the 2 discs that were bulging. I just cant wrap my mind around the fact that I could have possibly just spent 4500 bucks and he already slipped another, or something has went wrong. I don't see how he could have, I have been SO incredibly strict with him. I also know that they have to tell me the worst possible scenario too. I don't feel that he has slipped another disc.. its just my gut instinct. I am wanting to talk to someone or hear from someone about the recovery process of this surgery. I know he did fenestration on the other discs in his neck surrounding the 2 that were removed. So that really makes me believe it is not another slipped disc. Is it normal for a dog to still have pain 5 days after this surgery? The vet told me that it can be, and I do need to realize that he just had major surgery on his spinal cord... I know it has to be painful especially at the neck. Do you think he is just really sore from the surgery and that it will fade with time? He is walking just fine, a little wobbly when on the muscle relaxer... just so painful. I am losing sleep over this as well as my sanity. Please someone give me some advice!!!!!!! I don't know what to do if he still has a disc issue in his neck... I simply cannot afford another 4500 bucks I really couldnt afford it the first time, and I can't lose my best friend.