Has anyone dealt with discospondylitis?

[Frannie's Mom]

Our Frannie, a 7-year-old German shepherd has been diagnosed with discospondylitis. She had emergency surgery Friday night to remove a mass that was compressing her spine and causing paralysis. She is already home and my husband and I are providing care. We are awaiting culture results to see if the cause is bacterial or fungal, and in the meantime she is on a broad spectrum antibiotic in hopes the cause is bacterial.

She seemed to be doing so much better yesterday with a good appetite and interest in her surroundings. We had a dreadful night with her soaking her bed twice and restlessness. Today she is very lethargic. She will try to eat a little--she's very cooperative--but she doesn't feel up to it or much of anything.

We are turning her every two or three hours which is scary since I'm so afraid I'm hurting her.

She has some reflexive movement (just a little) in her tail and right leg. Her neurosurgeon says she had deep pain sensation.

Thanks to those of you who have provided some very helpful advice after I asked questions in a comment to another post. I'm starting this new topic in hopes that somebody out there has dealt specifically with discospondylitis.

Thank you.

[Frannie's Mom]

We had to have Francesca euthanized yesterday morning because a disc in her neck, which had been affected, gave out and she was paralyzed from the neck down. The underlying infection turned out to be fungal so the antibiotics were ineffective. She could no longer eat even a bite of a favorite treat and she was having trouble breathing. We were privileged to have had her in our lives for seven years--she was phenomenal. God speed, Frannie Bear.

[Bobbie]

Oh, I'm sorry. I have never heard of that, although I lost a corgi to a spinal tumor which acted equally quickly. Fungal diseases are evil, they masquerade as other things but grow on Prednisone so get worse with the usual treatment for suspected cancers or disk compressions.

[Goldenz2]

I am so very sorry for your loss.

Jeanne in NJ
Goldens, Angelo & Archie