Plus touch may come in handy 1 day if he should lose his hearing.
I guess you've tried gabapentin for that?
Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
That's an interesting question. 
Actually? No.
We have some on hand because he was on it for weeks after his surgery. But during that time, did I pay any attention to his spasms if touched? No. Really, did I try to pet him at all while he was on it? No. I left him alone to recover...
Actually? No. We have some on hand because he was on it for weeks after his surgery. But during that time, did I pay any attention to his spasms if touched? No. Really, did I try to pet him at all while he was on it? No. I left him alone to recover...
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
I'd try it. Remember Buddy and his spinal cord neuralgia?
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Yeah, he doesn't seem to have zaps in that area of his back that I know of. Not biting at it or anything. But he overreacts to light touch. It's been over 3 years since his paralysis. He used to spring himself right out of his bed due to spasms, like a mousetrap going off and flipping itself up in the air. Possibly he was having zaps back then. He doesn't seem to do that since his surgery. He is kicking at his head/neck occasionally lately. That alone may have us back on the gabapentin.
Off the subject but this Spring I had quit making Knox blox for him because often he wouldn't eat them when offered. He seems to want them now that it's so hot. I've found a way to make the smallest recipe. Just
1 packet of Knox,
1/4 c cold water, and
3/4 c hot water.
That way we won't throw any out and he can have them fresh every 3 days. He turns his nose up at any left in the fridge after about 3 days. They look and smell fine to me but they must get stale or something. I'm glad he's eating them again because giving him soy milk twice a day is too many calories, even watering it down. We may not get everything perfect, but the least we can do is keep his weight.
Off the subject but this Spring I had quit making Knox blox for him because often he wouldn't eat them when offered. He seems to want them now that it's so hot. I've found a way to make the smallest recipe. Just
1 packet of Knox,
1/4 c cold water, and
3/4 c hot water.
That way we won't throw any out and he can have them fresh every 3 days. He turns his nose up at any left in the fridge after about 3 days. They look and smell fine to me but they must get stale or something. I'm glad he's eating them again because giving him soy milk twice a day is too many calories, even watering it down. We may not get everything perfect, but the least we can do is keep his weight.
Pip jumped in his bed this morning!
I heard him do it, turned around from getting breakfasts, and he was in his bed! Our morning routine is, I take him out to potty, bring him in, put him in the middle of the living room floor, and give him a sponge bath with 3 warm wet washcloths to start the day. Then I leave him there to either dry off while I get breakfasts ready, or he can walk around and settle someplace, or he can go number two if he needs to. I knew he went number two last night so he didn't really need to be on the floor (versus in his playpen where he has breakfast) but I hadn't changed the blankets in his playpen yet so I left him on the floor. Next thing I knew, he had jumped into his daybed! You can see it didn't have the towel laid in it yet, just the "mattress", but I left him as is. So proud of him! He still has pretty limited use of his front legs. He can use them to walk to a certain extent, but he must have done the jump into bed with nearly 100% his hind legs, and landed it right! Such a smart dogger!!!
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Funny seeing one of those boxes being used that way. Wonder if Meez would like one? Nobody uses them as litter boxes anymore, and he's SUCH a box kitty!
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Did you try it? Make one into a bed?
I've been doing something slightly different with Pip. Sometimes, and more often lately, he won't want his Knox blox. He likes them the day they're made, not so well the second day, often turns his nose up the third day. I dump any leftovers the end of Day 3. This makes me reluctanct to keep making them, only to throw them out.
So I offered him soy milk one afternoon when there were no blox. He was fine with that. But I'm worried about the calories, plus I don't want him having too much soy and possibly becoming allergic to it or something. But he needs his fluids. So I tried mixing water into it. He can drink it watered down! The whole point of the soy milk was the creaminess, to help his swallowing issue. Possibly his swallowing is a little better now, and he doesn't need it as thick to be able to get it down. Really don't know, just glad it's working thinned. There's still the sugar and his teeth. I haven't tried him on plain water, since he never could drink it before. Wonder if it's time to give water another try.
I've been doing something slightly different with Pip. Sometimes, and more often lately, he won't want his Knox blox. He likes them the day they're made, not so well the second day, often turns his nose up the third day. I dump any leftovers the end of Day 3. This makes me reluctanct to keep making them, only to throw them out.
So I offered him soy milk one afternoon when there were no blox. He was fine with that. But I'm worried about the calories, plus I don't want him having too much soy and possibly becoming allergic to it or something. But he needs his fluids. So I tried mixing water into it. He can drink it watered down! The whole point of the soy milk was the creaminess, to help his swallowing issue. Possibly his swallowing is a little better now, and he doesn't need it as thick to be able to get it down. Really don't know, just glad it's working thinned. There's still the sugar and his teeth. I haven't tried him on plain water, since he never could drink it before. Wonder if it's time to give water another try.
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
I forgot to see about a bed, but he’ll sleep in any box at all, so I doubt he’ll turn it down.
As I recall you tried water with thickener with Pip ages ago, right? Frankly it sounds vile. LoI I can’t help but wonder if he might be ready for plain old water; the last report I saw said there’s no danger to a little bit of good, clean water even if it’s aspirated.
If it went ok you might try him with water with a spoonful of meat baby food, canned dog food, or the like in it (I call it yummy water) to see how it went? That’s something that can get them drinking without too much fuss or mess, if it works. All your furs might like it!
As I recall you tried water with thickener with Pip ages ago, right? Frankly it sounds vile. LoI I can’t help but wonder if he might be ready for plain old water; the last report I saw said there’s no danger to a little bit of good, clean water even if it’s aspirated.
If it went ok you might try him with water with a spoonful of meat baby food, canned dog food, or the like in it (I call it yummy water) to see how it went? That’s something that can get them drinking without too much fuss or mess, if it works. All your furs might like it!
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
I've got Gerber turkey baby food on hand and could try some water with baby food. May do that tomorrow if today's idea doesn't work.
This may be a dumb idea, but I made Knox blox with 1 packet gelatine, 1/4c soy milk instead of cold water, and 3/4 boiling water. I'm not even sure it will set up, but I was remembering mid-century cookbooks that showed pictures of molded opaque mint green jello, and I don't know what was in it but it had to be something besides plain water.
We'll see this afternoon if it turns into jello and if he will like it. Gotta try something. Having soy milk twice a day is making him have softer stools, so there's that and the calories.
How to get fluids into a dog with swallowing issues...I tried so many brands of broth before switching to soy milk.
EDIT TO ADD 5:16 PM
Success so far. The jello did set, it did cut into blox just fine, and he likes it. He finished his bowl and then had seconds. Now we will see how his stools are, and how he likes it the second and third day in the fridge. It can't be too many calories with a 3 to 1 ratio of water to soy milk. It's probably better for his teeth as I think he mainly swallows them whole, not like lapping soy milk. Hope it works out.
EDIT TO ADD 7/24 8:26 AM
Stools were good this morning.
EDIT TO ADD 7/30 8:37 AM
He continues eating the soy milk blox even on the 4th day, so I don't end up throwing any out.
This may be a dumb idea, but I made Knox blox with 1 packet gelatine, 1/4c soy milk instead of cold water, and 3/4 boiling water. I'm not even sure it will set up, but I was remembering mid-century cookbooks that showed pictures of molded opaque mint green jello, and I don't know what was in it but it had to be something besides plain water.
We'll see this afternoon if it turns into jello and if he will like it. Gotta try something. Having soy milk twice a day is making him have softer stools, so there's that and the calories.
How to get fluids into a dog with swallowing issues...I tried so many brands of broth before switching to soy milk.
EDIT TO ADD 5:16 PM
Success so far. The jello did set, it did cut into blox just fine, and he likes it. He finished his bowl and then had seconds. Now we will see how his stools are, and how he likes it the second and third day in the fridge. It can't be too many calories with a 3 to 1 ratio of water to soy milk. It's probably better for his teeth as I think he mainly swallows them whole, not like lapping soy milk. Hope it works out.
EDIT TO ADD 7/24 8:26 AM
Stools were good this morning.
EDIT TO ADD 7/30 8:37 AM
He continues eating the soy milk blox even on the 4th day, so I don't end up throwing any out.
Crash pad for Pip
Pip has been bouncing himself out of bed a lot lately. His hind legs are sometimes too strong when he's trying to shift position in bed (a little spastic) and I'll hear a crash where he hits the wires of the dog crate next to him, and find him on the floor. So I got one of his travel beds, flipped it upside down, and positioned it in front of his daybed. It worked! This time when he bounced himself out of bed, he landed on the soft pillowy dog bed. Yay! 
Here is his bed before and after (showing how he landed).
Here is his bed before and after (showing how he landed).
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Do they treat spasticity in critters? They can in humans, although I’m having a brain fart on the stuff my client takes…
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
I keep thinking about this question. I thought maybe I knew the medication you meant for humans, but it has not come to me after thinking for days. When I search online, most of the results are for acute muscle spasms in dogs, not spasticity. Google doesn't seem to make a distinction. The main one that comes up for humans with chronic spasticity is Baclofen, which is not the one I was trying to think of (the other one had a longer name). It said Baclofen has a narrow margin of safety for dogs. If you think of the one in humans, please let me know. I'm guessing the one I've been trying to remember is something from 15-20 years ago that has fallen out of favor, and has probably been replaced by something else, which is why it isn't coming up in the results.
I read being too hot or too cold can increase spasms. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. I've been feeling warm lately and turned the a/c down to 79 for part of the day instead of 80/81.
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Yup, Baclofen is it.
I wonder if gabapentin might help? It's being used loads in humans and critters these days, including pain control for acute and/or surgical situations, and we know it's been used for nerve pain for ages. It seems like it should be safe, but effectiveness might have to be seen... I don't know that it's directly related to spasticity, but it might be worth a shot.
I wonder if gabapentin might help? It's being used loads in humans and critters these days, including pain control for acute and/or surgical situations, and we know it's been used for nerve pain for ages. It seems like it should be safe, but effectiveness might have to be seen... I don't know that it's directly related to spasticity, but it might be worth a shot.
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
I was going through this thread again tonight. So much has happened that if I hadn't written it down, I wouldn't remember it. I had forgotten that 5 days after surgery when he was on both gabapentin and tramadol, he back flipped himself out of his bed. That might not mean it wouldn't work at a different dose. And his neurological condition may be different now compared to 5 days after surgery. I think it's better. But I had completely forgotten he sprung (sprang?) himself out of bed when on gabapentin after surgery.
Re: Pip diagnosis - Central cord syndrome
Perhaps the tramadol had something to do with it, the 2 together, or neither. I don’t think 1 instance is enough evidence either way.