[kytroutmanoh]

Hello.. I'm looking for advice. About 2 weeks ago, my super hyper active dog quit running, he would only walk.. then one day he couldn't jump in the chair with me, then he started shaking and panting, could barely walk.. Took him to the vet, she said inflammed disc with a swollen spleen? Said his shaking/shivering and panting was a dog's sign of intense pain. Put him on steroid and muscle relaxer. We did 5 days of steroids at twice a day.. then we went to one steroid once a day with the muscle relaxers.. The 3rd day of only one steroid he started shaking and panting again, so I called back and she said 3 more days of twice a day steroid.. Tomorrow will be our 3rd day of this 2nd round. He still can barely walk, having to go the bathroom leaves him shaking in pain for about a hour afterwards. He is not overweight, but she said his back problem is common with the Cocker Spaniel part of him..
Has anyone had this with a dog before? This pain he is in, is no way to live. This is hurting me as much as him cause all he can do is lay. I have to pick him to take him outside because he can not do steps at all. Is there any hope that he will get better enough to be semi normal again? Suggestions please for the next vet visit!

 

[caradunne]

Sorry no help but I want to send you and your dog my love and sympathy, it must be awful for you both and I hope the vet can help more xx

 

[Dylansmum]

That's really awful for you both. We hate to see our lovely dogs in pain. Is there a possibility of an operation to correct it?

 

[kendal]

a friends cockapoo slipped a disk in her back a compleatly loat the use of her back legs, she ended up with an operatio and phisio therapy including hydro thrapy swimming she is still not perfect but she can now do se gentle running in the garden flr short periods of time.

have they taken an x ray yet.


another thing that may or may not help is a magnetic coller, i know humans that use magnetic braslets for joint and back pain. and dogs with hip displasia that have a hole new lease of life when wairing their magnetic collar.

realy hope your dog gets better soon.

 

[Cockapoodledoo]

How awful for you. Hope your dog shows improvement soon. It must be tearing you apart.

Karen x

 

[DONNA]

Thats awful im so sorry
Did the vet say it was an inherited condition or was it just something that can happen to any dog??

Thinking of you both Donna and Buddy x

 

[JulesB]

So sorry to hear this and hope something can be done so your dog can run around pain free again. x

 

[doodlebug]

Are you cage resting him? if not this will give his disc chance to heal, is he on any pain relief? i know vets often prescribe tramadol, this also has a sedative effect so helps them rest whilst while healing.

 

[Ali79]

I am so sorry to hear about your poor dog and hope that you are able to seek some more help and advice on here X

 

[kytroutmanoh]

He is on Robaxin, a muscle relaxer for pain right now.. but that runs out TODAY.. and yet our next vet appt is not until Sept. 7th.. He is on cage rest and she has us putting him in a wading pool for 30 minutes a day to help relieve the pressure, as his back end floats.. Not quite deep enough for him to have to swim, but yet deep enough that the back floats a bit.
She has mentioned surgery at a price of 3-5 thousand dollars.. cant' do that, and it may NOT help him, and it's a 90 minute drive to where they do that. Soooo..... When we leave the house, he is shut in the laundry room, where his cage/kennel is at.. I tried moving his kennel to the living room so he could be near us.. but he kept going back to the laundry room and laying in the floor next to where his kennel had been.. I gave up and moved it back in there, guess he wants his privacy too!

 

[kytroutmanoh]

She said it is common in Cocker Spaniels, and since he is part Cocker, he apparently inherited that trait from his father...

 

[wilfiboy]

Oh I really feel for you, you just feel so useless, I hope the treatment works and your poor boy ends up feeling himself again soon x

 

[doodlebug]

She said it is common in Cocker Spaniels, and since he is part Cocker, he apparently inherited that trait from his father...

So did the vet say it was degenerative disc disease? this is a genetic condition that cockers can be predisposed to, and why breeders need to know the health of the cockers in their dogs pedigrees,

If the vet confirms that it is degenerative disc disease you must inform the breeder so they dont breed any dogs with these lines.

Is surgery an option for your dog?

 

[Fifi]

Hi, Have you looked for a Canine Bowen Therapist? This link www.caninebowentechnique.com/ may give you more information.

I am a Bowen Therapist for people and I know how often this Technique can cure pain with very gentle moves, that convential medicine does not.

 

[kendal]

cockers are now starting to suffer from conditions that are normaly asosiated with larger breeds like hip displasia which is know in labs, standered poodles, GSDS. i know 2 cockers with it and a cockapoo.


i really recomend you look into magnet therapy.

 

[2ndhandgal]

The most important thing with disc problems is correct diagnosis and then either total rest to allow the discs to heal or surgery to resolve the problem. X-rays won't always show the problems fully so you may need an MRI scan to show what is going on and decide what to do from there.

Having had a previous dog suffering from severe disc problems you have my sympathy and I hope you are able to see the vets again today if he is still in pain as 7th Sept sounds a long time away.

 

[DONNA]

Hi, Have you looked for a Canine Bowen Therapist? This link www.caninebowentechnique.com/ may give you more information.

I am a Bowen Therapist for people and I know how often this Technique can cure pain with very gentle moves, that convential medicine does not.

Fifi ive used bowen therapy for a frozen shoulder and i must say i wasnt sold on it at first but IT WORKED for me it was amazing!!! I couldnt move my arm at all and i think i went about 6 times and got almost full movement back.Bowen therapy gets a thumbs up from me:twothumbs:

 

[Fifi]

Hi Donna, great to hear of some one who knows about Bowen and who has had a successful result. Although I haven't been trained to use it on animals I do occasionally give my mother-in-laws aged cat a few moves and also our friends 13 yr old lab, they both benefit.

 

[kytroutmanoh]

As of Sunday my dog seems a bit better. He has a tiny soccer ball that he's had since he was a little puppy, the only toy not torn up.. that he plays with in the pool when he's doing his water therapy and Sunday after he got out of the pool, he wanted to play with it more in the yard. I did play with him by tossing the ball maybe 4 feet away, and then when I quit because as I told him, you are not resting, he whimpered and whined and did his usual I want to play routine.. So that is hopeful as I had not seen that behavior, since he was in so much pain. He was the same way yesterday, but again I wouldn't play long.. He was 'caging' himself by staying in his kennel most of the day, but yesterday I had to actually shut him in the cage as he wanted to be out.. And the I know he's not healed, as you can tell by how he is walking.. and the vet did say to make him cage rest if he doesn't do it himself.. So I got the stare of what did I do when I shut the door on him... I have also ordered magnetic collars, figured why not.. I'll try about anything. Talked to the vet yesterday and we did get more steroid, but only enough to slowly wean him off.. His pain seems to be less, less shaking or panting, so we'll keep with the cage rest and hope for the best. He's feeling better and wants to be out but that is just going to aggravate the problem and not let it heal properly..

 

[Tressa]

Really hope he is on the mend soon - my heart goes out to you.