Difficult Decisions - Page 2

I sent you a PM.

I am so sorry. This is such a difficult situation.

For my girl with DM  I accomodated her disability as best as I could with  wheel chair ramps and runners throughout the house. I supported her and eventually carried her with a "Help 'em Up"  harness, something I couldn't do today due to my back. 

Your situation is slightly different because he is in pain. I would try various pain meds to see if he gets relief. Have you tried Adequan? It seems to have really helped Josey's spinal arthritis. If you give the injections yourself it will cost no more than $15-$20 a month after the loading dose. Neurontin can help with nerve pain and you got some other good suggestions..  I don't know if acupuncture or massage therapy would help or not, but it is all worth investigating. 

I really feel for you SS and I hope you can find something that will give your boy relief.

I don't know how you feel about chiropractors, but a few years my uncle had an aging cat that could no longer get up by itself; my uncle was not ready to say good-bye yet, so he brought his cat to a animal chiropractor; the cat was able to walk and jump once more after just few visits and lived a few more years.  My sister also experienced a very similar situation after hitting her head; she was unable to walk unassisted because of the pain, had one chiropractic treatment and was able to walk out to the car normally.

I am so sorry, Sunsilver. This is never an easy decision to have to make.

Wait! You are in panic and want to help to the poor dog fast. But in this case you should wait. Do nothing for 4 w-6 weeks except some steroids  to take down the swelling. The onset was sudden thus it is some kind of a injury and swelling.  Swelling may not go down until knocked down by  some steroid. This is what the steroids are for. 

 I have been there before too and this helped. 

 Prager Hans

No, Hans, I am not in a panic. I actually questioned whether I really should take him to the vet today, as I don't feel there's a lot they can do. He is on Medrol (steroid) and aspirin, as of Sunday morning. The onsest was NOT sudden. It's just he made things worse by slipping on the floor. This has been gradually getitng worse for about 4 years.

We go for x-rays tomorrow.to rule out DM. The vet originally thought arthritis, now she's not so sure. Previous x-rays were not diagnostic as they could not get him to lie on his back so they could check his lumbar spine.

We both noticed something today we hadn't seen before. His FRONT legs seem to be affected, too, thus the possible DM diagnosis. 

I will be purchasing plywood for a ramp as soon as I can find the time to measure up, and get myself to Home Depot.

I doubt it is DM. The front legs would not become affected until he is totally down in the rear- unable to walk.DM progresses from the rear to the front. Front doesnt become affected until the dog is already paralyzed in the rear. By that time, he would be incontinent. This doesnt sound like what you are describing.Wobblers is the only thing that would affect all legs. GSDS do get wobblers. I agree that a help em up harness would be a great idea. You can take the pressure off his rear, like that. Runners, as have been suggested, are a great way for traction. A ramp, carpeted with indoor/outdoor carpeting, so it wont be slippery, is another wonderful suggestion. Without a ramp, I would not have been able to have Missie T go in and out without hurting herself or making it too difficult for her to even want to attempt it. Acupuncture would be great- maybe even gold bead acupuncture, where they implant gold beads so you dont have to keep repeating the acupuncture. If you dont want to do that, acupuncture itself it very good for pain management.It can also be used to stimulate muscles, to help build muscle to compensate. Simple xrays of  will also show portions of the spine, so you might get a good read on what is going on, simply from the xray, without the more invasive tests.

I would not, knowing what I know now, do surgery or procedures on a 12 yr old dog. Thats how I lost Joss. He had an MRI and developed aspiration pneumonia from the anesthesia, which turned into SIRS (system inflammatory response syndrome) which is deadly. That is was killed Joss. :(  If you have an upstairs, and dont want to leave him downstairs, perhaps you have a room downstairs you could sleep in, so he wont be alone at night. i slept on a sofa bed, downstairs, for over a year so Missie T didnt have to feel left alone. They have some good fold up beds (castro convertible) which folds to the size of an ottoman, with a great mattress. Its not very expensive. Of course, they only recently came out with them, but i now have one in my office, downstairs, just in case...

If it is inflammation, steroids should take down the inflammation. Once the inflammation is under control, you might be able to switch to an nsaid. I agree that adequan is worth a try.. There are many dogs whose life it has changed. I dont know that stem cell treatment would help with bone spurs, but its worth asking about.  They can now do it at the same time of the procedure. When Casey James had his elbows done, I simultaneously gave him a stem cell treatment in both elbows. They take fat cells, turn them into stem cells, and it works.

Feeding 2 sardines with each meal may also help. You would want to give it to him with the skin and bones. Cosequin DS  helps put synovial fluid back into the joints, so that may also help. along with perna sea mussel, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. Curcumin and bromelaine act syngergistically as a potent natural anti-inflammatories (given on an empty stomach), as well. I give Casey James 1/2 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic with his meals (as I did with both Joss and Missie T) as that also acts as an anti-inflammatory, anti fungal and anti bacterial. None of mine ever had a problem with it. However, always check with  your vet to make sure nothing is contraindicated with anything else your dog may be taking. Prayers for your boy.

xoxoxo

Prayers to you & your old fellow. Steroids, & pain meds, tramadol, or even a narcotic. When they are getting on, my thought simply goes to comfort.....

Good luck, & hugs to you.....a difficult journey ahead. You'll be in my thoughts.

jackie harris

Marjorie, I am hoping it's arthritis, but the previous x-ray did not show a lot other than age-related changes to the spine. However, the mobility of his tail is limited, and the vet says that's a sure sign of arthritis.

It's funny the way it seems to come and go. Sunday morning, he didn't want to tackle the steps to the front lobby to go outside. He eventually had to be carried down. Then, 5 minutes after coming back in, and going up the steps with minimal assistance, he went down the 3 steps to the living room and came back up with his ball, and tried to get my friends to play with him!

He does not seem to have a lot of trouble getting up from a lying position just yet. I live in a bungalow, and he sleeps beside my bed...always has. It's the stairs to the outside that are becoming a problem, but it should be easy to build a ramp. There are only 4 stairs.

There are 3 stairs to the living room, but they are smaller than the ones to the front entrance, so not so much of a problem.

When I turned him outside for his last pee of the nigh today, he actually trotted a few steps! Maybe the steroids are kicking in?

My other dog was much worse. She was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at the age of 8. There was also a bacterial infection in the spine, so the vet started talking euthanasia right away. He put her on antibiotics, and that seemed to help. I also started her on vitamin C, echinacea and garlic capsules to help her immune system. At the next appointment, there was a marked improvement in her proprioreceptor function, and the vet said, "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it! I kept her going for about a year, but eventually, she was dragging the hind legs along the ground. She was also incontinent of stool, and we decided it was time. :

It was encouraging to see the way he 'lit up' when the vet offered him some really yummy treats. She had his complete attention for the rest of the time he was in the office! He was SUCH a good boy...not a single whimper, even when she did a rectal exam to check the sciatic nerve!

Can you make a ramp and cover it with a non-slip surface so it can go down the ramp instead of the stairs?

 

I cannot add any more than above.  My heart to you.