Confused As To What To Do Next?

[julesluvscavs]

I did leave a comment in another person's post on a similar topic but thought I would start my own as I don't really want to hijack theirs..

This is what i posted previously ''We are starting to go through something similar now with one of of our Cavaliers, Hes just over 9 now. We had noticed hes been stiff in his back and legs for some time, but thought he was just getting arthritis.. so hes been on Glyde until recently. Over last couple months its come on really bad and hes been wobbling when he walks. I first thought it was that wobblers sydrome, but its apparently not took him to a vet just over a month ago and she said its just really bad arthritis. I did ask if it could be this disc spine thing that some breeds of dogs are prone too such as Cavaliers. She was quite adamant that it wasn't that and suggested a course of catrophen injections. I was relieved thinking I hope its just arthritis and we can help him feel better with this course of cartrophen, Previously i had a dog physio work on him but she couldn't feel anything sinister and also thought it was just arthritis and recommended me some other powder thats even stronger than Glyde.Anyway he hasn't gotten worse, but hasn't gotten better either since starting the cartrophen. Hes also on some other painkillers for his eye problem. He seems happy enough but wobbles as he walks and drags his legs and we have to lift up and down on our bed now. And he has quite frequent really bad jerking spasms through the night.So tonight was the last injection with a vet check to see how hes going. It was a different vet and he does not think its arthritis but basically he suspects hes on the second severe stage of it. He says we need to go to a specialist to get a proper diagnosis as hes not a specialist. He said they would probably just recommend painkillers and rest at the stage he is, but probably a MRI would be the next step.... However this is to be confirmed by a specialist .I have no idea whats going happen, im scared of the next stage ! I have read that there is an operation but its not always successful if the condition is really bad. Hes not good with going under, so im not sure id want to put him through all of that at his age. Anyway we are going reassess the situation over the next few weeks at to what to do about it . Theres obviously no hurry to have a MRI just atm. I dont think hes in too much pain, as he would let us know, as hes a real sook at the best of times. He is grumpy a lot but you get that with pain ( I know for myself with my spine problems)''

Since then hes still no better, and often he walk sideways now..

We have been really busy between getting his eye issues sorted out and my husband's Mother passed away just over a week ago, so all our attention has gone into travelling a fair distance to an eye specialist in Adelaide for Joey and also having to arrange funeral for my husbands (which was yesterday)

We have forked out heaps on Joeys eye, which has been a priority, but we really dont have much left over to start doing MRI's and big operations.. we also have other expenses to do with husbands Mother as well on top of everything else

So my question is (which our vets arnt too forthcoming with) is there a general xray that will show up any major nerve/back problems before having to get a MRI done? if we have to go down the MRI path my husband would need to take more time off work to get Joey to it, and hes already had all the time he can get off now for his Mother and Joeys eye specialist appts?

Someone was telling me her dog was so bad with it, it showed up in a normal xray and sadly it didnt even make it to having the MRI and any ops.

We both are not keen to put him through anything invasive at his age as hes not good with going under..

At this stage we would prefer to not have to put him through a lot of suffering if it comes to that.

All our vet has said is to get a MRI done and go from there.. We don't currently have lots of $ to spend on major type operations .

Anyway looking for thoughts? Poor Joey is in the wars atm between his eye and this horrible crippling condition.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[julesluvscavs]

I have no idea whats going on with how my post has come out like it did , and even now my text is too small even tho its the default one i think ive fixed some of the problems, it had come up with lots of codes . but my text is still small !

Edited August 20, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[cassie]

I have no experience with anything like this Jules but just wanted to say I'm so sorry to hear of Joey's health issues I hope someone can give you some good advice on what to do next. He's such a dear little dog and I know how much you love all your dogs xxx

PS your post looks fine to me, although I'm on my phone if that makes any difference.

[julesluvscavs]

Thanks Cassie, the post was full of codes, but i managed to take it out after :) However my default text size is still bit small even when i try to change it, it goes back smaller. Maybe its doing something from my end long as people can understand what i wrote, thats the main thing.

Yes its a worry re Joey.. we thought we were going to lose Renae some months ago, but shes okish now, but its her son that has us really worried !

We love them all so much, but there only so much money to spread around these days, and I refuse to put an older dog (for a cav hes getting on) through lots of suffering and anything too invasive...

I have major nerve damage in my spine and I spend nearly every day in pain and thats with medication but i can whinge about it unlike Joey

Also where we live its difficult to access other type treatments easily eg holistic ones.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[ness]

Jules - if it was me I'd get in touch with Dr Ian Douglas. He is a really good neurologist and will let you know the options you have available. He also seems fairly matter of fact and doesn't go pushing unnecessary diagnostics in my experience. He was happy to organise spinal x-rays for Kenz when there was some suggestion her issues might be more neurological then ortho related.

I am not totally sure on his whereabouts at the moment as he is no longer listed on the SA Vet website however it is my understanding when I recently suggested him to somebody else is that if you call there you might be able to get a mobile number and contact him that way.

[julesluvscavs]

Thank you Ness :)

the vet did give us some info sheets on one in Adelaide, i'll have to look it up to see which one it is? we have been so busy as i mentioned with Joey's eye appts and my husbands Mothers passing that I havent had much of a chance to look at the info sheets yet.

I will message you later for some details. Thank you :) Trouble is if we have to go too far for appts/tests its going get difficult for us as husband cant keep taking more time off work, and im not able to drive to Adelaide..

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[cavNrott]

My now 9yo Cavalier had IDD episode 4 years ago. It was acute rather than chronic. I was present when his disk ruptured, he was running out the back door and suddenly stopped and was screaming in pain. He was virtually paralysed from the shoulders down.

I rushed him to the vet immediately and we were referred to the Specialist Centre within a couple of hours. Bronson had a myelogram which revealed a ruptured disk in his spine. Whilst he was still under GA the specialist called to tell me that surgery was necessary if Bronson was to walk again. I gave the ok and surgery was performed immediately. The ruptured disk material was pressing on his spinal cord and no messages from the brain were getting beyond the area of the pressure. Hence he was unable to walk and would probably remain so without surgery.

Bronson had a problem free recovery and after a month or so he was able to walk and run normally. He has had never had any further problems with his spine. He runs and plays with my other Cav and has no issues at all. He has no arthritis, possibly because I've had him on a daily glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplement since he was a puppy.

Xrays show bones rather than nerves and/or tissue so either an MRI or a myelogram would be best if you intend to go down that path.

Sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time. If you need any further information, ask away.

[julesluvscavs]

I do remember about that time CavNrott

Glad Bronson recovered well

Its hard to know what to do, if Joey was younger I would do what ever it takes altho we don't have much spare $ atm.. but he is suffering between this and his eye, we dont think his eye is ever going be 100 per better (it was an abrasion from a scratch that got infected long story..) still seeing a specialist for it.

The biggest thing is my husband has had a lot of time off from work between having to see to his Mum in her final days and taking Joey to the specialist in Adelaide.. and hes not going be able to organize more time off easily from now on and im not able drive that far .. I just wish the local vets could do a MRI and send it to a specialist to be read.

I would hate to make an decision without some proper diagnoses of course, but i just hope the next stage doesn't come on too quickly, as it all has already ..

This is why i have posted about it to get some opinions also..

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[ness]

Dr Douglas is consulting at Bellevue Heights as far as I am aware so at least its the "right" side of town to have to get to. Its always such a hard decision to make as to what to do .

Edited August 21, 2013 by ness

[julesluvscavs]

Ness if you have his details then could please message me with them, thanks :)

some people have said they cant always PM me on here, i did clean out my messages a while back, so hopefully it works now :)

Ps I know you have had a difficult time too Ive been lucky till now *touch wood* thats ours are just starting to have things go wrong at their ages, not when they were younger.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[ness]

Will PM you now.

[julesluvscavs]

Thank you Ness, let me know if you have any problems Pm'ing me :)

[biker girl]

Another one for Dr Douglas though my experience with him was 20 years ago now (maybe abit more)

I was doing agility with my cardigan corgi, Mitch, when he got the landing all wrong after the spread jump (back then it was huge) and he hyper-extended his neck

Took him to the vet a couple of days latter, as he was extremely stiff through the neck/back and they placed him on anti-inflammatries, which of course worked by masking the pain, which meant he was back to running around.

Back to the vet to look at other options and they recommended Ian, who back then was working out of the Birdwood Clinic.

No such thing as MRIs back then, though the X-ray showed the damage to Mitch's spine and fenisration (sp) was recommended...............

We were quoted....from memory....$1500 or there abouts. We talked about our options, as Mitch was still a young dog 5 maybe 6 and very fit and he was my Mum's dog too!

Mitch went on to live till he was 16..............for us it was well worth the money.

[julesluvscavs]

Thank you for your input also Bikergirl :)

Glad to hear you have had success through Dr Ian Douglas :)

Im not giving up yet, just working out our options which will work best for Joey and US within our means.. And I still would want to do a MRI first.. i just wish we could get it done closer to us.

Im trying to find the info sheets our vet gave us to see if its the same person.. cant find them just atm grrrr..its been a crazy fewmonths for us

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[julesluvscavs]

The other thing is that it is risky performing operations on Joey, as he has problems coming out of them... that in itself is a worry too .. Not because of heart issues, he doesnt have any heart problems, the vet has told us why in the past but i cant remember what the problem is with GA he has..

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[julesluvscavs]

Ok I finally found the info sheets for that the vet gave us and its for Dr Ian Douglas !

I will make contact later with him and see if he can talk to me first about it all :)

and yes he's in Bellevue Heights, so still bit of a distance ..

Anyway i will give him a call and go from there :)

Ness his number is on the sheets, i will pm you with them soon .

[Salukifan]

Have you had any spinal x-rays done?

One of my poodles has a disc issue - one look at his x-rays told the neurologist the issue is not operable and therefore MRIs were not warranted.

He gets regular chiropracty to keep his spine aligned and, on a couple of occasions, has had a small dose of valium to relax painful muscles around the affected area (his neck). he now receives regular Bowen therapy too.

I'd be reluctant to do any major surgery on a 9 year old. You may find that medication and non-invasive treatments can improve his quality of life so a specialist visit will at least give you all the options for going forward.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[julesluvscavs]

Thank you Haredown Whippets

the vet hasn't suggested any xrays they can do, just gave us the info sheets if we were interested in taking Joey to this neurologist to let him take a look ..

Can a normal vet do the spinal xrays, as thats what i would prefer to do first up.. but it looks like we will have to take him to the neurologist for them to do them.

He's on some mild pain killers/antiflammatories tablets for his eye anyway which the vet said will help his back also.. He has had bowen type dog treatments already and he's just had a course of cartrophen injection plus we have him on some natural powder which is meant to be quite powerful as antiflamortory .. We don't think its helped him much but perhaps if he hadn't had all these things, he would be far worse by now?

We really hate the spasms hes having throughout the night tho.. he doesn't yelp with them, it more just lots of movement .

We are very reluctant to put him through any surgury, but like you all have suggested I do think we need to at least get him xrayed and go from there..

Im glad your poodle is doing ok and comfortably considering the problem .. i know what its like having a disc/degenerative problem with my spine also..

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[ness]

I would agree with taking him to the specialist to get the x-rays done if thats the path you want to go down. Very specialist business this to the extent where the ortho guy referred Kenz to the neuro for x-rays if we wanted spinal x-rays taken :laugh:.

[julesluvscavs]

Thanks Ness, i guess thats our next step, hopefully hubby can get another day off work soon so we can take him there.. Ill see if i can get them give us a consult and do xrays at same time rather than going back and forth.. Luckily last week the eye specialist was able to do Joey eye procedure at the same time, altho we had to end up going back last Sat morning anyway because he had a bad reaction to it Trouble is most specialists dont generally work on Saturdays..

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs