IVDD- how to go about treatment

[giraffez]

****apologies I should have posted this in the health forum, mods can you please relocate?****

 

My boy was diagnosed with IVDD six months ago.  Vet gave him a cortisone injection and sent him home with prednisone and tremedol and strict rest and he recovered well ( I don’t think fully but he didn’t show signs of pain).  Recently, it came back again but the treatment isn’t working this time.  He gets instant relief after the injection, but relapses a week later with a sore back and hunched up.  Repeated the same treatment again, it’s been another week and yesterday I thought he was doing well and was nearly back to normal, but today signs of soreness appeared.  I have yet to see the vet again but in the last consult, my vet says it’s a mild case so we are not in the severe territory yet.

 

im not sure where to go from here.  If I get an mri, im not sure its treatable without causing him too much misery,  My dog is nine and I’m not sure surgery is the best thing for him at this stage.  I worry about recovery time as it’s an invasive procedure, vet said depending on what it is could take 12 months to recover and worst case he may not walk.  

 

I read some post about chiro and was wondering whether this is worth exploring?  I can’t imagine a chiro session on a dog particular one that is in pain.  Are there any long term medication he can take to lessen the pain?

 

 

Edited May 1, 2018 by giraffez

[Dogsfevr]

I would not use a Chiro but a Bowen person who massages the muscles .

I would also look at muscle relaxers,my dog gets Schuessler muscle relaxer for a back injury ,all my show dogs get Bowen 

[sas]

Hi, there are different modalities that may assist such as Taping to offer pain relief and support, laser, acupuncture, gentle soft tissue work etc.

[Garret]

Hi mate, 

My dog is also suffering from IVDD. And he is somewhat paralyzed, could you maybe tell me more of an update on how's it going at ur end? Since by the look of this post it has been sometime.. 

[Boronia]

6 hours ago, Garret said:

Hi mate, 

My dog is also suffering from IVDD. And he is somewhat paralyzed, could you maybe tell me more of an update on how's it going at ur end? Since by the look of this post it has been sometime.. 

I hope you see this  @giraffez

[Garret]

Im sorry to see that.

@Boronia

[giraffez]

On 3/15/2019 at 1:07 AM, Garret said:

Hi mate, 

My dog is also suffering from IVDD. And he is somewhat paralyzed, could you maybe tell me more of an update on how's it going at ur end? Since by the look of this post it has been sometime.. 

@Boroniathanks for raising this to my attention otherwise I wouldn't have seen this

 

@Garret, I'm sorry to hear this.  I ended up taking my dog to the hospital to see a specialist.  Put him on some nerve medication and he has remarkably improved significantly. Hasn't relapsed since (knock on wood).  He seems to be back to normal, however, I keep a close eye on his movement, I don't let him bolt out the door into the yard like he used to.  But its all looking well.  He is no longer on the meds, was only on it for around 2 weeks.  It has help my boy, not sure whether it has the same effect on yours but worth asking the vet.  I'll PM you the name of the med once I find it, I wrote it down somewhere.

 

We did go for an MRI and confirmed he had a protruded disc.  Doesn't seem to be bothering him at the moment when it hasn't flared up.  Surgery was an option (albeit a risky one due to the angle) if the meds didn't work but in my mind, probably not worth putting him through the pain and long recovery at his age.  I'm thank my lucky stars that the meds worked, I hope it does for you too. All the best!

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by giraffez
tagging didn't work the first time round