My dog had a Spinal injury!!!!
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I have a tri with a lower back injury (but not pinched nerve) and I don't know how it happened. It appeared a year ago, he is not on pain killers anymore but still gets meds for the joints and cartillage.
He was on rest for about a month, going to my vet,who his also an ostheopathe, as soon as I thought he needed it .
His back end wasn't following the front end for quite a long time when running, but it didn't stop him to chase cats, rabbits, play and I wasn't stopping him, he was happy not suffering much!
Now he is better even doing a bit of lure coursing training.Fingers cross for your boy
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This morning we decided to call the vet to tell them he was still in pain. They told us they had another Dr look at his X-rays and he thought there might be a slight spinal fracture and or a calcium deposit on one of his vertebrae.
They said in the x -ray he was uncooperative and he twisted his spine a little during the x-ray. They wanted him back in to take more X rays. If his spin was fractured they thought he might need emergency surgery!
(which they don't do)When we were leaving I tried to let the female go out first to go potty, but the injured dog runs out the door, goes potty, shakes his coat, then pulls his back out again, screaming and hobbles toward me with a help me daddy look!. The other dog runs out side, charges him, jumping on his back attacking him with him still screaming in pain while trying to battle back. She's a big girl at 26 pounds!.
I grabbed the female and get bit by the injured tri. I dragged the female back to her crate.We get to the vet who is double booked and the tri will not let them muzzle him (he bit the nurse during the last spinal exam)
We tried about 9 times to muzzle him, with him lashing out ferociously. You can't even show him a muzzle now without setting him off. They try the crocodile hunter trick where we cover his eyes with a towel then try to put a soft nylon rope around his mouth, then tighten it & double wrap it, slip the muzzle on over the rope. they could knock him out due to all the meds he is on.
The rope kept sliding off his nose and then he discovered by holding his head down between his legs we could not get it around his muzzle!
this went on for 20 minutes and we were about to give up. Finally three of us held him steady, with me holding his head, by the jowls. They make grippier noose from gauze that did not slide off.
He is a monster to restraint, he was savage, such a powerful dog. The white of his eyes and ears were bright red. He looked like those films of a Tasmanian devil!
I don't know what will happen the next time, he only falls for these tricks a couple of time, he learns real quick. Next time they will have to knock him out.
The nurse then carried him off for the X-ray, which they took many X-rays.
The bottom line is his spine looks excellent and what they saw previously in the X ray was not there. Every shot showed a very healthy spine. they showed us he previous X-rays and the area did look suspicious, but again he was off position. They had to wrestle him muzzled to get that X ray.
Im surprised they even treat him after how bad he behaves sometimes. However the nurse said they get bit a lot, she just got bit in the face by a australian Shepherd who she just saw.
My wife & myself were just shaking after the experience. Facing a savage animal is a both terrifying and embarrassing experience.
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I would consider seeing an Accupuncturist. I have been seeing one for rheumatoid arthritis and it works. I know that accupuncture is used on back injuries and they do it on dogs too:)
I hope your little guy gets better soon. Paws crossed everything turns out ok and he has a speedy recovery. -
He seems better this morning but we can only go one day at a time. He's also pretty doped up.
I'm not sure he would sit still for acupuncture, although I would be willing to try it if he does not get better on his own. He seems to be getting better though.
thanks for all the support my little devil
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So sorry to hear that you B is in such pain. My mom had a dog that slipped on a rug and injured her back so bad that she couldn't walk. When she took her to the vet, they recommended a animal chiropractor. It didn't take long before she was better.
chiropractors are great for dogs… my OJ many years ago had real problems with a neck injury... four treatments with an animal chiropractor and he was good as new... and she also showed me how to do some myself at home. This all happened at a dog show and the Vet on the grounds was a chiropractor along with being a DVM
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I feel so bad for your boy (and you and your wife). He is obviously in so much physical and mental pain. It IS hard to have to deal with a dog that uses his mouth so freely. You are very strong, and committed to have kept trying with him for so long.
Did they check for other possilibities for his pain? Non-spine related, like something with his organs, or a blockage or something?
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I have also used a chiropractor when my boy started to drop his tail instead of keeping it curled as usual. He was given a full body massage as she checked him over for places where he needed adjustment. You could definately tell every time she did an adjustment though because his body language changed since it was a little uncomfortable especially compared to the very relaxing massage. After it was through he was very happy, playful and has been keeping his tail up. Like Pat's experience, I was also shown how I could help with his tail if he started dropping it again.
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I'm so sorry to hear that your B hurt his back. You might want to take him to a specialist who does back surgery to make sure he's been diagnosed correctly. I found out from when Max had back trouble that there are types of injuries that should not be treated by a chiropractor. Also–maybe acupuncture could help? My vet has both a chiropractor and acupuncturist that come in regularly to treat some of his patients.
As far as keeping him still--for about the last 4 years of Max's life, my bed was on the floor, and any furniture he could jump on was blocked. He refused to use those stairs, so that was the only way I could keep him from jumping.
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I'm so sorry for your little furbaby he must be in some tremendous pain. We're keeping all of you in our thoughts & prayers.
If you want a cool trick to putting the muzzle on…using a basket muzzle...put in one end some home cooked chicken sprinkled with parmesan & he'll voluntarily stick his nose in the muzzle.
Keep doing this without actually tying it around his head. Once's he's comfortable a few times eating out of it then you can tie it & VOILA!!
Good luck to you!
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Thanks for all the kindness.
He seems to be continually doing better without have a pain attack the last two days. The big test will be once we ween him off his anti inflammatory & pain meds.
I have been thinking about a basket muzzle, The cheese idea and graduating him to it is not a bad idea. Maybe putting it on him before he goes to the vet might not be a bad idea either.
The regular one, he will not hesitate to attack if you get anywhere close top his face with it, no matter who's doing it.
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Dog is feeling much better and is full of Mr Naughtyness. I forgot what a pain he is!
The tri devil gene again- Stealing stuff from my pockets, Pulling things off the table, pawing the dvd player, trying to steal glasses & so on. That's just one day!
He has a lot to make up for- It was nice in one way to have a drugged up Basenji.
Some how I'm glad to have the little evil back!
Thank God he his crate trained!
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Just an FYI for you-my Shadow sees the chiropractor regularily - he has a pinched nerve that will never go away. At fist he was so bad he would just lie there until he had to go outside to potty. I was going to put him down he was that bad and grumpy and in pain. I took him to the chiroproactor-every two weeks at first then down to three and four-I now take him about every two months. What an improvement! People who saw him before and see him now can't believe the improvement. He runs, plays and this year for the first time I took him out to see if he would race-he did and loved it! Since you don't have any broken bones-I would see if the chiropractor can help you-I've been in your shoes literally.
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Have you considered using Bach Remedy to calm your Tri-B?
Here is a link on the product.http://www.healthyhappydogs.com/BachFlowerArticle
I am a massage therapist, and I use it with/on my clients, 4 legged or 2. I would definitly consider using a massge therapist ,not just for the back pain, but for the temperment issue while in pain or not. Chiropracters are great to use as well as accupuncture. I go to the clients home when the animal is too nervous at the office. The needles do not hurt the animal, so I think your B would be o.k.. Let me know how its going.
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Have you considered using Bach Remedy to calm your Tri-B?
Here is a link on the product.I'm curious.. is this the same type stuff as other natural rescue remedies that are 10 - 13% alcohol?
I used a bit w/Keoki, and it worked great, but the alcohol content made me very uneasy, so I stopped.
When I spoke to my vet about it, she asked me where I'd purchased it and immediately contacted the store – it's no longer on their shelves.The concern is that dogs don't metabolize alcohol in the same way we do, and it can lead to greater problems {sooner than w/humans} if used too often. And the 10 - 13% alcohol base is really quite huge.
You may wind up w/dogs facing liver, pancreas, etc problems down the road, and everyone will be wondering why that happened!If you do choose to go with such products, do read the full label -- which of course will emphasize the flower extracts --and look for alcohol content. Then use with caution.
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O- No I think it is. I'm sorry. I just called the 1-800 number on my contact info, and she informed me it's actually 27% from Brandy. She said "that's such a small amount in just a drop or 2". I disagree…. That scares me. I wished I would have known. No wonder you get mellow, your drinking! Sorry about that.
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Just another thought…...I wish the company would publish that info. I'm not using that on my animal clients again. I'll just trust my ability to calm through healing touch.
