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Henry | 5 years ago
Hi, I Need All The Advice And Help You Guys Can Give Me. I Have A …

Hi, i need all the advice and help you guys can give me. I have a two-year-old French bulldog and yesterday morning we realized she was a little paralyzed from her hip down she ate and pooped fine. Took her to the emergency room they diagnosed her with IVDD. They told me they need to do surgery on her spine and I can’t afford the surgery process. Is there other options? She’s on steroids and pain medication

Prednisone
Gabapentin
Prazonsin
Please help us she means the world to our family!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have tons (and tons) of information on my blog and YouTube channel. If you just google my name and ivdd at either of these places you will find loads of advice. Start there. I also think the book below helps many newly diagnosed pup parents.

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Sarah | 5 years ago
????Good Morning. Hoping Someone Has A Little More Insight. This Morning We Woke Up To Rontu …

????Good morning. Hoping someone has a little more insight. This morning we woke up to Rontu being his normal self. I fed him, while sitting with him per training recommendation and he was actually fine with that so we felt really positive. But now he has started grumbling/growling literally about everything. He wants attention but growls when you get in his space. He comes up to you but his ears are back and he is grumbling- almost submissive and nervous. It seems so odd to us. This behavior has just started. Now we are a multi-pet household and I have noticed that the cat has started sleeping on Rontus bed while he is watching and he is afraid to move her. (Cats are higher in the pack order in our house) This visibly upsets him, because the beds are their space. So I have taken to moving her so that he can lay on his bed. But it is not just his bed where he is doing this nervous grumbling… since this started this morning, I have just been mildly correcting him when he starts and withdrawing affection. When he stops I give affection or a treat. Any other advice would be appreciated.

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  1. Laura

    At this point, you may want to get a behaviorist involved. He’s been checked out for medical stuff recently, yes?

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Ana Garcia | 5 years ago
Hello. I Have A 15 Year Old Dachshund, Brody, Who Is Currently Suffering From A Cervical IVDD …

Hello. I have a 15 year old Dachshund, Brody, who is currently suffering from a cervical IVDD injury. This is Brody’s third IVDD injury in his short life, however, it is the most severe. We are not sure what happened this time since Brody was injured when we got home from work. Today is day 7 since Brody went down. While Brody is able to right himself from the lateral position, he does spend most of his time on his side. Brody is able to lift his head and look around, he can scoot himself from one position to another, he has a fantastic appetite, he has feeling in his hind quarters and only deep pain in his front two. My poor boy is not able to consistently empty his bladder and has required cathing; as of today, with the help of lactulose, Brody has been able to empty his bowels, incontinent.

Brody is not a candidate for surgery due to his age and other health conditions, so we are managing him conservatively. Brody has been seen by his regular vet where he was started on prednisone, robaxin, & gabapentin; he also takes CBD and I just started him on tumeric paste. Brody has seen a holistic vet where he had acupuncture done with electro stimulation.

My question is, how long do I give him before we decide that enough is enough? Brody is not in extreme pain, but he does have occasional neck/shoulder spasms that make him scream. I just am afraid of putting him through more than what I should just because I am not ready to let him go. Brody has been my guy for 15 years and I cannot imagine life without him, but I don’t want him to suffer. I have watched Dr. Magnifico’s YouTube videos about giving IVDD dogs time, but what is a realistic timeframe?

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning. I am so sorry you are going through this. I am a firm believer of “you know” as in, when it is time you will just know it. I think it differs for each individual pet and person. I feel that if your guy is still in general good spirits all things considered, and has an appetite- then it probably isn’t time yet. If he is still trying then there is a chance that things could improve. When the time comes where you feel you have to make a judgement call, he will help you. Best wishes for you all.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have to say that based on my experience and my personal views I don’t know if there is an answer anymore. I used to say to wait 3 weeks before making a decision and now I am realizing that many pets can live happy lives as pets that aren’t quite perfect. It sounds like a few things might be helpful. Ask about Your dogs ideal body condition score and then work very hard to help your pup become a lean muscular athlete. I see this disease a lot in dachshunds, of course, but oversight dachs are especially troubling and to often reinjure and recur with issues. I also think it is time to learn how to palpate and empty the bladder. Over time this gets easier and it’s far better than repeat catheterization. I also think more physical therapy like propping him up so he’s sternal and keeping him in a crate at all times he is not with you. These are just a few of my thoughts. I have a ton of info on my blog and YouTube channel. I hope this helps. Very best of luck.

    1. Ana Garcia Post author

      Dr. Magnifico,

      I want to thank you so very much for your guidance in your response and through your blog and YouTube channel. Because of you, we continued to work with Brody during this IVDD injury and residual effects of this injury. Thank you for giving us hope.
      We helped my sweet Brody cross the Rainbow Bridge this past weekend due to kidney failure and other health issues…he was ready. I am so grateful to you for taking the time to provide education through your platforms. I will be forever grateful to you for the extra time that you gave me with my precious little man.
      Thank you!!

  3. Jasmine

    Hi Ana,

    How is Brody doing now? I have a 15 year old
    Chihuahua who just recently got diagnosed with ivdd and it’s only day 4 but I feel so bad for him. He’s
    Constantly crying or whimpering when he the meds
    start to wear off. I’m in the same boat as you . I don’t know when enough is enough. I’m constantly crying from seeing him in so much pain and discomfort.

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Sarah | 5 years ago
For Those Of You Pawbly Friends That Have Been Following My Progress And At Times Lack …

For those of you Pawbly friends that have been following my progress and at times lack thereof, with the dogs….. this is where we are at today. Riva is out of her cone and Rontu has not displayed any possessive tendencies. I’m rolling with it having a watchful eye on their interactions. They’re in a good place today, so I’m using it as a training opportunity. And training activities you care to share are welcome.????????????

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    I’m so glad to hear things are going well today. My personal concern is that the issue lies with having two strong personalities in the mix of a close household. Triggers can change and spur on a moment so our advice is to always keep them under close supervision try to avoid feeding together and toys that might instigate frustration or possession and keep them exercised and engaged in their world so they don’t turn on each other. As far as training goes I would look for the clues that a trigger is about to happen. Any changes in posture position, ears, tail, intense eyes. Ideally we look for the clues of a trigger and work around the reaction that might elicit. Reward the good. Train out the bad. Hope this helps. Xoxo

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Sarah | 5 years ago
Good Morning Pawbly Friends- Having A Sudden – Very Sudden- Change In Behavior In One Of …

Good morning Pawbly friends-
Having a sudden – very sudden- change in behavior in one of our GSDs. We are trying to think back to figure if there has been any change in routine that might cause this. It is strange- Rontu will start to give a high grumble or start to “talk” now when you approach him, or his bed or his bone or his food. This morning just now, he did that with Butch (one of our others) when he came to me to get a head scratch. We promptly put Rontu in a sit and then told him “bed” which he went to a did lie down. We are going back to square one training and positive reinforcement. My thinking is that this not nipped in the bud right away will lead to full blown food aggression and possession issues, which we do not want. Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!!

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  1. Laura

    Yep, that’s the start of resource guarding. Is he the newest member of your pack?

    1. Sarah Post author

      Hi Laura-
      I was hoping you would respond. Thank you!! He is the newest member, but he’s not that new. That’s what makes it strange. We’ve had him over a year now. I will admit that it has been a difficult year of adjustment at times. We have 3- all rescues. Our oldest is almost 14 and he has different needs obviously. He is an alpha- was the alpha of our old pack. He is all that’s left of that pack. When we rescued Riva, she fell into line perfectly with him. She’s you g- about 3 I think. That is part of the reason we rescued Rontu- she wanted to play hard and Butch just can’t at his age and in his condition. He tries though???? Anyway- I am sure that Butch being a senior citizen and having modified dog rules is confusing to the rest of my pack- but it has to be. So as pack leader I am just like, this is how it is, period. Which seemed to have been fine up until the other day. This is long- sorry. Now we did just have a huge power struggle between Rontu and Riva. Dr. Mags was a saint and had me rush her into Dr. Ahrens at Jarrettsville Vet and she was stitched up and put on antibiotics within the hour. I love Jarrettsville???????? My thinking is that some change in the dynamic is happening for whatever reason. I’m just trying to put my finger on it to avoid any long lasting bad habits/behaviors. So we are square one back to basics training with Rontu AND Riva. Any other thoughts you could share? Much appreciated????

      1. Laura

        I wouldn’t consider it that strange. Some dogs take a lot longer to settle in, and once that happens the weird behavior comes out.

        Honestly…feeding separately and only allowing them to have low value toys may be the way to go for now. I’d also look into NILF – he’s guarding you, as well as other stuff, and that’s NOT acceptable.

        1. Sarah Post author

          NILF? I have not come across that term before. I will research that. Thank you????

          1. Sarah Post author

            Nothing in life is free. Got it. We say earn your keep. I had realized that was an actual acronym. No- all three dogs have to “ask permission” for things. I will start adding my personal attention to that equation now that you have brought it to light. But yes, doors here do not open until a nice sit is displayed. Food is not served until a sit, paw and kiss are given. Carpet is off limits…. although just about 15 minutes ago, Rontu was casually laying in the carpeted floor in the office…. it seems like he is trying to become “the boss”. So we will have to have a family meeting this evening about making him work a little harder for his privileges I suppose.

          2. Laura

            Yes, sorry, I had to run for the day yesterday – NILF is Nothing In Life Is Free, and in his case, it sounds like he needs to be reminded of the rules. You’ve got your pack well in hand, I’m certain you’ll get this sorted as well. 🙂

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Nick | 5 years ago
Our 2 Year Old Pitt Mix Recently Suffered From A Laceration To His Front Paw Pad. We …

Our 2 year old Pitt mix recently suffered from a laceration to his front paw pad. We ended up bringing him into the ER for stitches, which he received. However, neither the vets or ourselves were able to get him in his cone of shame. For about 4 days we were able to deter him from interfering with his wound through careful monitoring and a sock with cayenne pepper placed over the bandage. Day # 5, however, is when things went to pieces. Sometime between lunch and when I get off work, he was able to get his bandage off and proceeded to gnaw at his stitches… We took him back to the ER last night, but given how he is with strangers (not good), we opted to forgo getting him sedated and re-stitched, and try to take care of him from home. He lets us change his bandage, but when I tried changing it this morning, some of the gauze had adhered to the wound. I’m afraid if I pull more of it off, I will make the wound worse, but I can’t imagine that leaving it on there is a good idea either. If we can avoid even more costly medical bills without jeopardizing his health, that would be great. That being said, I’m reaching out to the canine community for any advice available! Thanks for taking the time to read my post 🙂

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  1. Laura

    Hi there! I’d be tempted to call and ask if you can soak the wound to release the gauze.

  2. Sarah

    Morning-
    I agree with Laura…. the other thought I had was maybe to try a soft cone? Our one dog is a bit with a plastic cone, but he will tolerate a soft cone.

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Krista Magnifico | 5 years ago
Meet Malibu, A 14 Yr Old Indoor Cat With A Pyometra
Treatment Cost (USD): $455.00
Eating some. Lethargic. White discharge from vulva? Licking a lot. No vomiting or diarrhea. Indoor only. Patient is NOT spayed. Last heat cycle about 8 weeks ago.
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Tyler | 5 years ago
I Apologize I’m Advanced If This Is Confusing To Read Its Kind Of Difficult To …

i apologize i’m advanced if this is confusing to read its kind of difficult to explain what im trying to say. i have an 11 year old rottweiler named Roxy. she’s been more amazing than you could ever ask for. as she has gotten older she has obviously gotten slower and it got to the point recently where when she would sit down she would sit on the side of her leg, she needs assistance getting up, and when walking you have to support her back half for a minute then she can walk on her own for a while till she needs a break. She can’t really bend one of her hind legs anymore. i’ve took her to the vet but am currently looking for a new vet because this one kept her 5 days, he called on day 2 and told me she was responding to some medication good. then called me on day 3 and told me she seemed paralyzed in the back half, then called me on day 4 and told me she didn’t seemed paralyzed and was walking better and i could come pick her up the next morning. i get there and he is very short about Roxy’s problems, doesn’t tell me much of anything wrong with her just gives me $300 in medication to give her at home. i’m working with her everyday helping her walk anytime she wants to move and she does seem to be slowly getting better. She never whines or acts like she’s in pain when moving or if you touch the back legs. She’s still full of life, her back legs are just holding her back. I’m going to do anything it takes to make sure she’s living as happy as she can and was just looking for any suggestions on what her problems could be and any thing i could do to help her
Thank you for any help i’m advance!!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think a second opinion is in order. I also think you should send your vet a letter asking to explain why your dog needed to be kept and if there is a more affordable pain medication you can try. All vets have a license and all care can be inquired upon and challenged if deemed inappropriate. Also ask your friends for help in finding a reputable vet and then be completely honest about your financial abilities and treatment concerns for her. I’m sure there are affordable medications you can try And options like acupuncture or physical therapy and even cold laser therapy might help. I also think it’s time to discuss an X-ray or the joints and bloodwork.

    1. Tyler Post author

      i currently found out she has arthritis pretty bad in her hip and a ruptured disk in her spine…. she still doesn’t show any signs of pain. she has now began to rub the skin off of her foot where she’s dragged it around when nobody is around so i’m thinking it’s time to try crate rest for a little while

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Sarah | 5 years ago
Hi Pawbly Friends- We Have An Appointment Tomorrow To Get Drains Taken Out Of One Of …

Hi Pawbly friends-
We have an appointment tomorrow to get drains taken out of one of our dogs. Just now on our evening walk, she either ripped or lost the bottom part of one of the drains. I’ve been cleaning them 2 to 3 times a day by flushing blue antiseptic solution through them. Just now when I cleaned them it ran through nicely. We have an existing appointment tomorrow… wondering if it is ok to wait until then?

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Jonathan | 5 years ago
Hey! Just Found Your Page From YouTube, Was Wondering If It’d Be Possible To Chat …

Hey! Just found your page from YouTube, was wondering if it’d be possible to chat about my cat? Almost certain he has a nasopharyngeal polyp but I am having trouble convincing any vets in the Dallas area to sedate him and take a look without him first getting scans and tests that cost thousands of dollars. Is there anything I should be asking them for differently? He’s been fighting a URI for about 5 months now and we have done six rounds of antibiotics with steroids and antihistamines to help and nothing has stopped his symptoms from returning and we have only now made the connection as to why that is. He has the distinct snore noise while breathing and every other listed symptom associated, I just can’t afford the tests the vets are saying they require, it’s very heart breaking. Any help or wisdom is appreciated, we just don’t have the money to do much else and he is degrading quickly since his last round of antibiotics ended this week. I wish I didn’t sound so sure, we just are panicking that we have wasted so much time and money and may have missed our chance to best this this while we could and now may be unable to. Just heart breaking all around.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    My advise in these cases is to call and keep calling until you find someone who you trust and can afford. It’s honestly why I see so many of these. Call the shelters. Call the local rescues and call the foundations that support pet care and ask for a person they know and recommend. They are out there but sadly they need to be searched for. If you find someone please let me know so I can pass it along. Like I said the local rescues know who is fair and affordable. Start there. Keep me posted. Very best of luck.