Calcified Disc Questions...,

[Brenda]

Hello,

Rufus, my beloved 4 year old black and tan mini doxie has been diagnosed with a calcified disc. He had been running odd and kind of tipping over when he ran and most recently he started not going up or down stairs (something we try not to have him do anyway) but he used to be able to do it..., anway the vet did x-rays and found a disc that he said is calcified. He put him on steroids and wants to see him back in 10 days. Basically he said the steroids were to treat inflamation surrounding the disc but the problem will either 1. go away on it's own, 2. rupture up into the spine resulting in paralisis, 3. Rupture down and absorb into his body, or 4. remain there.

I am confused about all this - how serious is this problem?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Brenda

[lotsadox]

I've been through back problems twice, but I'm not an expert. I'd see if I could get a referral to a surgery clinic in your area. I took Amanda to a surgeon that my vet recommended and I later learned that one of my friend's Corgi was operated on by the same man several years before with great results. There are surgeons that specialize in back surgery. If you have a veterinary school in the area with it's own hospital, that would be another good option. Several members here have used teaching hospitals with great results.

Amanda was paralyzed when I took her to the clinic so she was in more serious trouble. I don't know what to tell you other than to try to find a specialist. Vets that just do back surgery have so much more knowledge and experience that general vets. This may be something that needs surgery or it may not and they can tell you. There may be other options to prevent problems. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Sassafras2000]

Sending lots of rayz for Rufus!:rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz:

Sassy is 4 also and within the past week we have experienced back problems also. She had also started not wanting to use the stairs or jump either, and that was our first indication that something was wrong. They never did x-rays on Sassy, but they are sure it is a disc problem. She can still walk though and OSU sent her home Friday and she is taking Rimadyl for pain and inflammation and is on cage rest for 6 weeks. Our vet here in town thought she may need surgery but the wonderful vets at OSU said she should do well with cage rest. I doubt this helps you, but don't give up hope!

[juliette]

First off, this is a serious problem and an issue that (if I remember the stat correctly) 1 in 4 dachsies will face. Please scan the other posts in Back Problems/Paralysis to gain more insight, as well as check Dodger's list.

Dodgers list (http://www.dodgerslist.com/)

Did the vet recommend strict crate rest with the steriods? One of the most critical issues is to severely restrict movement to ensure that the steriods can do their job and that further damage doesn't occur.

Please find a vet who specializes in dachsie back problems and the potential treatments of them. There are other members of the board who can give your further information, but the resources here and on dodgers list are a good first start.

Best of luck and please keep us updated.

Regards,

[Brenda]

Thank you Juliette for the Dodgerlist website. It is quite informative. The vet put Rufus on steroids for 10 days and then wants to see him back in the office. He said to keep him quiet but did not recommend crate rest. He also did not mention anything about surgery other than to say that if Rufus went down to call his office or the emergency vet immediately. I guess what I'm trying to find out is that do all calcified disc's require surgery? What are the chances that he will blow the disc? I guess I need to sit down and write down these questions for the vet and give him a call.

I love this little guy with all my heart and it breaks my heart to think of him in any pain.

Thanks for the advice.

Brenda

[juliette]

The chances are impossible to predict. A do know a lot has to do with how much he has a chance to continue to injur it at this crucial stage of his rehab. We were definately told (and reinforced on here) to severely restrict Jinxie's movement to NOTHING and complete crate rest for 2-3 weeks. As you know, keeping a dachsie "quiet" can be next to impossible - and the strict crate rest ensures that they do nothing other than relax and let the disc heal.

I also recommend adding glucosimine and Ester C to his diet if not already there as they can greatly aid in joint issues.

Please try your vet tomorrow and discuss the crate rest for Rufus.

:bighug:

many of us have gone through this and there have been many success stories both with and without surgery!

[dutchman]

Yes even once a calcified disk has been diagnosed there are many different outcomes it's not really possible to make too many general statements. Since you are aware there is at least one calcified disk you should take precautions to reduce activities that would put you little one at an increased risk of rupture. Jumping stairs all should be minimized if not totally eliminated. Consider building ramps for any stairs in or out of the house. Make sure your vet shows you how to do the toe test. That is a very good way to do a quick home text if you expect you are having a repeat episode after this one clears up. Some dogs respond great to the conservative treatment and never have another problem. Like I said every case is different. Keep us updated on how things are going.

[minicooper]

I am sorry your little one is experiencing this problem :(

My Mini was exactly the same, she was hesitant to climb stairs etc, and an Xray confirmed calcified discs :(
She was confined, and put on steroids, but still the disc rupture 2 days later, causing paralysis in the rear legs :(
She was treated with steroids and 4 weeks total crate rest (which she objected to loudly :D) and now, almost 2 years later, she walks totally normally! :bounce:
I have restricted the use of stairs, and I have her on 100mg of Ester C, and that seems to help.

Good luck with you little one, and don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have!

:rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz:

[quavec]

I am unfamiliar w/this, but am sending rayz :rayz: :rayz: :rayz:

[Mark]

And you've rec'd. very sound advice here.

We're sending lotsa DBB Healing RAYZ for Rufus. :rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz:

[doxunzX3]

We have gone through some back problems with different doxies over the years. Lucky to say that the crate rest and meds are all that we needed to help them through it. But this last time with Ivy we also added chiropratic adjustments. I can't believe how well she did after them. So at the present we are just very grateful that it wasn't any worse.
Here are a few rayz coming from Wisconsin.
:rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz:

[rustydaisymom]

Sorry to hear about Rufus' disk. It is possible for him to recover with just medical treatment but you have to be very diligent. Even if he recovers you will need to limit jumping and stair climbing for the rest of his life.
Daisy, my 51/2 year old is currently recovering from her second episode, the first one being 3 years ago. The 1st episode resolved with steroids and 6 weeks of crate rest. The second one has responded well to NSIADS, crate rest but did not completely resolve until I added acupuncture. We also have added ester c, glucosamine, and derm caps (fatty acids and vit E). She has not climbed one step since the 1st episode and I try to prevent her from jumping both up and down as best I can.
Probably the most important thing to do is strict crate rest, at least 4-6 weeks, the disk cannot heal if it continues to be stressed with movement.
I agree with everyone else it is hard to predict how he will respond to conservative medical treatment every case is different. Dodgerslist is an excellent resource.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[Brenda]

Thank you all for your advice and wishes for a speedy recovery for Rufus. Last night I had a scare - it was 2:00 a.m. and he had to go potty - I was half asleep and let him out without my glasses or contacts in and without them I am half blind. He peed, then proceeded to look for the perfect spot to poop - while watching him he wandered farther away from me and I could have sworn I was seeing him dragging his legs - luckilly it was just my bad eyes.

If anyone could tell me more about these other things - glucosimine, ester c and also acupuncture - where do you get the vitamin things? Are they just for dogs? also what about the doggie accupunture? Do people do this just for dogs? I mentioned the glucosimine and ester c to our vet and he said he would look into it for me.

I'm looking into getting a couple of ramps for the spots in the house that Rufus likes to jump onto -

I will keep you posted and again thanks for all the information.

Brenda

[lotsadox]

I'm not sure about the glucosamine and ester C. You can buy them for humans and I think these are the same ones that some of the members use for their dogs. Paula and Juliette both use them so maybe they'll log on and answer your questions.

About acupuncture, yes there are vets that do acupuncture just on animals and it's very effective. If there's a holistic vet or clinic in your area, they'll probably have someone that does acupuncture on animals there.

[juliette]

I use 450 mg of glucosime per dog per day - I buy it in a regular pharmacy in capsule form and simply sprinkle on their food. The Ester C dosage I can't remember right now (we're in NYC for the week), but there are several online sites which discuss dosages for this.

I haven't used accupuncture, but have used chiropractic successfully for back treatment - BUT NOT for calcified discs. In our case, we believe Jinxie had a spinal injury from tripping and landing on her head and chiropractic adjustment found the discs in her neck which were out of alignment and corrected it. I don't recommend chiropractic for calcified discs.

[Heidi's Pam]

to the American Academy of Veterinary Accupuncture website, and there is a Directory link which allows you to look up members by location

Accupuncture website (http://aava.org/)

Hope that this helps...

Pam

[rustydaisymom]

Brenda,
Dodgerslist has a file on additives and correct doses. You might want to print out the files and share them with your vet. I wouldn't start any additives without an okay from your vet Some drug combinations can have serious side effects and she would be able to advise you if any of the additives would cause problems with the meds Rufus is on.
I get use Synovi-MSM which I get from my vet 1/2 tablet a day. Ester C I got at Walgreens and use 500mg a day. I started with 250mg/ a day for several days then increased the dose when I knew Daisy could tolerate it. It can cause upset tummies.
As far as acupuncture, talk to your vet, she may be able to give you a name of a vet that does acupuncture. Also check out the Acupuncture website link Pam left. Our first visit started with a consult, the vet examined Daisy and looked at all of her xrays to see if acupuncture was an appropriate treatment for Daisy.
Keep us posted, I hope Rufus is feeling better today

[doxie4u]

Crate rest is imperative during the initial peroid. If your pup is on steroids you need to be giving him some Pepcid too; regular human Pepcid ( I think the pills come in10 or 20mg tablets) This is to prevent stomach upset from the steroids.
I would highly suggest that when you take him out to potty you keep him in eye's view and not let him wander away. His spinal cord needs to rest and the inflammation needs to calm down.

IMHO I would get your dog on glucosomine/chondrotin with MSM, Ester C (vitamin C but easier on the tummy). I am in belief that any doxie over the age of 5 should be on these supplements every day. I get the G/C with MSM at WalMart. It comes in different dosages; I use the 500mg/400mg bottle 2X a day. Ester C is about 500mg 1X a day. All of this info is on DodgersList (www.dodgerslist.com)

How old is your pupper? I would hope you would try and keep him from jumping on and off furniture & the number of steps he does after his crate rest.

If he does "go down" it is imperative that you get him to a surgeon within a certain time frame (the sooner the better) to protect the spinal cord from damage of the protuding disc. Plain x-rays usually will not show where the disc is blown and he would need a myleogram or an MRI for a complete diagnosis. It is costly; depending where in the country you are, back surgery can cost anywhere from 1800-2500 dollars. That does not include the myelogram or the MRI.

So, I would be much more strict on the crate rest and get him on the supplements. Some vets will give Adequan injections (injectable glucosomine), a series of 3-5 injections. But again, all of this is on dogerslist.

Dodgers List is a great site and I would encourage everyone to check it out. It is better to have this knowledge before you need it. JMO Sending

:rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz: :rayz:

Ina

[gunther's mom]

Brenda,
My senior dachsie had major issues showing up on Xray. While we did the steroid route and the relaxation midication route, I believe weight reduction is what rendered the success in the long run. He's been fine -without hardly any,if any functional problems at this time. Amazing...

[Brenda]

Well I took Rufus to the vet yesterday for a 2 week check up and the vet said he could see small improvments in Rufus. He wants to continue him on the pred., continue with the crate rest and he also added Cosequin DS (which is Glocosomine) to his diet. He said it will be a slow healing process and he also warned that Rufus could still go down at any time. I talked to him about accupunture and he gave me the name of a specialist that is about 45 minutes away. I'm going to see how he progresses for a bit before looking any further into the accupunture. The vet wants to see him back in 2 weeks and I am to call immediately if Ruf goes down or gets worse..., between the pred and limited activity, the poor little guy is getting chubby. He was not familiar with Esther C and told me he would look into it - what does it do for a dog?

So I am please that he is making some progress but still worried as heck about his back going out at any time. I love this little guy so much...,

Anyway, thanks again for all your e-mails - I will keep everyone posted on his progress.

Brenda

[lotsadox]

Brenda,

I know how difficult this is for you. I've been through it twice. Try to stay positive. Rufus will pick up on your feelings. It can be a long road, but complete recovery can happen. I've had two that had back problems. One had surgery and one didn't. One lived to be 16 and the other is still alive at 15 1/2. Keep us posted. I know this is a very difficult time. We're here for you.

[dutchman]

Like Patrice and you vet said hang in there progress can be slow but it comes in many cases. Unless there are indications of extreme pressure causing potential damage to the spinal column the conservative treatment is usually the best route to follow. The risk and high cost of surgery makes it something that shouldn't be rushed into unless there are indicators that neurological damage may be taking place. Sending rays for a full recovery.

[Brenda]

Hi,

Rufus is still doing pretty much the same except he is really getting chubby - the vet said that the steroids would give him an increase in his appetite and boy has it - he is like a little food monster. That on top of having limited activity he is getting quite heavy - prior to steroids he was 10.9 pounds and now he feels like he's around 12 or 13. We go back to the vet in a week for a check up so I can touch base with the vet then but I just wanted to run this by you "experts".

Thanks

Brenda

[gunther's mom]

Hi- My Gunther had back problems and had gone the steroid route too. I do believe this helped. Even before the steroids we had let our boy get way too overweight. We put him on a strict diet and were fearful that he would feel miserable. The exact opposite happened. His back problems are gone (though the underlying problem is still there I'm sure.) His energy level is far greater on less food!!!I'd ask your vet regarding any strategies to help reduce weight. We were not terribly creative- we just fed him less. What an incredible difference. By the way he's about 11 years old.

[helene]

Hi
This happend to my dog, rupture and paralisis, Fie had an operation, could not walk for months after that, but a lot of swimming helped her recover 2 years on and she is perfectly fine. I wish they would not get these problems. All the best to you.

[Brenda]

Hi,

Well, it's been about 8 weeks since Rufus was diagnosed with a calcified disc. He did a course of steroids which the vet seems to think help ease the inflamation surrounding the disc, in addition to Glucomine and lots of rest he seems to be improving somewhat and very slowly. The vet now took him off the steroids and put him on Rimadyl - 25 mg's, twice a day for pain. The vet said he will continue with the Rimadyl for roughly 2 months and then take it from there. I am still a wreck that he will go down but am just taking one day at a time.

Has anyone ever used Rimadyl on their puppers?

Thanks

Brenda
(Rufus's Mommy)

[MARTHA]

Sadie Mae has a prescription to use as needed. She had some problems with her back a few months ago but has been doingreal good lately. I have also had to give it to some fosters but not for a long period of time. Maybe some of the others can tell ou about the longer use of it. Keep us updated on the progress.