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update on Carson

maryl

Well-Known Member
I wrote in earlier about my EM with a rear end problem. The vet suggested seizures as there didn't seem to be an injury. Well he came up lame two days ago, in obvious discomfort, and moving very stiffly in the rear. It seems he has hurt/injured his back. He is now on an anti-inflamitory and a muscle relaxer, and I am looking for a chiropractor. Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
 

Hector

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't go to a chiro if I were you. We don't know if this is a pinched nerve or what is really going on. If xrays can detect anything do that or the best option is an MRI which is costly. When Hector slipped and slammed into the wall and injured his back, he wasn't injured enough to show obvious lameness in his mobility until I walked him after waiting a week or two. The walk made his injury worse and then came the lameness. My vet was very aggressive with the meds and he was on pain, anti-inflams, steroids, and muscle relaxers. He recovered nicely and I took weight off of him and limit and control the types and amount of exercise he gets. When he was lame, the vet did find a spot warm to touch on is lower spine. 2 months later we went and got xrays and found stenosis on the lower spine. Cold and warm compress does help too. Another thing I discovered before the lameness was a bald spot way down his tail. He had chewed it at night and only at night and that is why I never noticed it, but he most likely chewed it because the nerves to his back end were pinched off. How is Carson doing on the meds? Hector was able to walk and go potty outside on his own after the 1st day on meds and that was like 10 pills each feeding.
 

maryl

Well-Known Member
He's doing very well on the anti-inflamatories and muscle relaxer. He's on strict crate rest, only allowed out on leash to potty. Needless to say at 2yrs old he's not too happy about that, but at least he's moving well with no stiffness that I can see. I haven't done any xrays yet, I'm afraid he could be hurt worse just getting him up on the table. I also didn't ask for pain meds for him. I worried that he would start jumping around if he was no longer uncomfortable. This is not a layed back mastiff.
 

Hector

Well-Known Member
He's doing very well on the anti-inflamatories and muscle relaxer. He's on strict crate rest, only allowed out on leash to potty. Needless to say at 2yrs old he's not too happy about that, but at least he's moving well with no stiffness that I can see. I haven't done any xrays yet, I'm afraid he could be hurt worse just getting him up on the table. I also didn't ask for pain meds for him. I worried that he would start jumping around if he was no longer uncomfortable. This is not a layed back mastiff.

My dog got hurt around 2 years old also. It was hard just not allowing him to go on walks. My dog is not very hyper, but he does get bored, but safety first! I didn't go back for xrays until 2 months later and he was restricted as much as I could for about 2 months, crazy. My dog is over 4 now and hasn't had a repeat episode and when I think that he may get sore that day or because he slipped, I will give him buffered aspirin to be safe.
 

maryl

Well-Known Member
Restricted for 2 mo. Hector, that's awful ! I was hoping for 2 wks. I'm suppose to speak with the vet this Monday and let her know how he's doing. She'll be able to give me a better idea of how long he needs to be crated.
 

Hector

Well-Known Member
Restricted for 2 mo. Hector, that's awful ! I was hoping for 2 wks. I'm suppose to speak with the vet this Monday and let her know how he's doing. She'll be able to give me a better idea of how long he needs to be crated.
Always better to err on the side of caution. He wasn't always restricted. I let him roam and do his thing to get a good idea of what I need to do and 2 months was a good time otherwise he would have a bit of free run and start to hobble.
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
Not to scare you completely, but if an MRI is something you can afford, I'd get one.

We thought our last dog (a 100lb lab/dane mix) had a spinal injury from running into a St. Bernard one day... he went on anti-inflammatories in Nov/Dec and that seemed to do the trick.
Come March he started limping again on a Monday.

Tuesday he was in obvious pain (shaking), and we put him on tramadol right away after a call to the vet. Wednesday still in pain, and not walking well. Got into see the vet on Friday and went straight from my vet to the ER vet for an MRI. At that point, he could barely hold his hind end up. Saturday we said good bye to him and ended his pain after the MRI showed an inoperable tumor in his spine, by then he had lost all ability to move his hind end. He was almost 9 years old.

If we had the MRI done back in Nov/Dec, it might have been operable at that point, we'll never know. We didn't biopsy it, but cancer is a possibility. And the St. Bernard probably had nothing to do with it. :(

I hope your pup feels better soon!!
 

maryl

Well-Known Member
Not to scare you completely, but if an MRI is something you can afford, I'd get one.

We thought our last dog (a 100lb lab/dane mix) had a spinal injury from running into a St. Bernard one day... he went on anti-inflammatories in Nov/Dec and that seemed to do the trick.
Come March he started limping again on a Monday.

Tuesday he was in obvious pain (shaking), and we put him on tramadol right away after a call to the vet. Wednesday still in pain, and not walking well. Got into see the vet on Friday and went straight from my vet to the ER vet for an MRI. At that point, he could barely hold his hind end up. Saturday we said good bye to him and ended his pain after the MRI showed an inoperable tumor in his spine, by then he had lost all ability to move his hind end. He was almost 9 years old.

If we had the MRI done back in Nov/Dec, it might have been operable at that point, we'll never know. We didn't biopsy it, but cancer is a possibility. And the St. Bernard probably had nothing to do with it. :(

I hope your pup feels better soon!!
Thanks for the warning DennasMom. So sorry for your loss, they leave a big whole in your heart.