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Update below toward the bottom of thread. She needs emergency surgery, as her condition worsened :(


I have a strong belief that our doxie has IVDD.

*Quiet, lethargic, stiff or hunched back
*Sensitive when touching the neck or back area
*Shivering or shaking
*Crying when moving
*Poor appetite
*Dragging rear legs
*Uncontrollable bladder and bowel movements

She is (or has been) exhibiting all of these signs at some point since last Monday.

Vet gave her steroids, after doing some assessment.

Now, havimg taken her back because she seems to be regressing, the bet said that the veterinary college nearby will have to do an MRI to determine what is going on for sure. Our vet did not say IVDD at all...but again...from the looks of it, I think thats what it is.

So...

I know a few of you, my friends, have dogs (esprcially doxies...Frazz).

Ever have to work through this with them? How did you do it? Recommendations? Etc?

Thanks for the help, everybody.

Is this the back surgery thing?

None of my but an office mate did. Surgery and then doggie recovery for a few weeks where you had to keep the wienie docile.

IF IT IS YOU NEED TO fething TAKE YOUR DOG NOW,

Thats the thing...yes.

And I cant seem to get it through my wife's head that this gak is serious...because the vet that has seen her twice now apparently sees this kind of thing "frequently" with doxies.

Well guess what...it may be something she sees often but it should be given the seriousness that things like this should be given damnit

What did the vet say it was?

I would...ignore your wife and do what is needed.

I just talked to the vet on the phone amd asked straight up: os it IVDD

She said yes, that it seems to be an acute case of it, and recommended that we kennel her until the college can see her (25th). Keeping her confined will mitigate the risk that her disc "slips". She expressed that right now, because she had been responding to the steroids (until droppjng from 2/day to 1/day) that she geels it isnt an emergent case--especially if we can limit her activity and movement.

Unfortunately in rural BFE, Iowa, we dont have alot of options for surgeries like this (if she ever does need it)

Go as soon as possible my man. Do what needs to be done.

What is IVDD ?

You are the only one on Earth that can help your dog, save it or you will regret it.
My poor dog died in front of me, because the vet was too slow to come.
My comrade for the first fifteen years of my life, I miss her.

Intervertebral Disc Desease.
Something Dachshunds are prone to (and crossbreeds involving that breed).

I had to look up "doxie" - I've not heard the term in years, and the last time I did, it WASN'T a polite usage (its old meaning was akin to "sl*t/Wh*re/Trollop" ). I've never heard it used in reference to dog breeds.

We used to have a Dachshund/fox terrier cross, and it didn't have it nor suffer from it (it got cancer and we euthanised it when quality of life wasn't a thing for it anymore). Well, we got a professional pet-snuffer to do it, rather than DIY, anyway.

She is doing ok. Upped the steroids back to 2/day and she is responding well...barked like crazy when I took her out last night (something she hadn't been doing). Got a small-ish kennel for her to rest in and restrict her moving around..she seems quite content.

No additional yelping or anything..which is comforting.

Good good

Excellent news

Wife called the university for an estimate.

$1,800 for the doc visit and MRI....but "could go as high as $2,300".

That is *without* the spectre of surgery looming behind.

There is no way we can afford that.

So for now we are crating her and giving her the steroids. I have read more and sometimes surgery can be avoided with rest and meds.

She was slow moving this morning...but moving....this afternoon...she lost her mobility in her hind legs.

At the university emergency clinic now.

Surgery and such is now recommended since mechanical/non surgical intervention failed.

https://www.gofundme.com/2g28nok

Wish us luck.

I splurged half of my gaming budget on Sofie. It's not much, but it's what I can do.

And don't tell my wife.


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And change your topic, let people know you got a campaign going.

Well, your wife is a very lucky woman to have a compassionate husband like you. My own wife started crying when I told her where the donation came from. "Someone we don't know and never met donated to help us" she said throug tears of gratitude.

Thank you so much Mathieu.

I hope it helps. stay cool and keep us informed.

Thank you Frazz..so much!

The doc thought she would call us around 11 or midnight-ish. She said the neurologist was "pretty fast".

As an aside...

The emergency clinic was crazy busy today. When we left, they had seen 14 animals already with another coming through the door. They tend to only see 5 to 6!


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Surgeon just called. Everything went really well. She had a big bad bulge at her T13 L1 (if i recall right). She said it was the typical place for doxies to have go bad.

If all goes right, should be able to get her home sometime between Monday to Wednesday.

And man...they dont mess around...iv fentanyl and then a fentanyl patch! Even we dont do that very often for our sirfical patients...its good but strong stuff!

It's for the doggie, not for you, mate.

Of course of course :-D

Though this damn bum knee of mine has been acting up ;-)

Just talked to the doc. Sofie is feeling pain in her back legs, which is a good thing, but she didnt use them to walk yet. The doc thought she might have seen her move them a little when she just let her "scoot" around by herself (instead of holding her ip), but cant say for 100% certain.

She had to have some help going potty....a little bit of bladder retention, it would seem. Could be the nerve, could be the anestesia, could be the pain meds....its hard to tell.

Don't worry about that. She had significant drugs flowing through her system. That has to work its way out.

Talked with the vet clinic again tonight. She wasn't able to walk just yet, but she was able to STAND! That is progress, I feel, as she was unable to do that before going down. She also had herself a little potty accident in her cage..so at least she didn't have to have help going :-D. Hoping to have even a little more progress tomorrow :-D

Wow!!! What an amazing day!!

The neurosurgeon that performed Sofie"s surgery gave her the all clear to come home today!

She is one deteined little pooch! She is able to take several steps before having the "drunk walk" set un and her back legs go wibbly wobbly on her!!

She is trying to regain full control over her bladder...having little accidents but she is trying

Doc said to let her walk a few times throughout the day, and she will "figure it out". In 2 weeks she gets her stitches out.

Thank you everyone for the support, the good vibes and the prayers. I will keep updating of course

Great news

She looks a well loved dog

Sofie is doing great!

Took her fentanyl patch off last night...and doesn't seem to have bothered her today

She is walking so much better...still a little butt wiggle, and she does sit down to rest every now and then. No issues with bowels or bladder, thankfully!

She gets her stitches out next Thursday

I'm really happy it's going well for her! She looks like one of the sweetest dogs I've ever seen! (And I worked in a pets hotel for a couple years, I've seen a lot )

Good job on being a loving and caring puppy-dad. My faith in humanity being so low lately, you turned it up a full notch.

Sofie got her stitches out yesterday!

It is amazing...I would say she is probably 90% recovered!!

Walking great with just a rare wobble or slip...eating great..everything practically back to normal!

Thank you all for the support, prayers, shares, good vibes.


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I will get some more pics and a video soon

Excellent!

Really glad to hear she's doing better.
I'm glad she sounds like she'll have a good quality of life after this as well. A friend of mine ended up with one of those wheel contraptions instead, and the dog hates it.