Dog back problems (please read)?
Please answer my question…no snide remarks. My 5 year old dachshund mix has back issues occasionally. It is not a terrible condition yet, it just flares up once in a while. She is having a flare up right now. Ive read that glucosamine tablets have helped with back problems (i know it is for joint/hip health…but i think it could only help her back.)http://www.petco.com/product/106986/Cosequin-Bonelets-Hip-and-Joint-Support-Dog-Supplement.aspx?CoreCat=LN_Shopping_DogSupplies_HipandJointSupport I just want to keep her from getting worse and keep her comfortable during a flare up.
Also…what is your view on doggy asprin? Is this a good way to go to help with pain occasionally?
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751695
I will take her to the vet if it worsens, of course!….she can still run and play everyday, its just occasionally she gets a flare up in her back. Just please answer what I asked, not just telling me i should take her to a vet immediately.
The reason im reluctant to go to my vet at first sign of trouble, is because the owner of the vet hospital always treats us like we are bad people. My dog has a skin condition–chronic. Yet, she always thinks that we don’t care for our dog properly and makes rude comments. Our vet, in the same office, is remarkable. He is great with our dogs. So, that is why I put up with the rude owner—i will never switch vets. I just try not to go in for everything because she thinks we are not caring for our dog properly—which we are, the dogs skin condition is chronic with no chance of cure (trust me, we’ve tried everything)
Zgzig….my dog has dimodex. When I found her she was abandoned and covered in horrid scabs. I got her healthy. She is on Ivermectin 1% daily. The vet said she had a possibility of being cured in a year….it’s been 5 years and if I take her off the meds she starts getting scabby again and begins losing her hair. If she stays on her meds she is just fine.
Ive tried medicated shampoos and all kinds of supplements. She is currently on Dinovite daily…but the medication is whats keeping her skin under control
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When she has a "flare up" keep her in a crate! She’s having disc problems in her spine. IVDD is common in dachshunds and she’s a cross with a dachshund.
You really need cortisone treatment for her. They do what’s called cortisone blasts, which really help.
No to aspirin, I’vee been there and done that, it makes them really sick.
She must be kept inside, in a crate, no jumping, playing, just a short walk to go potty. Back into the crate til the "flare up" is over.
One day she will without warning, lose the use of her back legs or worse if you don’t keep her very still when she’s having back problems.
And – no jumping regardless of how she feels, no stairs if possible.
What are the skin problems? what does it look like?
Add: I just went to the vet on Friday for one of my dachshunds and he gave me some liquid medicine for the pain, it works great.
RE: DIMODEX – o.k., then she has Dimodex mange. Well do not feel bad, and tell the owner at the vet’s that "Dimodex Mange is hereditary and your dog is genetically disposition-ed to have it. It’s not your fault. It’s in her genetics and most of the time it’s incurable.
Your doing great with the Dimodex problem. Good on you, that stuff is hard to deal with.
You’ree a good person for keeping that dog and caring for it.
BTW, IVDD is also hereditary, so that’s not your fault either.
Dimodex can also be kept to a dull roar with flea shampoo. But not too many baths as the skin is so dry to start with.
Also Polysporin from the drug store, that stuff works great on Dimodex.
hope this helps
Honestly, I would take her into the vet’s for an examination; he can tell you what’s going on, how to avoid these flare-ups (if possible), and he might even be able to cure her. Which sounds better to me than you experimenting with OTC stuff from a pet store.
My dog has some knee issues and I add Missing Link Plus to her food. It’s like a powdered vitamin supplement. Make sure you get the one that says Plus because that is the one for joint health. After a few weeks it helped a lot.
I don’t know if the glucosamine will help, but it might be worth a shot. Doggy aspirin..wow. Well, I saw that it said buffered aspirin, and they make that for people as well, so. You can get either one, but make sure if you get the people kind you try and match the mg/g amounts. You could also try and find a holistic vet or one that does acupuncture. I’m sure that would help greatly when she has the flare ups.
Glucosamine will help but it won’t cure. It reduces swelling at the joints. Takes a few weeks to take effect.
See if your vet will prescribe pain killers for her for when it’s bad. If not, see if you can give her children’s aspirin. Only certain types are acceptable for dogs. I can’t remember the kind so clear it with the vet.
Also, you might try a little alfafa. It reduces water retention.
Don’t let her jump off couches or go up and down stairs very often–these things are very hard on a weiner dog’s back.
Keep her weight under control. These dogs love to eat and too much weight aggravates the condition.
Check with your vet (by phone would be fine) and see if water therapy will help. If so, you can do water exercise in the tub. It doesn’t put as much pressure on their limbs and builds their muscles. My sister’s Basset slipped a disc and paralyzed himself. She used water therapy to help him regain partial function in his back legs.
You’d need to get instructions though.
Good luck.
I don’t know about glucosamine but my dachshund had the same problem. When I took him to the vet he was given a cortazone shot and it helped him a lot. The vet gave me cortazone pills to give him when he had a flare up and it would stop the pain and the swelling.
I don’t like doggy aspirin as it causes GI problems and can be a blood thinner. However they do have prescription meds like Deramaxx, and Previcox for them. Also look up adequan online. It is expensive and some think it seems to help dogs out with back and joint pain. It will take it twice a week shots for eight weeks to see if it helps. There is also J/D by Hills dog food it is supposed to be great for dogs but it to is expensive. Might have the vet test for Wobblers also do a x-ray to check on disc and see if there is any pressure on the spinal cord. On the skin problems do you have a special shampoo, ever been allergies tested, been on a food trial. Food usually causes ear problems and licking of the fur. It can be VERY frustrating to treat and costly. Also talk to the vet you like and tell him how the owner makes you feel. You want the best for your pet but don’t want to feel like crap in the process. Some people don’t realize how they come off and don’t want to lose clients like you. Hope thinks get better.
P.S. Some times Universities with animal science programs have different ideas on how to treat things because they have the access to new treatments. Most you can call or your vet and see what they say.