Truman, Yelping With No Visible Injury?

[a_daerr]

It's been awhile since I've been on here, but I'm coming for help for my boy, Truman. Last week, he became what I can only describe as painful and yelpy. He yelps out, sometimes when getting up or lying down, and other times when walking or standing. I can't nail down a definite pattern. There is also no discernable point of injury- I've checked legs, paw pads, toes, nails. Manipulated them all, no swelling or limping. Something seems a little 'off' to me with his gait, but it's not very noticeable to the naked eye.

 

I was immediately concerned about TBD, since we've been hiking and the tick situation is horrible this year. I was traveling for work all week, so Sterling took him to the vet. No evidence of TBD, but she did agree that something is making him painful. He would not allow the x-rays, so we ran pre-sedation bloodwork and agreed to schedule for a week out. She wanted to try him on Rimadyl for a week to see if that made a difference. Well... I got home today (after being gone since Sunday), and he seemed worse. He was shaking a bit when I touched him, then peed on the floor.

 

Probably going to take him to the e-vet tonight, just because I don't want him to be in pain the whole weekend. I'm just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, and if so, what should I be looking for?

 

Thanks in advance from me and Trumie.

[Batmom]

1. Fully check range of motion.

2. Abdominal x-ray.

 

Hope all turns out well -- so sorry your boy is hurting.

[Jenbo]

Poor Truman. I can't even guess what might be wrong but I think getting back to the vet is a good idea. Poor guy. Maybe a wicked UIT?

[tbhounds]

Sounds like his neck. An nsaid and robaxin may be helpful.

[Brandiandwe]

If it's his gait, it is fore or hind? Waylin has a noticeably crooked pelvis, and I've noticed that he yelps sometimes. We believe that it's cramp or muscle fatigue from compensating for the structural weakness. I'd be checking his neck, back and pelvis for any issues through there.

 

Poor guy!

[KF_in_Georgia]

Try a harness instead of a leash for walking. Avoid stairs if you can. Raise his food and water dishes so he doesn't have to stoop. I had a boy who would scream when he laid down, and it was a tweaked disk in his neck.

[greysmom]

I'm agreeing with the neck/back issue - won't show up in ROM tests on limbs, and lots of pain when standing and lieing down. It's probably pretty painful if he was shaking.

 

Good luck and keep us updated!

[a_daerr]

At e-vet now. Just noticing that he's avoiding shaking off. He'll only try to do it very gingerly. Definitely thinking neck or back.

[cleptogrey]

harness lead, soft food(less strain eating), talk to your vet after a full range of motion is explored( it's fast) about a combo of drugs to relieve the pain. when annie did her neck/shoulder in she was on crate rest, harness, metacam/gabapentin/tramadol for 6 weeks!

 

but as to TBD often there are false negatives. which test did your vet run? yes, they have been awful, both of mine have TBD, annie is doing well on the doxy for ehrilichosis (sp) felix of course the problem child picked up anaplasmosis and isn't responding as well.

 

good luck!

 

i see your at the e-vet- the combo worked wonders for annie who screamed the entire way from florida to ny. X-rays may be in order.

Edited April 8, 2017 by cleptogrey

[4My2Greys]

Sending healing thoughts for Truman. I hope that whatever it is can be resolved soon.

[Houndtime]

I am thinking neck sprain or something in that area.

[BatterseaBrindl]

My vote is neck injury.

Ruby went through this last year. Chiro, massage and laser really helped.

[a_daerr]

Okay, x-rays are back. Definitely his neck. Looks like there's compression in the one disc. They're going to get him a good combination of meds (Rimadyl, Tramadol, Gabapentin), then we monitor for five days. If no improvement, they'll refer to neurology and MRI. Talked about IVDD and some other less likely possibilities. She said I could have him admitted and do the MRI tomorrow morning, but he's pretty exhausted and worked up. I'm going to take him home for now.

[tbhounds]

Robaxin will be a huge benefit too. (Takes the spasms out). Fwiw cervical ivdd is pretty common with our guys and it's typically managed well with meds.

I also have a hard time believing they found a disc issue with rads alone.

[schultzlc]

Sending good, healing thoughts for Truman! I hope the meds do the trick so that he is soon on the mend and back to his normal self.

[a_daerr]

Robaxin will be a huge benefit too. (Takes the spasms out). Fwiw cervical ivdd is pretty common with our guys and it's typically managed well with meds.

I also have a hard time believing they found a disc issue with rads alone.

She showed me (granted, this is an emergency vet, not

a radiologist), there is no clean pocket of space between C5 and C6. They looked like they were touching. All of his other ones in his back and neck had nice, dark spaces. But only the MRI will say for sure. Has that been your experience, Tracy?

[tbhounds]

It's all about positioning-changes everything. 'Tis true-the only definitive way to properly diagnose this would be via an MRI with a radiologist reading the scan.

I will tell you if you imaged 10 dogs most of those 10 dogs would have an issue. I wouldn't get ahead of yourself-treat medically, use a harness and rest him.-even warm packing the area will help. Honestly, even if you did the MRI there's a huge percentage that he wouldn't be surgical anyway. Ask about the robaxin.

[GreyPoopon]

Maybe some laser treatments?

[a_daerr]

Just wanted to pop in and give an update on my big boy. For the past two weeks, we've been resting Truman and giving copious pain meds. He's no worse, but also no better. He's still yelping intermittently, struggling to lie down and get comfortable... looks noticeably hunched in the back end. He's just not himself at all. We decided to move forward with the specialty clinic's neuro department and have an MRI done today. No doubt about it, IVDD. No indication of malignancy (fortunately) but the disc between C5-C6 is noticeably deteriorated. The one between C6-C7 is herniated and pinching his spinal cord. Neuro specialist wants us to try steroids for ten days, then taper off to see if the pain returns. He thinks Truman could be a good candidate for ventral slot surgery, although I do worry about the risks and the potential for "domino effect." Chiro treatments are out. Laser treatments would help stimulate the nerves healing, but he's very nervous and spooky at the vet. It took two people to lay him down, and even then, he acted like a bucking bronco. I think he'd be miserable if he had to go to the vet multiple times per week over a long period of time (and I'd also worry about him re-injuring himself during a freak out).

 

Not exactly sure where we go from here, but I'm definitely worried. Poor Trumie.

[greysmom]

Poor guy! Is there anyone who does at home lazer treatments around you?

[XTRAWLD]

Have you tried Gabapentin? I see in an earlier post he was on a combo. Is the combo no longer enough?

Edited April 20, 2017 by XTRAWLD

[tbhounds]

Oh boy. Deciding on proceeding with surgery or not is a huge step-recovery can be long and intense. I would wait and see if the steroids help and perhaps get a second opinion. I found many neuro vets can have differing opinions on treatment choices.

[cleptogrey]

Oh boy. Deciding on proceeding with surgery or not is a huge step-recovery can be long and intense. I would wait and see if the steroids help and perhaps get a second opinion. I found many neuro vets can have differing opinions on treatment choices.

excellent advice. oy, truman ........ the steroids can work wonders. have you considered a second opinion at either Cornell or University of PA vet, OSU, or even dr. couto?

[racindog]

tbhounds, on 20 Apr 2017 - 07:23 AM, said:

Oh boy. Deciding on proceeding with surgery or not is a huge step-recovery can be long and intense. I would wait and see if the steroids help and perhaps get a second opinion. I found many neuro vets can have differing opinions on treatment choices.

excellent advice. oy, truman ........ the steroids can work wonders. have you considered a second opinion at either Cornell or University of PA vet, OSU, or even dr. couto?

What these 2 people say. I've had several hounds with varying degrees of IVDD/spinal injury etc and personally I would give it some time before jumping into surgery. The steroids can work wonders, or not, but you won't know till you try. From my experience it is not uncommon for them to have a serious 'episode' come up and last a couple of weeks---- and then resolve adequately with treatment-at least for a while. Sometimes time helps to. Prayers for his fast recovery one way or another!

[XTRAWLD]

Krissy and Summit had quite the experience with IVDD. If you are curious, search for the threads.