Floofy Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Has anyone had success treating lumbosacral stenosis? I've heard great things about Depo-Medrol injections and I'm looking for a vet in Pittsburgh who is willing to give these a try. Getting desperate -- we might have to say goodbye to our 11-year-old boy Luke soon. :'( http://www.greyhound-data.com/dir/397/Lumbosacral_Stenosis.pdf http://www.greyhound-data.com/dir/397/Lumbosacral_Stenosis.pdf Quote Lucas Larf Laserman, the greyhound formerly known as U Too Isaiah: 9/26/05 - 9/3/16 ~ Gotcha: 6/24/09 Zelda Zipper Honeybee, the greyhound formerly known as Lee Vonda: 8/26/04 - 8/19/18 ~ Gotcha: 12/7/14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) Yes. Rex went from being unable to get off the couch to fairly normal. Depo bought him two full years. His first was done by the referenced Mike Herron, former head of small animal surgery at Texas A&M, his second by Dr. Jeff Ellis, GALT"s preferred vet. Suzanne Stack told me to try older vets although my vet that is young and graduated from Ohio state has no problems with doing it and has turned many of his classmates around on it.. His father is an old school large/small animal vet and Josh grew up seeing what Depo could do before it was vilified. Edited July 25, 2016 by Hubcitypam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 No one in this area will do them. And you can ask a human doctor why if you're vet's response isn't enough for you Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 My vet here in CT kept Pal going for a quite long time with Depo injections. I'm sorry I don't have s name for you in your area Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floofy Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 No one in this area will do them. And you can ask a human doctor why if you're vet's response isn't enough for you My vet said she'd feel more comfortable if I found someone who did the injections before so she could be sure she was doing it right. She thought the treatment sounded like a good idea, but she was scared she'd hit the spine without watching someone do it correctly first. If we can't get him moving around better by the end of the week, I think we will have to say goodbye to our boy. Many greyhounds with LS have clearly had tremendous results. So that said, I really don't care what the doctors say about the injections -- what do we have to lose at this point? Quote Lucas Larf Laserman, the greyhound formerly known as U Too Isaiah: 9/26/05 - 9/3/16 ~ Gotcha: 6/24/09 Zelda Zipper Honeybee, the greyhound formerly known as Lee Vonda: 8/26/04 - 8/19/18 ~ Gotcha: 12/7/14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dken105 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 My vet in Wheeling, WV is very knowledgeable about greyhounds.Wheeling is about one hour from Pittsburgh. He did some sort of stem cell treatment a while ago for something related to the back. Maybe you would like to call and speak to him about your greyhound's problem. His vet practice is Town and Country and his name is Dr. James Radcliffe. You can look him up on the internet. Just a suggestion. Don't know if will help you. But wishing the best for your boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudiav Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 my 12.5 y/o girl is having a hard time as well... She has had increasing LS pain and we recently doubled her Gabapentin to help with the scuffing (walking on the upside of the paw, instead of righting it)... we also started cold laser and acupuncture treatments, in addition to twice weekly Adequan shots... I emailed her the article you enclosed and asked her if she thought Depo-Medrol would be better than Adequan. Here is her repsonse, although it is directly in reference to my girl: "I am SO glad that she is doing better!! I would not recommend DepoMedrol- it is a heavy duty steroid that has cartilage-destructive effects and should only be considered as a salvage last-ditch effort to buy comfort. It can also have GI side effects which would be my main concern w Leyla considering how sensitive her gut is. The Adequan is much better as it has vertebral and hip joint lubricating effects." If you've already tried the cold laser, acupuncture, Gabapentin & Tramadol, and Adequan shots, and if they have all helped as much as they can help Luke, I would try Depo-Medrol... but i didn't know that some vets refuse to give it, and i don't have a clue why... hope you can find some comfort for Luke still... Quote Image removed, not within Signature Guidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floofy Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 my 12.5 y/o girl is having a hard time as well... She has had increasing LS pain and we recently doubled her Gabapentin to help with the scuffing (walking on the upside of the paw, instead of righting it)... we also started cold laser and acupuncture treatments, in addition to twice weekly Adequan shots... I emailed her the article you enclosed and asked her if she thought Depo-Medrol would be better than Adequan. Here is her repsonse, although it is directly in reference to my girl: "I am SO glad that she is doing better!! I would not recommend DepoMedrol- it is a heavy duty steroid that has cartilage-destructive effects and should only be considered as a salvage last-ditch effort to buy comfort. It can also have GI side effects which would be my main concern w Leyla considering how sensitive her gut is. The Adequan is much better as it has vertebral and hip joint lubricating effects." If you've already tried the cold laser, acupuncture, Gabapentin & Tramadol, and Adequan shots, and if they have all helped as much as they can help Luke, I would try Depo-Medrol... but i didn't know that some vets refuse to give it, and i don't have a clue why... hope you can find some comfort for Luke still... I would definitely give Adequan a try if a vet offered to give it. We have an appointment with a chiropractor vet on Wednesday. Crossing my fingers it will bring him some relief. Quote Lucas Larf Laserman, the greyhound formerly known as U Too Isaiah: 9/26/05 - 9/3/16 ~ Gotcha: 6/24/09 Zelda Zipper Honeybee, the greyhound formerly known as Lee Vonda: 8/26/04 - 8/19/18 ~ Gotcha: 12/7/14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudiav Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 I would definitely give Adequan a try if a vet offered to give it. We have an appointment with a chiropractor vet on Wednesday. Crossing my fingers it will bring him some relief. I'm glad to hear that... we just started Adequan shots Friday... my vet said it has a tremendous effect on her severely arthritic dog... like night and day... it helped A LOT!!! She taught me how to give the shot subcutaneously, so i can give them to her at home... the next day, she was feeling so much better!!! my girl was barking at me to go for walkies, to feed her... she was coming up to us for affection... things that she was having a hard time with beforehand... give it a try and let us know... Quote Image removed, not within Signature Guidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTRAWLD Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) This can be done under light sedation, enough that the dog is immobile, but doesn't have to be completely out. It is incredibly risky if the dog moves and this level of "outness" is determined by how comfortable the vet is in doing this injection. Some vets inject in a different location (I believe there might be three.....) Keep in mind that this injection also has to be done every few months, so you have to go through this sedation part every few months as well. I was not fortunate enough to get around to trying this, but I was on my way before cancer took Kasey. The issue you might have though is that no one will be willing to do that particular injection without first diagnosing the condition with an MRI. Edited July 25, 2016 by XTRAWLD Quote Proudly owned by:10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 201012.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floofy Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 This can be done under light sedation, enough that the dog is immobile, but doesn't have to be completely out. It is incredibly risky if the dog moves and this level of "outness" is determined by how comfortable the vet is in doing this injection. Some vets inject in a different location (I believe there might be three.....) Keep in mind that this injection also has to be done every few months, so you have to go through this sedation part every few months as well. I was not fortunate enough to get around to trying this, but I was on my way before cancer took Kasey. The issue you might have though is that no one will be willing to do that particular injection without first diagnosing the condition with an MRI. We have HealthyPaws insurance, and have just about met the deductible, which won't reset until April 2017. So the cost of most of Luke's care will be reimbursed at 90%. This means, thankfully we will not have to worry much about the cost of his care. We would get an MRI if a vet felt it was necessary. I'm glad to hear that... we just started Adequan shots Friday... my vet said it has a tremendous effect on her severely arthritic dog... like night and day... it helped A LOT!!! She taught me how to give the shot subcutaneously, so i can give them to her at home... the next day, she was feeling so much better!!! my girl was barking at me to go for walkies, to feed her... she was coming up to us for affection... things that she was having a hard time with beforehand... give it a try and let us know... That's really encouraging to hear that Adequan helped your girl so much. Thanks for the message. Quote Lucas Larf Laserman, the greyhound formerly known as U Too Isaiah: 9/26/05 - 9/3/16 ~ Gotcha: 6/24/09 Zelda Zipper Honeybee, the greyhound formerly known as Lee Vonda: 8/26/04 - 8/19/18 ~ Gotcha: 12/7/14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) This can be done under light sedation, enough that the dog is immobile, but doesn't have to be completely out. It is incredibly risky if the dog moves and this level of "outness" is determined by how comfortable the vet is in doing this injection. No one in this area will do them. And you can ask a human doctor why if you're vet's response isn't enough for you. Absolutely LOVE the fact that people that have never tried Depo are self proclaimed experts on the subject. Rex was never sedated - all the shots were administered with him standing in the vet's office. Suzanne's instructions in the referenced article are very clear and Dr. Dunn at VCA Lakewood was able to easily follow them and at the time he wasn't very greyhound savvy. Edited July 25, 2016 by Hubcitypam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 No one in this area will do them. And you can ask a human doctor why if you're vet's response isn't enough for you your. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickiesmom Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Although we didn't get Depo shots (not the right answer for the dog in question) I took my whippet to Dr. Radcliffe for several years.. My suggestion would be to go for a consult, let him examine your dog and do whatever tests he believes are relevant (he will discuss what and why with you first) and then see what treatment he recommends and go from there. It was a 6h drive for me one way - that is how worthwhile I felt it was to see him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floofy Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 (edited) Although we didn't get Depo shots (not the right answer for the dog in question) I took my whippet to Dr. Radcliffe for several years.. My suggestion would be to go for a consult, let him examine your dog and do whatever tests he believes are relevant (he will discuss what and why with you first) and then see what treatment he recommends and go from there. It was a 6h drive for me one way - that is how worthwhile I felt it was to see him. My vet in Wheeling, WV is very knowledgeable about greyhounds.Wheeling is about one hour from Pittsburgh. He did some sort of stem cell treatment a while ago for something related to the back. Maybe you would like to call and speak to him about your greyhound's problem. His vet practice is Town and Country and his name is Dr. James Radcliffe. You can look him up on the internet. Just a suggestion. Don't know if will help you. But wishing the best for your boy! Thank you both for your recommendation of Dr. Radcliffe. I called his office today and he's only practicing two days a week now -- and booked up for the next two weeks. Not going to work for us this time. Edited July 26, 2016 by Floofy Quote Lucas Larf Laserman, the greyhound formerly known as U Too Isaiah: 9/26/05 - 9/3/16 ~ Gotcha: 6/24/09 Zelda Zipper Honeybee, the greyhound formerly known as Lee Vonda: 8/26/04 - 8/19/18 ~ Gotcha: 12/7/14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 I was going to suggest Dr. Redcliffe too. Tell them the severity of your situation and ask them to ask him if he will squeeze you in. I am guessing he might. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dken105 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 I think if you explained your problem and talked directly with Dr. Radcliffe, he would see you soon. He loves all animals, but has a real soft spot in his heart for greyhounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floofy Posted September 7, 2016 Author Share Posted September 7, 2016 I wanted to share this update -- It turned out that Luke had osteosarcoma, not LS. The cancer did not show up on his first x-rays in mid-August, which is when he began receiving PRP injections at Animal General in Cranberry, PA, under the wonderful care of Dr. Mike Hutchinson. (Very highly recommended!) Luke wasn't sedated for the first set of x-rays, so they couldn't get the best views. Last Friday, he went in for his second PRP injection, but they sedated him first to get better x-rays to make sure they hadn't missed anything. They found osteosarcoma and a pathologic fracture in his left femur. We couldn't let him suffer anymore -- he was in so much pain, even with high doses of pain meds. He crossed the rainbow bridge in our arms at home on Saturday. If you follow Greytalk on Facebook, you've probably already offered your condolences. Thanks so much for the support and love. We are getting by one day at a time -- but our girl Zelda is taking the loss very hard. She misses her brother a ton. Luke (U Too Isaiah) 9/26/2005 - 9/3/2016 Forever in our hearts Quote Lucas Larf Laserman, the greyhound formerly known as U Too Isaiah: 9/26/05 - 9/3/16 ~ Gotcha: 6/24/09 Zelda Zipper Honeybee, the greyhound formerly known as Lee Vonda: 8/26/04 - 8/19/18 ~ Gotcha: 12/7/14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascalsmom Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I'm so sorry to hear this, Amanda. Maybe you'd like to borrow Phoebe (Sweet Pea) for awhile? Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palmettobug Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 OMG, to you and yours. How many more dogs will this awful disease take from us?? Quote Current Crew: Gino-Gene-Eugene! (Eastnor Rebel: Makeshift x Celtic Dream); Fuzzy the Goo-Goo Girl (BGR Fuzzy Navel: Boc's Blast Off x Superior Peace); Roman the Giant Galoot! (Imark Roman: Crossfire Clyde x Shana Wookie); Kitties Archie and Dixie Forever Missed: K9 Sasha (2001-2015); Johnny (John Reese--Gable Dodge x O'Jays) (2011-19); the kitties Terry and Bibbi; and all the others I've had the privilege to know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I'm so sorry. I just let my old man Zuri go on Monday because of osteo. He had LS that was managed well for years and was diagnosed with osteo in mid-May. I do believe his LS diagnosis masked to some extent the early signs of his osteo though we still caught it quite early. Anyway, I am very sorry for your loss and understand what you are going through completely. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTRAWLD Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I'm sorry to hear this. Quote Proudly owned by:10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 201012.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickiesmom Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I am so sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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