Jasmine's Disc Injury: The Parole Hearing

Monday morning was Jasmine's parole hearing with her primary vet.

Please, may I get out on parole.
Please, may my Monday hearing goes well.

She was looking quite good and we felt she might be able to resume some moderate, controlled walks in her favorite trails. We have also finished her new ramp, so getting in and out of the bus should be now safer.



There were couple things I observed which I was concerned about. 

One of them was the level of sadness and resignation, as you can see it in the video. Jasmine looks OK but this is not NORMAL Jasmine.

We also didn't want to risk messing up her healing process.

At this time she was on half a prednisone every other day and one Tramadol at night. She really seems happier on the prednisone-free days. Her drinking and urination are almost normal on the off days, increased on the days she gets the medication. Her hunger is crazy, though, she constantly acts as if nobody has fed her for a week.

She tells me that daddy didn't give her any breakfast, then she tells hubby that mommy didn't giver her any lunch ... She consistently denies having had any dinner. Her entire life she was very gentle taking food but now we have to watch our fingers. I feel bad for her and hope that this settles down once she's off the meds.

On Sunday evening we decided to take her to the trails for a little walk.

She hasn't been anywhere since the fateful Friday and it's been making her sad. We did take her at least around the block, but that was not what she wanted and craved.

The more rational reasons behind that were a) that we wanted to experiment BEFORE the vet visit, so any negative fall out could be caught, and b) we wanted to make sure she takes to the ramp well enough BEFORE we actually have to make the trip to the vet.

We didn't really anticipate major issues but didn't want to take any chances.

It didn't make sense to find out she doesn't want to use the ramp the morning of the appointment and having to come up with a different solution or take risks.

We made the ramp as wide as possible (around 20 inches) and as long as possible (around 8 feet). Still, the incline is steeper than she's ever used. Also, now she has to get into the bus through the back, which she isn't used to either.

Jasmine isn't completely comfortable with this yet, but uses it well enough.

She was much more keen on using it to get out of the bus, which is technically odd, as one would think it must feel safer going up than going down. The rewards, of going down, however, are greater!

The little walk went well. Jasmine didn't tire and nothing else went wrong either. I was so scared! First real outing since her disc injury, bunch of new things in the mix. I worried as if she was made of crystal and was going to break to pieces with just a wrong look. Fortunately, she did not.

The long morning trip to the vet went well also.

Jasmine was excited out of her mind. As we walked into the reception, very quickly she also discovered a mitten glove somebody lost and they had on the counter. Jasmine has an obsession with gloves. When she sees one, she has to snatch it and bury it. She tried snatching this one too.

It didn't matter that it got put away, she kept trying to get to it, jumping up on the tall reception desk. *sigh I'm convinced she feels she needs to take care of them, since they're abandoned and lonely.

The vet checked her out thoroughly, even though it was rather difficult with her level of excitement.

He did an overall exam, checked for signs of pain, muscle tone, myofascial trigger points, and proprioceptive reflexes (awareness of foot in space) and some other tests for nerve responses.

The good news is that pain appears managed. We can lower her prednisone to 1/4 every other day and stop the Tramadol and give it only on as needed basis.

The not so good news is that the reflexes in her left hind leg are not where they should be.

She gets around well, the function is quite good but not at full function. That was one of the things I noticed about a week ago, that on a sharper left turn her left hind leg appeared out of sync with the rest of the body, as if it got stuck behind the rest of the body. I've seen this happen only twice and not in the past week.

But I was watching him doing the exam and that leg is somewhat slower in response.

This particularly poses risk if Jasmine got too exuberant. If she stumbled or fell, and compensated for the fall with violent neck movement, things could get messed up pretty bad.

Jasmine will have to ease back to her activities gradually, starting at low level. We are hoping that the function might still get to normal with time.

***

Jasmine also had her acupuncture session later that day.

If she was excited during her morning vet visit, she was totally out of her mind for her acupuncture vet's visit. Even jumped on her couple times as she was greeting her.

The acupuncture vet was very pleased to see Jasmine like that.

However, it posed some challenges, particularly with keeping the needles in her. Jasmine was trying to play and roll around, needles came out and new ones had to be inserted. Jasmine shook and needles went flying and new ones had to be inserted.

Then we did try Dr. Marty Becker's trick of holding the nose to prevent a shake, it really does work (when you manage to grab the nose on time)

Finally Jasmine resigned to the fact that nobody's going to play with her while trying to keep the needles in place, and settled down.

The vet took advantage of the calm time and left the needles in. The whole session lasted almost an hour longer than normally.

Then, as the vet was getting ready to leave, Jasmine decided she really liked her pom-pom hat and wanted to mother and bury that. Even when the vet put the hat on, Jasmine kept negotiating, "Come on, you don't know how to take care of it, I'll take care of it for you. Just let me have it."

I don't blame Jasmine for being all crazy.

She's been feeling so badly, then cooped up for so long ... now she's feeling pretty good and wants to do things. She has all this energy she needs to put somewhere. Jasmine is used to daily walks and activity. Not getting that ought to show somewhere.

The upside is that the acupuncture vet feels very positive about the progress Jasmine made since her session two weeks ago, and feels positive about restoration of full function. She felt than next treatment could be after three weeks, unless something changes.

Now we have to ease Jasmine back into a moderated version of her normal life and do our best to prevent any mishaps. Meanwhile, Jasmine is seeing her chiro on the 8th as well.

Hopefully, soon we'll have some new happy outdoor photos again.

Right now we feel we should give full attention to Jasmine in order to keep her safe. Taking photos could be a distraction that we might not need at the time.

***

Related articles:

A Time Bomb Ought To Go Off At Some Point, I Guess: Jasmine's Neck 
Jasmine's Disc Injury(?) Day Two 
Jasmine's Disc Injury(?) Day Three 
Jasmine's Disc Injury: Mom, Why Can't I Go For A Walk? 

Adoption Monday: Bear, Labrador Retriever Mix: Deerfield, NH

Check out this wonderful boy at Mary's Dogs Rescue & Adoption!

If you're thinking little lap dog, forget it. Bear is going to be a pretty good sized boy when he's full grown. Right now he's a tike, and 30 lb or so, at 4 mo. But he's all puppy!

Playful and silly...and loving life! 

One thing I know about Bear? He's going to love the snow! 

If you were thinking of taking a dog snowshoeing or winter hiking? He'd be the one.

Bear is house trained, neutered and up to date with routine shots.

Want more info on Bear? Call Mary's Dogs: 603.370.7750 or send along an email: marysdogsrescue@gmail.com

Ready to bring Brad home? Tell us about yourself and your interest in Brad in the adoption questionnaire. Check out all the wonderful dogs on Mary's Dogs Facebook Fan Page.

***

Mary’s Dogs rescues and re-homes dogs and puppies from Aiken County Animal Shelter, a high-kill shelter in South Carolina, USA. They also serve as a resource to communities in Southern New Hampshire and pet owners nationwide by providing education and information on responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spay/neuter, positive behavior training, and good nutrition.

Understanding Seizures

***

Dr. Becker is the resident proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian of HealthyPets.Mercola.com. 

You can learn holistic ways of preventing illness in your pets by subscribing to MercolaHealthyPets.com, an online resource for animal lovers. For more pet care tips, subscribe for FREE to Mercola Healthy Pet Newsletter.

Another Cooling Bed Bites The Dust

So, this is how long the latest cooling bed lasted ...

The first one we got lasted about three years. Which was very impressive. The second one about half a year, and this one about the same.

There was one year in between we tried other things.

Those other things did not leak, that's true. But they didn't do much of a job in the cooling and comfort department either. In fact, they ended up source of frustration and wasted money.

That's why, in the early summer, we decided to bite to bullet and get back to the cooling bed we knew that worked and Jasmine loved.

Because this one was a third generation, with some improvements, including outer material which seemed sturdier, we did hope it might take a while before it leaks. But we didn't hold our breath. I mean, it is a water bed after all, it's bound to leak sooner or later, right?

That's also why we bought two, just to have a backup.

We didn't think we were going to need the backup that soon but it is what it is.

I was a little worried this one might leak a little faster, because it felt more sloshy after filling. Fortunately, the leak was very tiny and slow, just as before. In the seam, just as before.

The beds come with a two year warranty, so I guess it's kind of good that it leaked BEFORE the warranty ran out. You know how it is, things are typically programmed to break a day AFTER the warranty expires.

Dealing with the K&H customer service was hustle free, they were very polite and forthcoming.

We didn't even have to return the whole thing (I was wondering whether the shipping might cost more that buying a new bed). All they asked for was the filling cap with a bit of material around it. So we sent that to them, awaiting our replacement.

Yes, we want a replacement, not our money back.

We made our peace with the fact that these things are destined to spring a leak at some point.

The bottom line is that these beds work and Jasmine loves them.

So we'll keep getting them. Now we just hope we get the replacement before the one we're using now starts leaking. I'm kind of joking. We'll see.

It's not that they get much abuse. None of the dogs tried chewing them or have at them in any other way. Besides, they're supposed to be resistant to that. So far it's always been the seam that was the weak point. Nature of the beast, I guess.

In spite of this flaw, the K&H Cool Bed III still has our vote.

It would be nice, though, if the one now in use lasted a little bit longer. But if it doesn't, c'est la vie, we'll get another one.

Update
January 13, 2013

Our replacement bed has arrived, thank you, K&H. Truly wonderful customer service!

Related articles:
K&H Cool Bed III: Ooh, It's Cool!

Veterinary Highlights: Less Invasive Treatment For Aural Hematomas?

A hematoma is a localized swelling that is filled with blood caused by a break in the wall of a blood vessel.

A dog can develop an aural (ear) hematoma when they shake their head, particularly if the ear is irritated, such as from an ear infection.

The vigorous shaking causes the tiny blood vessels in the ear flat to rupture, causing bleeding and accumulation of blood under the skin.

The typical sure-fire treatment is surgery, as simply draining the fluid usually ends up with recurrence and/or a deformed ear, which can then be even more prone to infections.



But perhaps there is a better way?

With this method, the hematoma is drained, the pocked is flushed out to remove any debris, and then area is then injected with corticosteroid methylprednisolone acetate. It is not fool-proof but showing promise.

If a hematoma doesn't resolve with this treatment within 15 days, then the surgery is performed.

Source article:
Easier Treatment for Aural Hematomas

Treatment And Prevention Of Canine Intervertebral Disc Disease (Part I)

 by Susan E. Davis, PT  

Injuries and diseases that affect the spine are quite dramatic and disabling. This supportive column of bone which encases the nerve centers of communication to and from the brain provides a vital role in daily function for all animals.

Dogs can be affected by spinal conditions from the neck to the mid and lower sections of the spine.  

The dog breeds which are most prone to mid and lower spine problems are the dwarf, or "chondrodystrophic" body types, having short, bowed limbs. Examples are the Dachshund, Pekingese, Lhasa Apso, Corgi and Basset Hound. Their spinal columns are proportionally longer in length, due to the disparate limb size, causing stress and strain.

Discs are spacers and shock absorbers, placed between each of the bony vertebrae.  

 

They are round structures with outer walls that consist of cartilage rings, similar to those of a tree trunk, with a soft jelly-like interior. The outer wall is called the “annulus fibrosus” and the inner substance is the “nucleus pulposus”. The spinal column needs the discs as “spacers” to provide room for the nerves which branch off of the spinal cord to exit. It also needs the discs as “shock absorbers” to protect and shield these nerves from jolts and stress.

Discs become injured when they are weakened and result in a buldge or rupture, causing irritation to the nerve.  

The weakening is caused by external pressures from tumors, poor posture, weight gain, loss of muscle tone and support, bone spurs etc. It can also occur from trauma or twisting/turning injuries, which crack the outer walls of the disc and cause the inner “pulp” to break through to the outside.

If the damage is minor, the discs will simply buldge, but not break open.  

Herniated disc. Image Burlington Sports Therapy

If this is treated promptly, the bulge usually resolves and the disc returns to its normal shape.

When the damage is more significant, the disc will rupture and cause significant pain and irritation to the spinal nerves. 

The canine spine, like the human, consists of 3 sections: cervical (neck), thoracic (ribs and middle section) and lumber (lower back).  Both dog and human have 7 cervical vertebrae, but the dog has more 1 more thoracic and 2 more lumbar vertebrae, compared to people.  Thus a dog has 7 cervical, 13 thoracic and 7 lumber vertebrae.  Eighty percent of intervertebral disc injuries occur between the first thoracic and the third lumbar vertebrae. 

Here is how most veterinarians classify disc disease:

Type 1: a total rupture of the outer wall, or annulus fibrosis, with massive break-through herniation of the inner nucleus pulposus. 

Type 2: a partial rupture, with gradual onset of symptoms. Disc buldges also fall into this category.  

Type 2 disc diseases can be successfully treated conservatively with rest and medications.  

This can include cage rest or reduced activity. Physical therapy can begin after the acute phase is over, in about 5 days.

More serious cases such as Type 1 may need surgery such as: hemilaminectomy (thoracic-lumbar region) or dorsal decompression laminectomy (lumbar and sacral region).  

Expect further testing such as MRI or myelogram before surgery is recommended so that the extent and level of disc injury can be determined.   

Cervical disc disease, occurring in the dog’s neck, is the second most common form of intervertebral disc problems.  

They can be caused by trauma, rough neck movements from hard play or sports activity, or from degenerative conditions. Larger breeds, especially those at middle to senior ages, can develop degenerative discs which “settle”, like an old house into the ground, which causes vertical pressure on the disc and irritation to the nerves.

These cases are usually treated conservatively at first, with corticosteroids, muscle relaxers, pain and anti-inflammatory medications.  If surgery is needed the method used is ventral slot technique and is approached from the front or “underside “of the vertebrae to remove bone and disc material for decompression of the nerve root.
*** 

Susan E. Davis (Sue) is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 30 years of practice in the human field, who transitioned into the animal world after taking courses at the UT Canine Rehabilitation program.  She is located in Red Bank, New Jersey.

She has been providing PT services to dogs and other animals through her entity Joycare Onsite, LLC in pet’s homes and in vet clinics since 2008.

She also provides pro bono services at the Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown, NJ.  Sue is the proud “dog mommy” to Penelope, a miniature Dachshund with “attitude”.  For more information see her website www.joycareonsite.com , or follow on Twitter @animalPTsue.


Sue is also the author of a fantastic book on physical therapy, Physical Therapy And Rehabilitation For Animals: A Guide For The Consumer.  

Physical therapy can do so many great things for your dog. Understanding all the possibilities physical therapy can offer will change your dog's life. This book definitely belongs on the shelf of every dog lover.

Articles by Susan E. Davis:
Functional Strengthening Exercises: the What, Why and How
One Thing Leads To Another: Why The Second ACL Often Goes Too
Compensation: An Attempt To Restore Harmony
Paring Down to the Canine Core
Canine Massage: Every Dog ‘Kneads’ It”
Photon Power: Can Laser Therapy Help Your Dog?  
Physical Therapy in the Veterinary World  
Reiki: Is it real? 
Dog Lessons: Cooper  
The Essentials Of Canine Injury Prevention: 7 Tips For Keeping Your Dog Safer 

The Challenge Of Degenerative Myelopathy (DM): Knowledge Is Power (Part I)
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM): Top 10 Management Suggestions (Part II) 
Great (Or Not So Great) Expectations with Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHO) Part (I) 
Great (Or Not So Great) Expectations with Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHO) Part (II)

It's Not Just Walking, It's Therapy! 
Treatment And Prevention Of Canine Intervertebral Disc Disease (Part I)
Treatment And Prevention Of Canine Intervertebral Disc Disease (Part II Physical Therapy)
Range Of Motion: It’s A Matter Of Degree…
The Weight Of Water And How It Helps Dogs 
By Land or By Sea? A Comparison of Canine Treadmills 
Unraveling The Mystery Of Fascia And Myofascial Trigger Points (Part I)
Unraveling The Mystery Of Fascia And Myofascial Trigger Points (Part II) 
Scar Tissue: Is it Too Much of a Good Thing? 
Physical Therapy Tip Of The Month: Ramps! 
Physical Therapy Tip Of The Month: Indoor Duo Dog Exercises!
Physical Therapy Tip Of The Month: Best Practices After Your Dog’s Surgery
Further reading:
Intervertebral Disk Disease

Tackling The Veterinary Terminology: Suffixes (-scopy)

Remember the Spelling Bee? Big words are easier to tackle when you understand how they're put together. Veterinary terms are composed in the same way. Just like with other words, the main parts of a veterinary term are a prefix, a root, and a suffix. The difference is that they typically come more directly from Greek or Latin.

The suffix is the bit that will tell you about what procedure, condition, disease or disorder you're dealing with.

-scopy [skəpi] from Greek - to examine, observe

In general words ending with -scopy indicate viewing or examination, typically with an instrument ending with -scope. Figures, doesn't it? In general sense, this includes instruments such as a microscope or a telescope  too.

An endoscope

For our purpose, though, we're talking about procedures using a thin optical instrument inserted into a cavity through a small incision, called an endoscope.

These days, -scopy doesn't just mean examination. The same instrument can be equipped with an attachment to perform a biopsy or a surgery.

Some examples are  laparoscopy (procedure within intra-abdominal or pelvic region), thoracoscopy (examination of the lung surfaces and pleural space) , arthroscopy (examination or surgical procedure in the joint), etc.



Compare with laparotomy, which is surgically opening the abdomen.



Related articles:
Veterinary Highlights: Laparoscopy, Thoracoscopy, And Endoscopic-Assisted Procedures 
Veterinary Suffixes (-itis)
Veterinary Suffixes (-oma) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-pathy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-osis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-iasis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-tomy) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-ectomy) 

The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas graphic produced by Pet365 and Dogorama. Click here to view the original post.

Adoption Monday: Brad, Terrier Mix: Deerfield, NH

Check out this wonderful boy at Mary's Dogs Rescue & Adoption!

This little shaggy boy is so adorable.

Looking to run, play and just snuggle....that's not too much to ask is it???

Brad is house trained, neutered and up-to-date with routine shots.

Want more info on Brad? Call Mary's Dogs: 603.370.7750 or send along an email: marysdogsrescue@gmail.com

Ready to bring Brad home? Tell us about yourself and your interest in Brad in the adoption questionnaire. Check out all the wonderful dogs on Mary's Dogs Facebook Fan Page.

***

Mary’s Dogs rescues and re-homes dogs and puppies from Aiken County Animal Shelter, a high-kill shelter in South Carolina, USA. They also serve as a resource to communities in Southern New Hampshire and pet owners nationwide by providing education and information on responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spay/neuter, positive behavior training, and good nutrition.

The 12 Days Of Christmas PT Style

 by Susan E. Davis, PT  

On the first day of Christmas, my PT gave to me:
A Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the second day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the third day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the fourth day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the fifth day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the sixth day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
6 Degrees of Motion, 5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the seventh day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
7 canines swimming, 6 Degrees of Motion, 5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the eighth day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
8 Dr. Buzby’s Toe Grips, 7 canines swimming, 6 Degrees of Motion, 5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the ninth day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
9 Dachshunds Dancing, 8 Dr. Buzby’s Toe Grips, 7 canines swimming, 6 Degrees of Motion, 5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the tenth day of Christmas my PT gave to me:
10 Spaniels Leaping, 9 Dachshunds Dancing, 8 Dr. Buzby’s Toe Grips, 7 canines swimming, 6 Degrees of Motion, 5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my PT gave to me:
11 Blog Postings  (oh, now what have I done!)(you have to count this too), 10 Spaniels Leaping, 9 Dachshunds Dancing, 8 Dr. Buzby’s Toe Grips, 7 canines swimming, 6 Degrees of Motion, 5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my PT gave to me:
12 Gaiting sessions, 11 Blog Postings, 10 Spaniels Leaping, 9 Dachshunds Dancing, 8 Dr. Buzby’s Toe Grips, 7 canines swimming, 6 Degrees of Motion, 5 Functional Exercises, 4 Joules of Laser, 3 Hamstring stretches, 2 Tarsal Wraps and a Rott-Weiler who was fris-ky!

***
Susan E. Davis (Sue) is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 30 years of practice in the human field, who transitioned into the animal world after taking courses at the UT Canine Rehabilitation program.  She is located in Red Bank, New Jersey.

She has been providing PT services to dogs and other animals through her entity Joycare Onsite, LLC in pet’s homes and in vet clinics since 2008.

She also provides pro bono services each week to a shelter and sanctuary for neglected and abused animals.  Sue is the proud “dog mommy” to Penelope, a miniature Dachshund with “attitude”.  For more information see her website www.joycareonsite.com , or follow on Twitter @animalPTsue.

Articles by Susan E. Davis:
Functional Strengthening Exercises: the What, Why and How
One Thing Leads To Another: Why The Second ACL Often Goes Too
Compensation: An Attempt To Restore Harmony
Paring Down to the Canine Core
Canine Massage: Every Dog ‘Kneads’ It”
Photon Power: Can Laser Therapy Help Your Dog?  
Physical Therapy in the Veterinary World  
Reiki: Is it real? 
Dog Lessons: Cooper  
The Essentials Of Canine Injury Prevention: 7 Tips For Keeping Your Dog Safer 

The Challenge Of Degenerative Myelopathy (DM): Knowledge Is Power (Part I)
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM): Top 10 Management Suggestions (Part II) 
Great (Or Not So Great) Expectations with Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHO) Part (I) 
Great (Or Not So Great) Expectations with Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHO) Part (II)

It's Not Just Walking, It's Therapy!

Jasmine's Disc Injury: Mom, Why Can't I Go For A Walk?

It was just a week ago when Jasmine did something very very bad to her neck. Feels like an eternity, definitely to her, I'm sure. She really hates her house arrest.

Jasmine on the weekend before the injury

I talked to her vet, wondering whether, given the relatively fast recovery, it could be something less serious than a disc issue.

Considering what he saw, and given the level of involvement of the legs, he feels that this is indeed what we're looking at. I guess I knew that but was hoping that maybe, just maybe it could something else. It would appear, though, that the disc has only bulged, rather than herniated.

Bottom line is, that short of doing an MRI, we'll never know for sure what happened. And since Jasmine is improving, the risk reward just isn't there with the imaging.

It also remains a question what happened to cause this, or whether Jasmine actually DID anything. 

Nothing we're aware off, and somebody is with her pretty much at all times. Not that she wasn't being a wild child lately ... but how long between a stunt and onset of a problem would it take?

Jasmine on the weekend before the injury

It would be good to know how it happened so it could be prevented.

But we are clueless. The only event which I could imagine might have caused some damage happened in October ...? She was wrestling with JD and they smacked into each other at the shoulders. Jasmine cried out and immediately started favoring her front right leg. However, she walked out of it almost immediately, and there were no further signs of a problem.

Somehow, something happened. That's all we know for sure.

Jasmine on the weekend before the injury

The good news is that it seems to be healing.

Jasmine appears to be moving well, last couple days her eyes are brighter again, he posture is strong, and she doesn't seem to be having trouble turning her head in any direction she likes. She also started doing her favorite full body stretches today, which she abandoned for the past week. Still does them somewhat gingerly, but nonetheless.

Last two days of her high dose of steroids she was finally showing the expected increased drinking and urination.

Before that, I was worried about her not drinking enough.

Her appetite has also increased (and she was quite a starving puppy before that already). To help her out I reduced the intake of dry treats and added one meal instead. Because of the rather high water content, she gets to fill her belly without any additional calorie intake.

I also added some beets and some dandelion to her meals to help her body deal with all the drugs.

We made it through the five days of the high dose of prednisone and are now down to half a tablet a day. 

Jasmine is a bit less thirsty now. Just as hungry, though.

On Wednesday she also got an acupuncture treatment. This is one of the times when veterinary house calls can be invaluable. It is so much safer for the vet to come to see Jasmine, than the long ride to the vet's office.

After the treatment Jasmine looked really exhausted.

However, it was the next day when her eyes got brighter. Was it from the treatment or would it have happened anyway? Who knows. We're just happy that she seems to look just about like herself.

Of course, the better she feels, the more likely she is to do something dumb.

She doesn't realize that. All she knows is that she's feeling better and wants to do stuff. "Mom, why can't I go for a walk?" We are, however, painfully aware of the fact that feeling better doesn't always mean BEING better and that her body needs more time to heal properly. Trying to explain that to her, though has been unsuccessful.

***

I also contacted the last animal communicator we worked with, because I was quite impressed with her the first time.

I wanted to see if we could find out what and how happened, how was Jasmine REALLY feeling, and I also hoped that maybe the communicator might be able to explain to Jasmine why she needs to take it easy for a while.

Here is an excerpt from her report on Tuesday:

She starts off by showing me an image of you laying down with her and I feel a male is standing over both of you, there is no doubt that she knows how much you love her.

I am not seeing any discs slipped but I am seeing what looks like the nerves or the spinal cord is being pinched so if the discs were slipped I feel they are adjusting back into place.

To me it feels like the area about the bottom 1/3rd of the cervical area.  
  
She is also showing me the esophagus though so I’m not sure how this is connected.

I feel like her bones in the neck area a weak?

She is showing me trying to walk backwards and with this the sense of her just wanting to move her head and shake but she can’t so I feel this has taken her by surprise.

I feel her depression is more pain related than mental lack of stimulation or confinement. I say this because she shows me an image of her just standing still and not moving and I am hearing the pain was 8 to 9 on scale of 1 to 10.
[Jana] yes, it looked like she was in a truckload of pain

I feel that her lack of movement is distressing for her but not in the fact of being confined to an area, it feels more like not being able to shake and turn bother her. It’s like wearing an invisible cone on her head.

Her stomach feels a bit on the queasy side and just overall she feels like you would if you had a bad flu, achy and overall blah.

I don’t get the sense of it being anything she did to make this happen, to me it feels more like part of genetics. The sense she gives me is that her neck twisted, but she does not show me any specific incidents expect what she is showing me above. Maybe she just had her head the wrong way and twisted as she got up? Is there anything around her bed that she could have gotten her head under while sleeping and awoke quickly?

She just seems so fragile to me; not really mentally but physically. Maybe this is due to the meds. I have asked her to please understand that she needs to be quiet for a few weeks so she can heal but to me she seems stubborn and determined which is also a good thing in that she is ready to fight this.
[Jana] Yeah, that's Jasmine, stubborn and determined

She is showing me barking at you as if asking “why aren’t you playing with me” so I told her it was so she can get better.

She wants to know if she can go for a walk?
[Jana] See the pattern here?

I told her that walks would be for when she is better.

***

At this point, we're just thankful that Jasmine looks comfortable and seems to be healing well.

Related articles:

A Time Bomb Ought To Go Off At Some Point, I Guess: Jasmine's Neck 
Jasmine's Disc Injury(?) Day Two 
Jasmine's Disc Injury(?) Day Three

Veterinary Highlights: Inhalation Chemotherapy?

The biggest problem with chemotherapy is that it doesn't discriminate. It affects all rapidly dividing cells, not just cancer cells. Finding ways of targeting cancer cells and leaving healthy issue alone is the major focus of much of the research.

One way of getting some control can be the delivery method itself.

When I read about inhalation chemotherapy on Tripawds Blogs, it was the first time I've ever heard of this. This method is meant to treat dogs with ostersarcoma (bone cancer) that has metastasized into the lungs.

Inhalation chemotherapy delivers the agent directly to the lungs.

This seems to make perfectly good sense. You want the agent in the lungs, why not send it there directly? Clever, isn't it?

Does it work?

It seems to be showing great promise. It is noninvasive and requires minimal equipment. It has fewer side effects compared to traditional IV chemotherapy. The downside are the logistics of the treatment itself (a mask placed on the dog's muzzle).

Will this become a viable treatment option?

It's a promising option, the only problem really seems to be issues with delivery. Presently, further research seems to have stalled because of lack of funding.

***

Source article:
Dr. Selting Explains Inhalation Chemotherapy for Osteosarcoma Metastasis

Further reading:
Breathe in, breathe out: using the airway to combat cancer

Veterinarians Answer: What Is Your Biggest Pet Parent Peeve?

We love our vet dearly and treat him with love and respect. But we often refer to him as a Saint. I have to face it, dealing with me isn't exactly a walk in a park. I get concerned about every little thing that could potentially be a symptom, I have endless questions, and I leave no stone unturned and I challenge everything that doesn't feel right to me. And he's been bearing with me for all these years. I think he deserves a medal.

So I got curious, how much does he really mind all this?

Then I got more curious, and I wanted to learn what is the one thing we, pet parents, do (or don't do) that veterinarians find the MOST frustrating?

Are you ready to find out? Are you guilty of these deeds?

Hmmmm... My biggest pet peeve with clients would have to be when they let their children run all over the hospital or exam room without attempting to discipline them. Kids climbing up my pants and lab coat or rolling around licking the baseboards is not appreciated, safe, or sanitary.

The most frustrating? People who don't value their pets or care for them responsibly. Some people still don't believe pets feel pain; others want to euthanize their pets when they become inconvenient. The worst is when they return (after I have declined to perform medically unwarranted euthanasia) a week later with a new puppy-- from a pet store of course. 

—Dr. Laci Schaible, DVM, VetLIVE
    Dr. Laci on Facebook and Twitter

***

The failure of the 4 generations of pet owners, now raised on Disney shows, to recognize or even entertain the suggestion that their pet may be in pain. If it does not whine or limp it must not be in pain. Denial that loss of weight, gain of weight, sleeping more, sleeping less, change in personality, change in activity, or fatigue, could be signs of illness or pain is not comprehensible to some people. They would rather blame age and ignore the pain, or deny the disease and ignore the need for treatment. Pus leaking around loose teeth and swollen joints are often ignored. If the pet  can still eat and stand up, they must not be suffering. Many households only have one pet of a species so they lack another normal pet to compare their sick one with and consequently ignore the deterioration in health.

Since many pet owners do not recognize their limitations as identifiers of pet pain, they then obstruct attempts to prevent or mitigate pain. Simple strategies, that can be started with puppies and kittens, can do a lot to prevent or mitigate pain during their lives, but are not adopted by as many owners as they could be, since they do not see the need.

Sadly, there are those people who feel that love is enough to vaccinate their pet against suffering. More times than I would like to remember, I have had an owner tell me how much they loved their pet and how well they take care of the pet. Subsequent examination of the pet would then reveal issues like rotten teeth, infected ears and skin, fleas, obesity, cancer, arthritis, and hypersensitive myofascial trigger points.

When these owners are lead to these issues and explained their significance as a cause of pain, one hears the responses

a) he is old and that is normal,
b) it cannot hurt he still eats and goes for a walk,
c) oh I could never put him through treatment  it would be cruel and so on.

Meanwhile the suffering continues...

—Dr. Rae Worden, DVM , Fergus Veterinary Hospital
    Dr. Rae on Facebook and Twitter

***

My biggest pet caretaker (I don't use the term "pet parent") peeve is when they don't consider lean body weight maintenance and periodontal health to be of higher priority on a daily basis.

As obesity and periodontal disease are the most common diseases veterinarians diagnose on a physical exam, they are conditions that are quite avoidable. Yet, most pet caretakers don't make attempts to prevent these conditions and instead only strive to make changes when significant secondary problems arise, such as foul odor from the mouth, decreased appetite, internal organ system abnormalities, arthritis pain, immobility, and more.

 —Dr. Patrick Mahaney, The Daily Vet
     Dr. Patrick on Facebook and Twitter

***

What is my biggest pet parent peeve?

Delaying treatment. I often see pets so late in the course of their diseases that their prognosis suffers.

At the very least, treatment is more difficult and expensive than it would have been otherwise... to say nothing of the unnecessary suffering the pet has had to endure.

What is the one thing pet parents do/don't do that I find the most frustrating?

I once practiced in an exceptionally wealthy part of the United States and was floored at the number of people (who had just parked their Range Rovers in front of the clinic) who resisted spending what I  considered to be moderate amounts of money on their pets' care. It seemed like people of modest means were willing to move heaven an earth to help their pets while the wealthy were counting their pennies. Kudos to those who put a priority on the health of their nonhuman family members; shame on those who don't while having (more than) the means to do so.

—Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM, Fully Vetted

***

The #1 most frustrating thing pet parents do, is buy a puppy.

First of all, buying a dog instead of adopting one, but even beyond that, with no consideration of the puppy's expected behavior profile, with no thought of what the breed was bred for originally. Just assuming the dog will magically grow up to be healthy and well-adjusted all by itself, that the parent will magically know how to train the dog without professional help.

The longer I do this job, the more I think putting dogs through proper school, with proper teachers, like we do with children, should be a requirement of pet ownership.

—Dr. Greg Magnusson, DVM (Leo's Daddy), Leo's Pet Care
    Dr. Greg on Facebook and Twitter 

***

Not understanding that having a pet is a privilege and not a right.  Owning a pet (providing proper nutrition, yearly examinations, PROPER vaccination) is costly and requires a financial commitment from the pet's owner for just routine care.

Once an emergency pops up, care can become instantly very expensive (many many accidents and illnesses can run thousands of dollars).

Even without an emergency, eventually that cute puppy or kitten that you took into your house will become geriatric. Eventually we all get sick. Geriatric care can also become expensive and burdensome. There is also a time commitment to owning a pet.  Pets need to be walked and  played with to provide exercise and mental stimulation and medicated and cared for when they are sick at home.  People need to be aware of these facts and carefully decide whether or not buying or adopting a pet fits into their schedule and budget.

—Robert Foley, DVM, Angry Vet
    Dr. Rob on Facebook and Twitter

***

I think my biggest pet peeve is that people look for advice from places with little to no credentials provided to them. Specifically, breeders, pet stores, and the ever self-entitlement Internet  giving veterinary and nutritional,etc advice.

Nothing burns my butt more than a client coming in the door and telling me that "their " whoever " told them that skin disease was from corn, or some other food ingredient, and that they should be on ___ diet, supplement, additive, to cure it."

I sincerely appreciate that pet patents are becoming more and more invested and inquisitive about their pets health but please remember that your breeder, pet supply/ food store employee, etc., didn't attend veterinary college and shouldn't give medical advise. Argh!!

I'm all for getting advice from lots of sources but please use caution and check credentials.

—Dr. Krista Magnifico, DVM, Diary of a Real-Life Veterinarian
    Dr. Krista on Twitter

***

My biggest pet parent peeve?

Pet parents that ask for advice but then don't like the answer and won't follow through with the recommendations.

I find this most often occurs when the pet is over-weight and the pet parents aren't ready to accept it or implement changes in the animal's environment regarding diet and exercise.

What is the one thing pet parents do/don't do that I find the most frustrating?

I find the majority of pet parents don't exercise their pets regularly enough or for a long enough duration of time.  The weekend warriors often suffer the most. 

—Dr. Roxane Pardiac, DVM

***

My biggest pet parent pet peeve is when families decline what I feel is important care, because I have seen the flip side of that, and how awful preventable conditions can be for pets and their people.

—Dr. Shawn M. Finch, DVM, Riley & James 
    Dr. Shawn on Twitter

***

At first glance, I planned to respond that my biggest frustration is “ignorance”.  It’s disheartening to have a client whose paradigm about pet care doesn’t align with common sense and quality veterinary medicine.

But then I realized that some of my best and favorite clients over the years entered my practice with ignorance about an important aspect of their pet’s health.  When enlightened, however, these clients embraced the information and enthusiastically made changes, in areas such as diet, weight management, dental care, toenail trimming, training, etc. 

Upon reflection, I realize my answer lies in a client’s failure to respond to appropriate information.  My biggest pet parent peeve is when I passionately explain something that I know will improve my patient’s quality of life, and the client doesn’t convert that information into an action.

On the flip side, watching clients receive knowledge and adjust accordingly is one of my favorite parts of my job!

—Dr. Julie Buzby, ToeGrips
    Dr. Julie on Facebook and on Twitter

***

Are you innocent of these things? Or guilty as charged?

The message to take home is: please, don't let your dog suffer!

***

Related articles:
Veterinarians Answer: What Do You Consider The Biggest Breakthrough In Veterinary Medicine?
Veterinarians Answer: Vegan Diet For Dogs?

Tackling The Veterinary Terminology: Suffixes (-ectomy)

Remember the Spelling Bee? Big words are easier to tackle when you understand how they're put together. Veterinary terms are composed in the same way. Just like with other words, the main parts of a veterinary term are a prefix, a root, and a suffix. The difference is that they typically come more directly from Greek or Latin.

The suffix is the bit that will tell you about what procedure, condition, disease or disorder you're dealing with.

-ectomy [ˈɛktəmi] from Greek - excision, resection

Also surgical procedures, words ending with -ectomy indicate that something is not only going to be cut, but removed. Pretty straightforward stuff for a change. The root word, then, stands for the part that is going to be removed.

The most common examples are spay and neuter surgeries.

The medical term for traditional spay surgery is ovariohysterectomy (OVH). This means that both uterus and ovaries are removed. There is actually a new, and in my opinion better, procedure out there now - ovariectomy (OVE). As you can see from the shorter word, only the ovaries are removed with this surgery. It gets the job done, but comes with fewer complications.

The medical term for neuter is gonadectomy. The word gonad actually stands for a sex gland, so technically it could mean both either testis or ovary. But since girl dogs have their own surgical terminology already, gonadectomy is typically used to indicate a boy dog loosing their testis. Of course, it is always easy enough to just say spay or neuter.

Depending on your dog's medical situation, other parts might need to be removed.

Splenectomy, removal of the spleen, might be needed for dogs with hemangiosarcoma. Femoral head ostectomy (FHO) is one of the surgeries to treat severe hip dysplasia and it means removal of the femoral head .. You get the picture.

When you hear the suffix -ectomy, something is going to be taken out.

Don't forget, taking something out of the body what belongs in there, is always a serious business and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

***

Related articles:
Veterinary Suffixes (-itis)
Veterinary Suffixes (-oma) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-pathy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-osis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-iasis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-tomy)

Misdiagnosis: Spinal Cord Injury

by Dee Bogetti

Cody was 11 months old. A yellow Lab in training to be my wilderness search and rescue dog, she had all the right stuff for the job: high drive, intelligence, tenacity, and an amazing nose.

Cody’s energy level required daily play sessions – most often involving a tennis ball or Frisbee. On a day I will never forget, it was my bad throw that sent her running full tilt toward the shed.

She slammed into it (depth perception came later in her life), coming up with the tennis ball in her mouth and … a limp. 

I went to her and realized there was a hole right where she had hit the building, so not only did she slam into an immovable object, her right front leg jammed into that hole with her full weight behind it.

I loaded her into the car and took her to the vet’s office for a physical examination, x-rays and a diagnosis.

Ninety minutes later I drove home with Cody–stunned and in tears. 

My amazing dog, my beautiful girl, my athlete, would never be a SAR dog.

Diagnosis: The vet said that Cody had injured her cervical (neck) spine. 

And if she re-injured it she could well become paralyzed. No more training. No more strenuous workouts. Nothing. I was devastated.

A day passed. What to do? A second opinion was all I could think of, so I called ahead to a local vet clinic known for its specialists. Cody and I headed out that afternoon for an appointment with a veterinary orthopedist.

This vet looked at the existing x-rays, took Cody for a walk to observe her gait, and gave her a thorough hands-on physical examination. Sixty minutes after we arrived, we drove away with a very different opinion from that of “my” vet.

Cody’s Diagnosis: Tendinitis in her right shoulder.

Wow. This time I was speechless.

Instructions from the vet: Keep my young Lab quiet (seriously?) for a month to let her shoulder heal and she should be fine. He said that although chronic in nature, the tendinitis should not cause her any significant problems in the foreseeable future. He did warn that symptoms might return in Cody’s older years.

Outcome: Cody was as quiet as Cody could be for that month, at the end of which her symptoms were gone. 

We proceeded with her SAR training and never looked back. She has remained fit and trim over the years – her weight never varying more than two pounds from her young adult weight of 72 pounds, something I believe is a contributing factor to her continued good health.

At the age of nine, in the middle of a cold winter, I saw that limp return. 

My current vet suggested a supplement (one that she gives her own senior Labs) specifically targeted to older dogs. I started her on S3 Soft Chews for Dogs the next day. Two years later, at the age of 11, Cody is happy, healthy, limp-free, and can still outrun the four other Labs in the house. Especially when there is a squirrel alert in the backyard.

Here’s a short video from a couple of years ago with me working Murphy while Cody demos the best “focus” ever.

Lesson: Always, if there is ANY question in your mind about a diagnosis, seek a second opinion and even a third.

***

Dee Bogettiis a service dog trainer/consultant. she works with a limited number of individuals and families who are willing and able to train their own service dog ... with her help.

Dee is the author of Puppies chew shoes, don't they?

You can also check out her blogs Diabetic alert dogs and Brown Dog Tales or connect with her on Twitter.