Backache and underwater treadmill

M

M.F.

I've been meaning to add a thread about Snowie's underwater treadmill treatment for his back. At 4.5 y.o. he was leaping out of a muddy lake and suddenly screamed and lay down, not wanting to move. An MRI and x-rays later showed a slipped disc at L7/S1 (dogs have seven lumbar vertebrae, humans five) and arthritis in his thoracic spine. Specialist orthopod said no need for an op, to treat conservatively (exercise and weight management). He's been okay over the years with flareups. But last year (June) he couldn't stand up. Pain treatment at the vet made him instantly fine, but the vet recommended physio. We were hectically busy last year with life stuff, so we only managed two physio appointments (a long assessment and two treatments), but this year we committed to a series of underwater treadmill and laser treatments, all which we think helped enormously. (Physio is a 30 min drive from our house and we have to time our appointments to avoid traffic, which could make it over an hour to get there.) So far so good, his muscles have improved dramatically--stronger chest and forelegs, a lot of muscle in his hind area (although he always had a lot of muscle there, just a lot more now). Physio said that increased muscle mass helps to stabilise the joints and goes a very long way to reducing painful joints and long-term health. But Snowie has a weak core it seems (always had a bigger tummy than the rest of his muscley self), and that is all important for his lower back.

What prompted to start the thread now? Well, Sunday night he screamed in agony and wouldn't move for about 5 hours, rigors from the shock of the pain (we think) and whimpering and crying. Pain meds took hours to kick in (of course it happened on a Sunday night!! but anyway, no way we could move him to get to the emergency vet anyway). Eventually he and me got to sleep at 3am, and he woke me up at 6am full of the joys of life and wanting breakfast!! Booked him in for an x-ray. Which is what I'm waiting for now. I must take him back to the vet now. We've been there already for her to see him and discuss everything with us, but I didn't want to leave him there in a cage while he waited for the x-ray. The worst thing: he wasn't allowed breakfast this morning!!!!!!! Totally confusing for him. But now he's sleeping on his bed. I've not eaten either -- we are both hungry!
 
Anne123

Anne123

Location
Vlaardingen, the Netherlands
Oh no, so sorry for you and Snowie! I know this scream too well, I can still hear it in my ears.....

I hope the results of the X-Ray will be off the kind that something can be done. Our vet don’t take X-Rays anymore. She will send the dog immediately for a CT scan. But hopefully not necessary or your Snowie! Keep us updated!
 
HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
Golly @M.F. , how horrible for you and Snowie, poor feller - that must have been terrible for him and for you, seeing him in pain like that. Really pleased he's improved so well with the meds but keep us posted on the Xray results. What time's your appointment?

It sounds like you're well up on Snowie's situation, and I'm guessing there'll be a lot of forum members with experience of physio, rehab and pain management that can feed their know how into whatever you discuss with the vet. Hopefully Snowie will be stable and comfortable very soon.
 
M

M.F.

Thank you so much everyone for reading and responding -- makes me feel embraced by the worldwide Labrador love! Just dropped Snowie off. I guess he's being sedated now and going for his x-rays. He loves the vet and was very happy to be left there, was focused on a new friend he met there, a chunky Frenchie. I'm home now and eating!! It'll be at least two hours till I need to collect him, according to the vet practice manager. We are very lucky that we like our vet practice so much and that Snowie loves being there, at least that part is totally not stressful.
 
M

M.F.

Just phoned the vet to see if I can pick up Snowie. He's been woken up from sedation but won't be ready for another hour. I spoke to the vet practice manager. The vet won't be able to speak to me today; she has an emergency house call. Apparently he'll be in a lot of pain because she had to do quite a lot of manipulation to get the pictures she needed. We did discuss manipulation and pain when we visited this morning. She said that lying with straight legs for the x-rays is very unnatural and will cause pain afterwards. *Shudder* *Feel sick* *Sad for poor Snowie* She's sending him home with inflammatories for this.

At our visit this morning, I also asked about three skin tags that Snowie has developed in the past year. They've grown bigger quite rapidly, I think, although still very small. The vet didn't think they were a problem, but said if they get very big, then they can tear and be problematic. So we agreed that, while he's under, that she'd remove them. Two in his right groin -- where he licks a lot (perhaps a painful right side?). And one on his left side -- where he has scratched a lot with his hind leg. I guess he'll be shaven on his left side. I feel awful now, because not only will he have joint pain from being manipulated, but he'll have the sting of these cuts. They have dissolvable sutures. I didn't even consider they'd need suturing; thought she could just slice them off. Should've discussed this more in detail! The way she said it, she said she'd simply nick them off. Anyway, I guess if they were to come off, under sedation is the best time to do it.

I am frightened about dealing with a painful dog. He lost his sense of humour these past few days. Usually he's very waggily. He hasn't felt like wagging his tail much at home. This pains me a great deal, too. It gives me insight into what he'll be like when he's older. He's 7.5 yo now. I guess this is the best he'll be; age is downhill... I'll write more about the treadmill later, and also add videos. It was meant to improve his future. We have been away for two weeks on holiday (all the rest and relaxation has been undone, I'm afraid...) and he had a screaming incident a few days before we got back. And then this one on Sunday. Although I think I overdid the exercise this weekend, because while we were away, his sitter only leash-walked him -- and she's a slow walker -- and took him to the park where he moseys around off leash. She felt devastated by the screaming incident while we were away, but I guess he twinged something while jumping onto her bed. The vet did say that all the arthritic dogs are worse right now, it's our coldest winter in a long time. Apologies for my moroseness. I feel terribly awful for Snowie to have to experience this pain. For the first time in his life, I thought he might bite me on Sunday night when he was screaming in pain. Not from aggressiveness, but from not understanding where the pain was coming from -- his head was whipping this way and that with his mouth open. For all of us who did our research into breeders (I researched for a year), who selected a breeder based on the health of the breeding pair (I had to join a waiting list)... and then to get a dog who has health issues. It is frustrating. And it is sad. And at the end of the day, my beloved dog is in pain.
 
Natalie

Natalie

I'm sorry for you and Snowie going through this, can't imagine how awful that would have been for you on Sunday to see him in so much pain. thinking of you and keep us updated x
 
Emily

Emily

Location
Melbourne, Australia
Oh @mf reading your post breaks my heart. The love and heartaches for your dear boy is so obvious.

All we can hope is that this is a nasty blip that he will soon forget (even though you won't) xx
 
M

M.F.

He's home. Good news: the vet couldn't find anything wrong with his knees. Other than that, we know nothing! The x-rays came on a CD (my laptop doesn't even have a CD reader!) to give to the physio. The vet practice manager said that if there was anything really bad, the vet would've noted it. I hope so.

Regardless, Snowie is unsettled. We brought him home after lunch and gave him his breakfast (even though he'd got some wet food at the vet, they said not to feed him too much - hah! Anyway, his breakfast is a much smaller meal than dinner). Then he promptly went into the pond He was panting the entire way home, but I don't think from heat; probably stress. He's now on his bed. I gave him a Kong with some peanut butter to settle on his bed cos he was whimpering so much. I am now on his bed with him, he won't settle down otherwise, keeps lifting his head and whimpering and letting out long moaning cries, especially if I get up. My husband is out; can't wait for him to get home, this is too much for one person to handle. When he was licking his wounds in his groin, he was kind of whistle-whimpering as he did it. Not sure if he'd just had a blocked nose from being sedated, or whether he was in pain. The sutured wounds are tiny, in fact I can't see the ones in the groin -- although I've not looked closely, don't want to manipulate his legs too much. Anyway, I'm glad I've read on this forum about other dogs not acting right after sedation -- hoping it's not whimpering in pain. When he was last sedated (for an injured cornea), he was completely normal. But we were there the entire time -- it was a country practice where we were on holiday, and we all went into the surgery and were with him as he came out of it. I suspect that here he was completely confused, and they brought him to us on his collar and he was pulling like a steam train (the vet assistant was dragged along, said, Wow, he is so strong), so I hope he didn't hurt his neck. You can see I am full of worries! And now he is crying more. Oh, my poor heart.
 
Selina27

Selina27

Location
Herefordshire, UK
Good that Snowie is home, and that his knees look ok .
M.F. said:
I'm glad I've read on this forum about other dogs not acting right after sedation
Click to expand...
I don't know about after sedation, but I know that the night after Cassie was spayed she howled and cried and paced about until 3 in the morning. I felt so dreadful, and cried most of the night and the next day. The vet and others said it was the anaesthetic, I'd never had a dog do that before and it was distressing, so I get where you are coming from.
He's bound to feel a bit rough, he's better without the skin tags in the long run. He will get over the surgery :)
 
Beanwood

Beanwood

Administrator
@MF this sound all deeply distressing for you, I completely understand your worry and frustration. :hug:

If it's any consolation, we have come out of a really rough patch with Casper. To the point of me thinking..."OK, this is where we really go downhill from here..." .Casper also had those awful screams which just go on and on....in reality probably just a few seconds but...they are horrid! Anyhow, he is much, much better and back to racing like a happy loon in the paddock. It did take time, a few extra sessions with our amazing rehab, plus various combinations of pain relief. Casper has both back and hip issues.
 
Candy

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Location
West Yorkshire, UK
So, so sorry to be reading this, poor Snowie, poor you. Just to mention about the crying, Solstice did this most dreadfully after sedation every time, never at the vets just once she was alone with Trevor and me. After her cruciate ligament surgery she cried so much that I rang the vet, who could hear her over the phone. He was most sympathetic and said he understood that it was very distressing to listen to but he pointed out that if it was due to pain she would have been crying at the vets as well. He said some dogs just do this after sedation and that she probably had a lot she wanted to tell me. She kept it up for four days! I do hope Snowy feels better soon. Sending:hug::hug::hug:
 
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