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Questionable IVDD diagnosis?

Jenny4684

New Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2024
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2
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Kobe
Hi all,
This might be kind of a long story, but I'm feeling very torn after a recent visit to the vet about what direction to take next to help my little mini-dachshund, Kobe. He's almost 4 years old, and has always been very easily stressed out by just the slightest shift in our routine. For probably at least 2 years, he's had these brief little spells where his tummy makes extremely loud rumbling noises, he refuses to eat, and generally acts uncomfortable. However, they always resolve within a half-day, he poops normally and doesn't vomit, so I've never taken him to the vet for this. It has occurred maybe every 3ish months, usually after events that messed up our schedule (Christmas, a day at the dog-sitter's, etc.).
Anyway, recently he had three of these events within 2 weeks, and I called the vet to get their opinion. They had me bring him, and their thought was that his tummy was upset because of back pain. They did a GI X-ray just to check, which was normal. Then they sent me home, recommending crate rest, along with an anti-inflammatory and pain meds. As usual, his tummy cleared up within a day, and he was wanting to play and acting normally. I've been limiting his activity around the house and keeping him crated when I can't supervise. I'm giving him the anti-inflammatory, which is a liquid, but the pain meds are pills that he absolutely refuses when mixed with anything. But he hasn't been in pain, so hasn't seemed like he needed them.
I've been doing research into IVDD, and literally the only symptoms I can notice are the tense tummy and not wanting to eat, but these have always been short-lived. As soon as I started crating him, his stress went through the roof, and he's woken up a couple different nights with the noisy tummy again. As usual, it still clears up quickly, but the episodes are getting more frequent. I can't afford to keep running to the vet each time he has symptoms, but I guess I'm just really torn about what is best. I want to be safe in case it is his back, so I'm following the restrictions, but messing with his routine seems like it's making his tummy troubles worse, and that's what I was mainly concerned about in the first place. Does this sound like IVDD to anyone else? In between tummy episodes, he's begging to play (which I've been trying to keep extremely gentle) and eating normally. He never is reluctant to move or be touched. I'm considering getting a second opinion, but again, don't want to keep paying for visits. Thanks for your help!
 
Has your vet taken x-rays of his spine, tummy, intestines and GI tract? I would keep him on crate rest until you have a definitive answer. You really need to get him used to being crated,and make it his safe place for many reasons, crate rest, emergency evacuations for weather, as many human shelters will not accept an un-crated dog. I would seek a second opinion from another vet and ask your current vet for any x-rays, and records he has first. My little girl does not mind her crate and sometimes she goes in for a little nap on her own, or if I am running the vacuum, and always when I leave the house. I put several dog biscuits into the crate and tell her to kennel up and she eagerly runs to her crate and settles in. As an aside, in case of emergency, I have a tote with blanket, towel, favorite toy, copies of her vaccinations, dog sweater,and a plastic zip lock bag with three days of food in case of evacuation emergencies. I change out her food whenever I have a new bag of food for her, so what is in the zip lock bag doesn't go bad. Please keep us updated on her condition.
 
As an after thought, ask your vet for some calming medication for when he has to be crated, try giving him canned plain pumpkin ( about a tablespoon) once a week, and play soothing, calm music when he is in his crate.
 
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Has your vet taken x-rays of his spine, tummy, intestines and GI tract? I would keep him on crate rest until you have a definitive answer. You really need to get him used to being crated,and make it his safe place for many reasons, crate rest, emergency evacuations for weather, as many human shelters will not accept an un-crated dog. I would seek a second opinion from another vet and ask your current vet for any x-rays, and records he has first. My little girl does not mind her crate and sometimes she goes in for a little nap on her own, or if I am running the vacuum, and always when I leave the house. I put several dog biscuits into the crate and tell her to kennel up and she eagerly runs to her crate and settles in. As an aside, in case of emergency, I have a tote with blanket, towel, favorite toy, copies of her vaccinations, dog sweater,and a plastic zip lock bag with three days of food in case of evacuation emergencies. I change out her food whenever I have a new bag of food for her, so what is in the zip lock bag doesn't go bad. Please keep us updated on her condition.
The vet did do X-rays and his GI system and spine were all normal. She said they can't see the discs on the x-rays, so it didn't tell them anything definitive. She did give me a tranquilizer to help keep him quiet, but it's oral, and I haven't been able to get it in him. He's a super picky eater, and I've tried chicken, peanut butter, cottage cheese, and marshmallows. The only kind of treats he eats are freeze dried beef liver, which I can't really get a pill into. Any other treats he's always just spit out.
 
Try that canned cheese stuff that is sort of like toothpaste when you squirt it out of the can to hide the meds. If all else fails, manually stick the meds on the back of his tongue, and hold his mouth closed while gently rubbing his throat until he swallows.
 
I had a Dachshund with IVDD and she never had the symptoms of your dog. She would eat and didn't have stomach noise or vomiting, she just didn't want to move a lot. If they are diagnosing IVDD without an MRI or CT scan I would suggest switching vets.
 
I agree with Chariya. I'd get a second opinion preferably from a vet practice who specializes in IVDD where they will do MRI or CT to really know what is going on
 
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