Good News and Not-So-Good News by Jackdoodle

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi, DK friends! I just wanted to say hi and tell you what's been going on with me lately.

Some of you know that recently I have been having a problem running and jumping. I was trying very hard not to let my mom know about it, because I hate to worry her, and I do have my tough guy image to maintain. But my mom figured out that I wasn't running or getting up on her bed because I couldn't, and not because I didn't want to. These smart moms can be very difficult to manage sometimes.

Today I went to see a new kind of special doctor who knows about bones and nerves and things like that.

He was very nice. He examined me and took some Xrays.

The good news is, I have a lot of very good muscle, and very good muscle tone. I am also very strong. (Gee, I didn't need a doctor to tell me that!) The vet says I do not have hip dysplasia or anything wrong with my legs or my hips. My regular vet thought I had arthritis, but this new doctor does not think I do. That's the good news!

What he does think is that there is something wrong with the lower part of my spine. The Xrays showed something there. It might be something called spondylosis, or it might be something called a herniated disc. They cannot tell exactly what it is without doing a special test called an MRI. The new vet does not think we need to do that yet, and I am glad, because I would have to be asleep for it, and that is kind of scary. The doctor and my mom decided that first we will try a new medicine for two weeks and see if that helps me. The new medicine is for pain. So I have to take two more pills every day, which brings the total number to 14. That's the not-so-good news.

My mom also wanted me to ask you if any of you have used a ramp for your dogs to help them get in and out of the car. I can get out just fine, but I am having some trouble getting in. Today Cassie, my vet tech, had to help lift my butt to help me get in, and I felt so embarrassed about it, I couldn't help crying out loud, which made my mom very sad. So she is looking into getting me something called a ramp so I can get into the car (my mom said tell you it's an SUV) easier. We would be grateful for any recommendations or advice.  

Anyway, that's about all for now. I hope you are all having a good summer.

Your friend,

Jackdoodle

UPDATE BY JD'S MOM:

The new medication does not seem to be helping, in fact, it may be making things worse. It's a human anti-seizure drug, Gabapentin. Over the last ten days, he's been experiencing a kind of collapsing of his hind end. It happens randomly when he is just walking, his back legs kind of bow out and his rear end goes down as if he's about to poop, but it's really that his back end just kind of collapses. It only lasts seconds and then he can walk again, but it'a very disturbing and scary. It may not happen for several days and then it will happen repeatedly on a single day. He's also displaying some spatial confusion. So we are discontinuing the meds, and it looks like an MRI will be the next step. I'm going to wait a few days and see how he does without the meds.

 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That might actually work!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We have a human step stool for my mom and even she can't use it to get up into the van. It is not wide enough for this tiny tiny lady.  We ended up building a wide flat and long box for her to use.

With dogs, we found the longer the ramp, with a slow incline, best.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

One of the problems I encountered with the ramp was that it was too wide to rest in a level position in the opening of the car door. There wasn't enough room because the door didn't open wide enough to accommodate it.  If your vehicle is a van with sliding rear door or if you are loading them into the back of an SUV then it would work great. But for smaller cars, and mine is even a mid size, you need to be aware of the width of the door opening at the sill in relation to the width of the ramp.

When I look at the ramps on line I have yet to see one that is being used to load a dog into the back seat of a car. It is always one of the above.  There may be some that will work but I think that needs to be a consideration before purchasing one.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Tara, this makes a lot of sense.  You really do need a wide ramp, with a slow incline or there is no way an older dog will use the ramp.  It took Pete a little while but he really did get used to it and eventually looked forward to his ramp.

But, the car door width, with the ramp width is a huge consideration.  I believe Karen has an SUV but don't know if Jack is used to using the backdoor  :) but I think with Karen's patience, he will eventually learn.  Especially if he likes to ride and some excitement is there.

Okay, night all

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Good night Spud!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks, Ricki, it is something to consider.

I have an older Lexus RX, and Jack usually gets into the back seat.

What I have noticed these past few times is that he needs to get a running start, where he "lifts off" at an very slight angle, and has some momentum carrying him. It's when he has to get up onto the seat (or a bed) from standing still that it hurts him, even when someone is boosting him. I think the angle of approach is less steep (and his body is more parallel to the ground) when he runs than when he has to go straight up in an upright position from right next to the car, if that makes sense.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Yes, it does make sense. Ebony was the same way. I think too that it doesn't put as much weight on their rear end and they are actually using the front legs more for the lift when they run at it.

I see someone mentioned acupuncture and chiropractic. Ebony was terrified of the acupuncture needles so that went no where for us. He did get regular chiro adjustments though and I believe they did help. However it was not the typical snap and jerk chiro. His was a gentle adjustor that just used his thumbs to adjust. He actually cautioned us never to take Ebs to one of the other types as they could be damaging to his spine. Just thought I would mention it. I understand your reluctance.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's the ones who misdiagnose things ad tell you they can cure just about anything that scare me. I've seen some advertising that they can cure allergies and acne with chiropractic, lol. And I had a client with a deep muscle pull who was told by a chiropractor that she had  "bones out of place". ((Note to any interested parties: Unless your bones are sticking out of your skin, they are not "out of place")

But then I had a "trainer-in-training", young body-builder in his 20s who kept having terrible pain in his neck. The chiropractor he went to told him "his spine was "out of alignment" from a minor car accident he had had months before. By the time we convinced him to see an orthopod, the tumor that was pressing against his cervical vertabrae was the size of a golfball, and there was permanent nerve damage.

I am going to talk to the vet about physical therapy, though, and maybe acupuncture.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep, JD is a lot like your mom, and I mean that as the highest compliment.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

So taken :)  and she would love it

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

There are also RV booster steps that might work. Although they are more costly then the plastic type. But they are nice and wide and also fold.

http://www.buy.com/prod/motorhome-safety-step-folding-rv-step-stool...

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Wow! Join a dog website and get help assisting Mom into our SUV or RV.  We haven't taken my mom in our RV since she fell a year ago.  She just needed one more step up.  This is a bit pricy but if I shop around, I'll bet I can find it cheaper.