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.

 

 

[Cathy C. Bennett]

Hi Karen and Jackdoodle - just read about this, and the boys wanted you both to know that they are sending doodles of good thoughts and prayers for you both. Please continue to let us know how he is doing.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thank you, Cathy.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

JackDoodle, we just want you to feel better soon.  We hope that discontinuing the medication helps your back legs work better. If you have to have an MRI, we hope they find nuttin' wrong. 

Ned, Clancy and Gordie

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Right now, that's my main prayer, that they find nothing that needs surgery.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Praying with you and for you

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks, Bonnie.

[Lorraine Bromley]

I am so sorry to hear about Jack's problems. The gabapentin gave me such pain relief in the very specific nerve pain that I was experiencing. It could be that this drooping is a natural progression of what is going on with Jack and not related to the use of meds as they shouldn't cause worsening. They will be working on the pain that Jack feels and sadly he can't tell you whether they help or not with the nerve pain. There is a possibility that taking him off the meds will leave him in pain and still have the drooping problem. 

I just wanted to let you know what this med is meant to do for nerve pain, as it was a life saver for me.

I hope Jack gets some relief soon and you get some answers. Either way this is a huge issue that I wish neither Jack not you should have to deal wiith.

Lorraine

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks, Lorraine. My neighbor who is battling late-stage cancer is also taking gabapentin for neuropathy and has not had noticeable side effects from it.

But since I stopped it with JD, he has not had another episode of his back end collapsing.

We are going to see his internal medicine specialist today and talk about all of this.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Glad to hear there is no repetition. What's good for the goose may not be good for the gander. Let us know results.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

That's a small positive.

I hope good news after your visit.

Hugs

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Keeping you and JD in positive thoughts today!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Hopefully you will get better news today and that the drug was the cause of his collapsing back end.  I will be watching for an update.