Symptoms of a ruptured disc:
- Crying, when eating or drinking
- Poor appetite due to pain
- Muscle spasms
- One or both front legs could be lame
- Crying and/or shaking
- Unwilling to move, jump, or go up/down stairs
- Tense abdomen
- Hunched appearance
- Paralysis to rear legs
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
If your dachshund is having any of these signs…take to your vet or emergency hospital RIGHT AWAY!!!
The sooner you take to vet the better the outcome. TIME MATTERS!!
It’s best to get surgery 12-24 hours after your dog goes paralyzed.
Put in consideration that your dachshund will need emergency surgery.
Signs for after surgery:
Regression of Progress:
If your dachshund seems to be taking steps backwards in its progress, then this could mean another disc has herniated. Know, treatment could go back to step one…
Fever
If your dachshund has a fever, it’s a sign of infection. If you don’t have a thermometer, feel the nose; if hot, dry or brittle, then it’s possible he/she has high fever and a serious infection.
Infections:
If your dachshund develops rash, it could mean he/she is having a allergic reaction to the medicine or a staph infection (very common after use of steroids) which is contagious to humans!
If your dachshund urine smells strong, is dark, or appears bloody, means he/she has an infection and should call vet right away.
Licking/Chewing:
If your dachshund starts licking and chewing obsessively any part of its body, this is a sign of nerve problem that could lead to chewing off its paws, limbs, tail, or worse. Stop the dog immediately, and put a cone collar on him/her. Ask your vet for a drug called “Neurontin”
Increased paralysis:
Within the first week to second week after surgery; if your dog’s paralysis seems to be spreading or moving upwards, has difficulty breathing, and seems weaker, this could be a sign of myelomalacia: a lethal disease. Your dog’s entire nervous system is shutting down slowly. Seek medical help right away.
PAIN:
If your dog starts to shiver, shake or tremble. These are signs of PAIN! Pain means something is wrong, either you worked him too hard (therapy) or treatment (pain pills) is not working…
Therapy:
Hopefully the surgeon has given you a list of exercises you need to work on with your dachshund…
Or if your dog is sent to rehab, then that’s different case…but I think its best to work with your dachshund yourself (that is if you have time.) I think rehab places push too hard and is costly…
If you do your own rehab, you and your dog will get a lot closer and he will really start to listen more. Just learn to be patient and know it takes time…one day at a time…
Also…I know every dachshund loves their belly rubbed. But I’ve learned with Lucas, he doesn’t want belly rubs anymore, he wants leg massages. Learn every inch of his leg. His hip, knee, ankle, foot, even his toes.
After recovery:
How to control your dachshunds from being hyper/active again?:
Its okay for your dachshund to be active…just not the bad active, like running around the house and especially in the yard…never let your dachshund run in the yard anymore…one low spot and it hurt their disc.
With lucas…for some reason he knows what he can and can not do now
He knows hes not allowed on couches, or even try to get on our bed anymore, and especially no stairs! Buy or make a ramp if you have step to get into your house.
Be strict with his toys now and watch how he plays with them…
Please please do not play tug of war anymore!!…it will hurt their disc!!
Also…no more shaking and trying to kill the toys…bad bad bad!!!
Never leave your dachshund by himself…if you’re going to be out of the room for just a second…put him/her in the crate!! You know the saying, “turn your back for one second and something bad happens”….Its just best to put in crate if your eyes aren’t watching him/her.
If you’re feeding your dachshund human food…STOP!!! Its so hard on their digestive tract!! You can end up killing your dog!! Please stop, and if your dog is used to being fed when you’re eating put him in his crate while you eat…
You will learn to set your own rules with your dachshund over time…just be smart, and watch them like a hawk!!!
Posted by lucas8 