Help!!! I am in North Carolina and my dachsund charlie was diagnosed about a month or two ago with a slipped disc with signs of rupturing.. he has been suffering through the last few weeks with severe muscle spasms.   The vet has him on robaxin but it doesn't seem to do much for him.  I am going to go to the vet again tomorrow to discuss other options.  Charlie has been in my family nearly 8 years.  My mom can not afford to lose this dog.  My father died last year and Charlie is all she has left.  I need help in determining what to do.  I have read some sites that discuss different vitamin supplements and tub exercises.  Charlie has not lost his use of his legs but he does have the muscle spasms constantly.  If anyone knows where i can take him to get him checked, please let me know.  Charlie means more to my mother and I than anything else in the world.  I think my Vet may be wasting out time.  I feel that he should have done more for him than he has.  Charlie is a short haired overweight dachsund.  He can't lose weight because he is always drugged now.  He has short legs and a long body. 

Hi there

Unfortunately the majority of us here are in the UK not the US, so I doubt anyone would have any suggestions for where to take him. 

You would probably be best to take him to another vet for a 2nd opinion - perhaps get in touch with some Dachshund websites and see if they have some reccomendations.  Aquatherapy might be a good route to go.  If worse comes to worse many dachsies do get along well on wheels.

As for the weight thing - even if he can't exercise you can still cut back his food to aid him in losing weight.  Unfortunately the weight will be what caused this slip and rupture to begin with - obesity in dachshunds can be lifethreatening for this very reason.  Whatever you can do to aid in his weight loss will definitely benefit his current condition.

Good luck.

Wendy

I am so sorry to hear that Charlie is having these problems.
I can not help you with suggestions of where to take him as I am in Australia, but I have 3 miniature L/H dachshunds, two of whom have had ruptured discs in the past.
The first suggestion I can make is that it will aid Charlies recovery immensely if he can lose a bit of weight.  You could try substituting part of his normal food with green beans, (or just about any raw vegetable, mine all love raw cauliflower).
Is he on strict crate rest? That is also very important, to help the disc heal.
I have mine on 1000mg of Ester C vitamin daily, and I believe it helps them remain mobile. I have heard very good things about Glucosomine supplement too.
There is a really good website and forum, based in the US, called "For the Love of Dachsies". Maybe someone from there will be able to offer suggestions of vets in your area experienced with Dachshunds. Here is the URL to the Forum http://www.dachsie.org/vbb/index.php?s=
If I can be of any further help, don't hesitate to contact me.
Good luck with Charlie.
Pauline