I have booked snoop into the vet for 8.30am to have a  x ray to find out why he is so much pain suddenly- it only really started tuesday night. He has been limping on his other front leg since he had his corn removed on the 1st September that healed up great. Its the other front leg now.
He can not get comfortable cannot lie flat? seeing him in so much pain has made me think to let him go would be the kindest thing. His pain tablets rimadyl and now tramadol are not doing anything for him. I was up with him all night last night and again tonight. The first vet said it might be bone cancer- now tonight just as I had decided to put an end to his pain the main vet said he might of chipped a bone in his leg so that's whats causing this and that he would recover... He can not lie down properly and sometimes starts screaming in pain- sounds like he has been hit by a car so horrible that I can't help him.
I have signed all the forms for tomorrow for a general for the x ray and also a euthanasia having to decide on what type of cremation so if the outcome is bad they are going to let him go under the anesthetic.

I hate going through this, my son has today been prepared for the worst and understands that snoop is struggling.
Its just so hard that tonight on route to the vet I stopped off at one of his favourite run abouts and he was trotting about tail wagging eating cake someone had put down for the birds? can't understand when he has been in such a state at home then like that. My other dog tinker came with us and rather than bomb about in the field like she always has sat next to me just staring at snoop in amazement like me.

Its so hard this dog since he was 6 weeks old I have faffed around him and revolved my whole life around his needs- now it might all be coming to the end.
He's my best friend, protector and the best man I've had in my life.

I'm sorry to hear about poor Snoop :-(
I'll be hoping for a good outcome for you and Snoop today. x

Will be thinking of you and Snoop . I hope the news will be good - fingers and paws crossed. xxx

fingers xed there is a positive outcome tomorrow. ((hugs)) to you both.

I'm so sorry, what a worrying time for you. You're a very caring, considerate person for doing your best for poor Snoop, and putting his comfort first.

Prayers are being said for Snoop, yourself and family that the x-rays reveal nothing sinister.  This will be a very distressing period for you awaiting news.  I hope the time passes quickly.

Blessings, Teri x

I hope that somehow Snoop manages to be ok, its so sad!! My thoughts are with you on this and whatever you choose will have Snoops best interests at heart so you should be proud that you care so much to put him first at such a difficult time

Thinking about you and Snoop today xxx

My girl is in for surgery at this moment to (hopefully) remove a fragment of chipped bone that has been causing her pain in her front leg so I know very much how you are feeling.

We are keeping everything crossed here for a good outcome for Snoop and you. Whatever the outcome you will know you have done the best you can for him.
Love and hugs from
Aileen and the girlies. xxxx

Fingers and paws crossed here too.

Magica, thats so sad reading about poor Snoop, I too have everything crossed for him tomorrow - thinking of you xxx

Just had a call from the vet and they cannot see anything wrong with him. They have seen how uncomfortable he is they are guessing that he might of slipped a disc but surely if he has can a dog recover from that ??  They are giving him a steroid injection but they are concerned about that as it can react with his rimadyl so having another drug to ease his stomach.

I am picking him up at 5 tonight and back to see the vet tomorrow. She mentioned that only way now to find out whats going with him is a M scan ? that is supposed to be really costly. As he's not insured not sure where to go from here- I suppose they wouldn't of given me hope if there wasn't any ??   For me it is quality of life not quantity.

Can't wait to pick him up later bless him. going to stick him on my bed then he might relax easier. 

magica

Ask your vet about the doses on Tramidel.  I lost one of my boys earlier this year to bone cancer, and my vets were brilliant.  The rimadyl upset his stomach so he was on Previcoc.  My vet told me that I could give him up to 3 times the stated dose of Tramidel (sorry cant remember to correct spelling). 

Archie's bone cancer wasnt picked up on the first x ray at a specialist.  They noticed something unusual that looked like arthritis. 

I'll dig out my vet bills when I get home and see how much his MRI cost at the Royal Vet College earlier this year, that was done prior to his amp. 

Fingers crossed for you and Snoop, hopefully it'll be a tiny piece of bone fragment that's hiding!  Any questions re bone cancer let me know. 

Jill

Hi again,

glad that nothing obvious showed up - hopefully your vet will be able to make a firm diagnosis by other means.  I see someone is looking up an approximate cost of the MRI for you, I hope, if needed, it's within your finances.

One of mine had a slipped disc some years ago and pred for around a week along with cage rest for a further few weeks resolved the problem.  When steroids are administered antacids should always be prescribed at the same time so don't worry about that :)

Fingers crossed for you all & gentle cyber cuddles to Snoop
Teri x

thanks for reply,

Seeing the vet later she did say that I could give him up to 2 rimadyl a day for pain he's only on 3/4 at the moment. The other tramadol can be increased as well she's going to
let me know all about dosage later on.

To reply to Teri;

That gives me so much hope for snoop to make a recovery- thanks for letting me know didn't realise they could get over something like a slipped disc.

You've all been so great- don't know how I would be handling this without all your info...

Magica couldn't they xray the spine to check for a slipped disc? My cavalier suffered from this years ago, he was in the most awful pain. He had to have total cage rest for 6 weeks -that even included being carried out to toilet, and being carried back in again. It did the trick and he's never had the problem again -it is probably 6 years ago now if I remember correctly.

I've sent you a pm re Achie's CT Scan.

Jill

Find yourself a Canine Osteopath!

Magica Tilly had an MRI scan in April before her disc op,and it cost £1,500 plus vat.Hope things improve good luck.

Yep - Dorain had an MRI in June and was £1500 ish. But he's 33kg and they did his whole spine so it was 2 MRIs if you see what I mean rather than just one.

Was also going to say - my flat coat with arthritis was on Metacam but stopped responding to it and improved a lot when switched to Previcox, so a change of drugs might be worth asking about too.

And part of Dorain's MRI was because of limping on his front legs - nothing found on Xray, MRI or joint taps - so I took him to a chiropractor (you do want to be sure it isn't disc first tho - that's partly why I was so keen to have the MRI) who worked absolute wonders on his front legs. So that's another thought if they don't find anything on a scan. :-)

He is home now and sleeping the best since Tuesday night tired to death poor lad.
looked at his x ray's and x ray of neck & shoulder and all sound-only found a little hook grown on upper leg joint? but vet seemed to say all very good.
Little arthritis in wrist but nothing serious. they have given him a steroid injection-dexadresan and going for another one in the morning. can not give him Rimadyl any more with that injection as gives bad reaction.

I've up his antibiotic so hopefully he will recover. I would no way be able to a MIR scan so going to make him as comfortable as possible.

If the rest etc doesn't do the trick - it's worth trying a chiropractor for him. :-) They are usually vet referral - but they are a lot cheaper than the MRI - Dorain's session was £25. :-)

When I brought Snoop back from the vets late evening the other dogs here were so happy and all playful its like they especially Tinkerbell had picked up the ominous vibe in our house these past few days.
Snoop had the best sleep he's had all week last night and he had another steroid injection this morning seems to be making him better, they have given me tablets to give him until Tuesday then seeing the vet again to see how he is coping. Still not out of the woods, but looked really perky this morning when I nipped back from work to take him to the vet with my son. I just keep looking at him...I suppose I'm soaking him up visually as I had decided on Thursday night to end his life, for him to still be with me I think I'm in a state of shock from it all.
When I do gently touch his shoulder he does react with a quiver so problem is there I'm sure- not his leg at all. So maybe the hook that's grown in his shoulder is causing the pain?

Like I said seeing the main vet Tuesday so going to ask about being referred to a local chiropractor - it is worrying me the amount of medicines I'm sticking in him. It is reminding me of my poor Dad who I looked after with cancer up to the end.

Just a little point. As your vet thinks that a disc could be the cause of Snoop's pain, did he not give you detailed instructions for Snoop's care. As others have indicated, the best course of action is total cage rest, with minimum time out to relieve himself (or have a quiet cuddle). It is vey important that he isn't allowed to climb onto furniture or go up/down stairs.

I know we all like to have confidence in our vet, but is he/she a specialist in orthopaedics. If not could you perhaps ask them for a referral to a vet at another practice who is a specialist in this field. I know my vet sees a lot of people for other practices, and it only costs the owner a normal consultation fee.  Good luck on Tuesday.

It won't fix a slipped disc but I used doggy acupuncture for my dog when she had unexplained back pain and it worked a treat.  the vet came to the house to do it and it cost £20 a session which was amazing value as we chilled out on the rug in the living room while missy had her needles in and each session took about an hour.  Pretty much the same price as I would have paid for a 2 minute consultation with the same vet!

That's the trouble with him he does love his home comforts- he's up on the sofa now and last night i woke up [heard a noise outside about 4 am] and found 2 other younger dogs on my bed and snoop lying on the floor. Glad he didn't get up on my bed. My cats are very good at opening the lounge door so letting dogs up!

Do you think maybe the best thing for me to buy is a dog cage?  how big would I need for a 30 kg bull terrier he is on the large size never brought a cage before ?

He's not bothered about going out just 20 yards outside for toilet then wants to come back home. 

My understanding, sadly from first hand experience, is that crate rest is crucial for disc related problems. Our veterinary practice hires them out, so it may be worth giving your vets a call to see if they offer the same service.  At the same time you could quiz them a little further about their expertise in this field and what care they are suggesting.

If you do decide to go down the cage rest route, the crate should be big enough for Snoop to comfortable turn around in, stand up and stretch out fully whilst sleeping. Make sure it is wide enough so that he can comfortably turn around, without having to excessively bend his spine, if you know what I mean. Also it is possible to get food/water bowl holders that attach to the side of the crate, to avoid Snoop having to bend his neck down to eat/drink.

We set our crate up in the lounge and I used to sit on the floor twiddling my girls ear throught he bars, or in front of the open door. I was surprised at how she accepted it, and when we took her into the garden to relieve herself (on-lead), she always headed straight back into her crate. She seemed quite happy watching life go by, and rested far more than if she had been free to roam and greet visitors. Try telling a GSD not to jump and run to the door when she hears a knock or the postman!! In her crate she was quite happy to give a little woof and watch and wait. We always made sure friends spent time with her when they came in so she didn't feel like she was missing out.

It really is important that they don't climb or jump and at least whilst they are crated, there is no chance of this happening. I really don't want worry you unduly, but I was told that for a good chance of recovery, the above measures are essential.

I can so see how a cage will help my lad. He is always getting up when he hears the cat food cupboard being opened or being moved about by my other 2 dogs as they share 2 beds at the moment and when snoop wants to get in the bed in the kitchen I have to call the others out so he climbs in.
I had them all settled in the kitchen last night so no coming up stairs or on the sofa.

I have tried to fine a chiropractor local to me and there aren't any, but I have found an acupuncturist only a 2 minute drive! so calling her up on Monday to see if that will do any good.