Dark times at our house
Lucy had to go to the vet the other day. We noticed that she was not acting herself on Sunday. The vet took a series of x-rays and immediately pronounced that she was in some serious trouble with her back and spinal cord. It seems that two discs have greatly calcified and are putting pressure on the spinal cord, he said that she is in great pain.
Now, she is not audibly letting us know that, just that she is acting totally uncharacteristically for her.The vet said that the calicified discs are at a point to where they could easily cut the spinal cord, in which case she would die very quickly. The prognosis is somewhat "iffy" at best he said.
Two options were available. One - take her to the Vet Surgery Center at UGA and let them operate on her back - if they felt that they that there was a possibility of actually being able to do anything positive for her. The danger in this is that more often the surgery only makes the situation worse due to possible nerve damage which Lucy does not appear to presently have - just the pain of the pressure.
The other option - which we are taking starting today - is putting her on a medication program and trying to keep her as physically quiet as possible for a period of 8 weeks at least. The medications are mostly pain relievers (prednisone), muscle relaxers, and something to try to shrink the calcified discs. There are no guarantees of success of the shrinkage. She is not to besitting up, jumping around, no going up or down steps on her own, if she gets on the bed or chair she will need to be carefully picked up and placed, regardless. Her outside walks are to be short, only to get done what needs to be done outside. She is not to be allowed to roughhouse with Schroeder, or anyone else. No turning her on her back to give her "tummy rubbings" or the like. The vet gave her a shot to relax her for awhile and it seems to have worked, she's sleeping very soundly right now. We may have to put her into a cage to keep her quiet for this time period, and when we are around, you know she's not going to like that at all.
The vet finished up by saying that we were fortunate to still have her, for how long would be the unknown thing. Not the most optimistic attitude that could have been given.
She's only 4 in people years.
Now, she is not audibly letting us know that, just that she is acting totally uncharacteristically for her.The vet said that the calicified discs are at a point to where they could easily cut the spinal cord, in which case she would die very quickly. The prognosis is somewhat "iffy" at best he said.
Two options were available. One - take her to the Vet Surgery Center at UGA and let them operate on her back - if they felt that they that there was a possibility of actually being able to do anything positive for her. The danger in this is that more often the surgery only makes the situation worse due to possible nerve damage which Lucy does not appear to presently have - just the pain of the pressure.
The other option - which we are taking starting today - is putting her on a medication program and trying to keep her as physically quiet as possible for a period of 8 weeks at least. The medications are mostly pain relievers (prednisone), muscle relaxers, and something to try to shrink the calcified discs. There are no guarantees of success of the shrinkage. She is not to besitting up, jumping around, no going up or down steps on her own, if she gets on the bed or chair she will need to be carefully picked up and placed, regardless. Her outside walks are to be short, only to get done what needs to be done outside. She is not to be allowed to roughhouse with Schroeder, or anyone else. No turning her on her back to give her "tummy rubbings" or the like. The vet gave her a shot to relax her for awhile and it seems to have worked, she's sleeping very soundly right now. We may have to put her into a cage to keep her quiet for this time period, and when we are around, you know she's not going to like that at all.
The vet finished up by saying that we were fortunate to still have her, for how long would be the unknown thing. Not the most optimistic attitude that could have been given.
She's only 4 in people years.
posted by KathyGS at
11:56 AM
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