Sister's Dog - HELP

[MrsSki]

Hi Doggie Mommies-

My sister has a dachsund spaniel mix that is about 7 years old. Some history....he jumped off the bed a while ago and yelped quite loudly. Since then he's been quite sick in that he can barely walk. All the blood work came back fine and my sister had x-rays done and they didn't find anything. J said that the vet thinks he has an ulcer as he barely eats. However, he's been on medication for a couple weeks and is not getting any better. He whines all the time and has to be carried outside to potty, etc. This dog is SUPER busy and a people dog. My other sister says it's devastating to see him as he's not well. He barely eats and hides in a closet and won't come out.

Can anyone offer some suggestions and quickly. My sister is contemplating putting him down because she doesn't know what else to do and the medicine isn't working and Teddy seems to be in so much pain. None of us want to see that happen, but my sister J is at her wits end because she's just devastated.

Please help.

[jesvet]

There has to be more to this story- a dachshund mix and this started when he jumped off the bed? I would immediately be thinking disc herniation, which you can't always see with an x-ray. If this vet has said there is nothing they can find, she needs to get a second opinion. Finding and diagnosing the problem can be involved and costly, potentially, but if she is willing to do so there are vets who can help her get to the root of the problem. She may want to consider seeing an internal medicine specialist.

[MrsSki]

Jesvet - there may be more to the story, but I'm getting the abridged version. Teddy has the dachsund torso and legs, but the springer spaniel ears, coat, face and tail. And he's a bit of a chunky thing. Most dachsund's I've seen are rather slender. Teddy is not. He never has been. And has never had any problems ever. He gets unleashed playtime outside, gets fed the right food and the right amount and all the love he can stand. He spent the first 6 years of his life running free on a farm, but never straying and coming when called and my sister, living in a VERY small farm town, can let him outside without a leash and he's just fine.

My other sister is thinking the exact same thing as something similar happened to her friend's dachsund. Bruno jumped off the couch and yelped much in the same way. He had the back surgery and everything, but he has no feeling in his rear end and can barely walk.

Other sister called J and suggested that she take Teddy to an out of town vet and inquire about a slipped disc. I'm going to call J and suggest she do the same thing. Teddy is still rather young and would have many more years. The only other problem J has with him is he is not kid friendly. He growls at them and will bite if his personal space is invaded. J is wanting to have kids, but has the concern of Teddy biting them.

[muguet27]

I'm usually a lurker here, but I felt I should share my similar story here. I had a dog about 10 years ago that got hit by a car. I took him to the vet my parent's had always brought our pets to. She did x-rays and checked him out all over and told me that he seemed to be OK, but would probably be sore for a while, make him take it easy, etc. A week later he wasn't any better, and he actually seemed worse, it was getting harder & harder for him to hobble around, he would mess himself unintentionally, stopped eating. My dad took him to a different vet, who did more x-rays and discovered that CJ's back was broken. We had him put to sleep, but I still can't get over how horrible that week must have been for him, I get so upset when I think about it (I'm crying again right now). Please ask your sister take her dog for a second opinion. It's probably nothing like a broken back, but it's possible that the first vet missed something that a second one could find.

[TazLuv]

I agree - get a 2nd opinion, if he's not getting any better something is obviously wrong.

[lorbo]

it does sound like disc problem or something spinal.

[Chile]

****

[jesvet]

How is the little guy? I've been thinking about him.

[MrsSki]

Well, they took Teddy back to the vet for a full body x-ray and more bloodwork. Both came back normal. J and her H are taking Teddy to Iowa State to a vet clinic there for another opinion. J's H has becoming seriously attached to Teddy and is crying all the time about how he is. Teddy will get spurts of playfullness, but then will slink back into the closet and whine. It's breaking their hearts.

I'm hoping to get more information this weekend when I see my other sister, but am not sure when they are able to take Teddy as it's a 4 hour round trip and J works weekends at a hospital in the opposite direction. I hope they can get some relief for him soon. I can't imagine what he's feeling or going through :(.

[Kanga]

Well, I don't know much about dachsunds, other than some sort of injury from jumping is not uncommon. I assume they are in the Ames area if they are taking him to Iowa State? I volunteered at an animal shelter about 45min from Iowa State and there was a dachsund there with a cervical fracture? or something like that? They couldn't do anything about it, but take her to a pet acupuncturist now about 1-2x per month and she did a lot better. Anyways, their vet is awesome and has a lot of experience as does their acupuncturist.

Here (http://www.animal-lifeline.com/) is a link to their website. I don't recall the name of the vet or acupuncturist, but I would just call and say you heard about Hannah the dachsund with a back injury (it's a small shelter, if you talk to a person who's been there for at least 5-6mo, they'll know who she is) and have a similar situation so you'd like to know the vet and acupuncturist they use.

[MrsSki]

Kanga - Thank you. I will share the link with J.

They actually live about 90 minutes away from Ames, but J's DH went to school and lived on campus at Iowa State and J's DH's sister is a vet tech for large animals and recommended a few vets in that area.

I sure hope they find a resolution for Teddy. I did hear that he is eating more and can walk a bit better, but he's still not 100%

[Kanga]

Just saw I didn't post which direction the shelter was from Ames:rolleyes: Anyways, it's about 45min south of Ames on the south side of Des Moines and I know the acupuncturist is on the south side and would assume the vet is too.

[MrsSki]

Thanks Kanga.

I just talked with J and she is taking Teddy to Iowa State for sure for a second opinion. She is taking him to the local vet today for more of the medication he is on and to show the vet that Teddy can not hold his hind weight anymore. J can get him to stand, but then he sways and his hind end drops to the side. She has become rather aggravated with the vet and can't seem to get across to the vet that J thinks he has a disc issue.

J will be taking him to Iowa State next week and I sure hope there is some resolution for them.

Thanks everyone for your opinions. J really appreciates knowing that what she is thinking is not all in her head.