Reilly had a back episode

[Kathleen]

On Halloween night, I checked to see if the coast was clear and then let all the doggies out to go potty.  It was uneventful until I was starting to gather them up to go back inside for the next round of trick or treaters.  Reilly was standing at the fence, barking at a person who appeared seemingly out of nowhere, when Murphy came barreling down the ramp and ran right into her back end.  She yelped and ran for the front door.  I didn't give it much thought (figured he'd scared her), so let them all back in and continued giving out candy.

Well, when I went back inside, Reilly was on a mat beside my bed, shivering with pain.  I tested her all over to see if I could figure out what was hurting, then put her in the play pen to watch her.  It was obvious fairly quickly that it was her back. She couldn't get comfortable, every time she tried to shift, she cried.  She was very mobile though, and wasn't responding to any pressure points, so I decided to crate her for the night and take her to the vet the next morning.  I gave her a leftover Tramadol from when she had been bitten in the face by the lab, to ease her pain a bit.

By the next morning, she seemed completely back to normal.  I took her to the vet and dropped her off (no appointment, obviously) and ran errands.  I stayed near the vet for 6 hours and went back just before they closed to see if they'd looked at her yet.  The vet said she had VERY mild slowness of reaction on her right back foot, so this was definitely a case for crate rest.  Unfortunately, Reilly is my WORST dog to crate, by a country mile.  She digs, she moves her crate until she can grab something then tries to drag it into the crate with her, she throws fits.  She's not a fun crater-she does okay most of the time when I'm at work, but if I'm at home, she's a PITA.   Worse, she can climb, so I can't put her in an xpen or the playpen.  She'll climb right out.  So, now she's on generic Rimadyl and Ace to keep her calm for a few days until she gets used to the idea of being crated. 

[Kari]

So sorry to hear this but it sounds like you have got things under control. Rays headed her way!   

[Roberta]

Sounds remarkably like our Angel Emma. DON"T FENCE ME IN was her policy. She never had back issues just managed to get a tick bite, so we had to pen her she would get under, it move it  howl the works. We then put her in the back bathroom with  a baby gate at the door so she had some room but not a lot. Good luck or buy ear plugs.
Roberta

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

I always hate to hear this too, I'm so sorry this happened to Reilly. Is this the first episode, how old is she? The news sounds good for her though! As you already know the most crucial thing is as much rest as she can get I imagine it's a lot harder when they fuss and are miserable in there I hope the meds will do the trick. Hang in there Kathleen!

[PattyInAK]

Poor Reilly!!!   I think the Rimadyl will help, I have had good luck with it in the past on my wire Harry who had a ruptured disk in his neck.

[Kathleen]

Thanks guys.  I'm really glad I took the time to research this before any episodes ever happened to them.  I was a lot calmer than I would have been otherwise, and knew just what to do.  DeeDee, Reilly is only a year and half.  She won't be two until the end of March.  She has terrible conformation though, and I'm sure that strains her back all by itself.  And the fact that she's always been an anxious personality, which makes her a jumper and climber (usually to get to me) doesn't help. 

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Knowing what to do beforehand is a big help because there is usually a lot of panic and light headedness when it's happening!  :crazyeyes: Be sure to keep checking her propriorecption too. She is so young...this problem is so rampant in our breed and until more breeders are responsible and research lines before breeding it's only going to get worse. :( Prayers for Reilly that she can relax while she recovers, how about frozen yogurt cong or something she can chew to keep her occupied? Maybe the tv or radio on so she has something to listen to? Give her a hug for us.

[Kathleen]

Reilly is a backyard breeder pup.  Someone had two dogs and put them together without regard for conformation.  She's the one where I went to go look at her color-I was deciding if I wanted a shaded red or a chocolate/tan dapple for my next puppy-and she was such a mess I couldn't leave her there.  She was only 7 weeks old and absolutely infested with fleas-so badly she had a two inch wide collar of scabs all the way around her neck, and had worms literally crawling out of her behind.  I truly believe she would have died if I'd left her there.   

Winston was also from a backyard breeder, but they actually had two quality dogs.  He has faults (all dogs do), but nothing like Reilly's.    When you put Reilly on a table and stack her, there is literally no angulation in her back legs.  She's as straight as anything I've ever seen.  Her pelvis is tipped (according to a show breeder-that's something I can't see, myself), which causes a lot of those issues.  Because of this, I feel like she doesn't have the spring that cushions the jolts in her back from normal every day activities.   I wasn't expecting it to start so young, but I can't honestly say I'm surprised.

[PattyInAK]

Good for you for rescuing Reilly from that horrible situation.

[Kathleen]

I actually feel a bit guilty for buying her.  Paying these people only encourages them to continue, so it's a dilemma.  But, like I said, I just....couldn't leave her there. 

 

[AnnieofNJ]

How wonderful that you decided to take her from the breeder.  God Bless You.  We are sending rays to Reilly for a quick recovery.

Annie & the New Jersey Doxie Gang

[cheryl186]

Yes, God Bless you for rescuing Reilly from that horrible breeder :apls:  Poor baby....rays to Reilly for a quick recovery from her back episode.  A kong filled with frozen yogurt will keep her busy for awhile.  As for you, Kathleen, a stiff drink and ear plugs works wonders

[Kathleen]

   I'll remember that.  I'm about to head home and I'm cringing inside a little.  I'll take her out to potty with the rest, which she's used to, and then I'm about to break her routine.  Instead of playtime, then inside for dinner, then more playtime, it'll be crate time, dinner time, potty time, then more crate time.    I don't have yogurt right now, but I'll put some cream cheese in a kong and hope that gives her something to take her mind off of it. 

[papbouv]

Rays & Hugs to Reilly how about Rescue Remedy to calm her while being in the crate or exercise pen have you put a top on the exercise pen maybe if she knows there is a top she would not try to climb out ? Of course there is the chance she might try to climb out even with a top too.They just do not know that we are trying to help them they also have those plug ins  with pheromones to calm dogs.I have never tried them but have read about them I believe in trying anything once.Papbouv

[Kathleen]

Okay, I had to update you and give everyone a giggle.  Reilly was being an absolute butthead tonight about being crated.  I was getting frustrated and then a thought popped into my head.  She DESPISES being dressed.    I took her out of her crate, stuck a harness on her and voila!  She crawled into a crate all by herself to pout and has been there ever since...with the door wide open 

I'm not sure how long this will work, but I'm laughing that it took me all weekend to hit on this as a solution.  I finally outsmarted a dog  :thumb:

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

LOL that has to be a first! Too funny...you are a VERY smart dog mom!  :thumb:

[cheryl186]

     YOU GO, GIRL!!!!!

[doxielady5569128]

I'm so sorry to hear about Reilly's back issue.     I love your brilliant idea!!     Way to go!!!   

[April]

How is she doing today? 
Cajsa was about 18 months old when she had her first back issue.  Strict crate rest and lots of gentle love helped her.  Of course her sister and litter mate Gretchen hasn't had the first twitch of anything wrong with her back so it's just one of those things.  There is a predisposition for it in certain lines, but it doesn't guarantee it.  Love little Reilly and keep her as quiet as possible!

[Madderoos Mom]

Snuggles and rays to Reilly!

[Kathleen]

Thanks for the rays.  She's pretty much back to normal as far as attitude goes.  I'm crating her a lot less than I feel like I should, but she's so much calmer and more willing to lie down and relax when she's out of her crate.   She twists herself into a pretzel when she's crated and I feel like she's straining herself in there.   I'm watching her very closely and if she gets too worked up, or if the puppy starts to play with her, I crate her for a little bit.  That's also getting the message across that she needs to rest.

[Barb]

Sending rays and good thoughts that this is a one time only episode !

[April]

The main thing is that she stays quiet with little to no movement.  So if she gets all worked up in a crate, then a lap could be a better option as long as she doesn't try to jump or wiggle around there.  Keeping her quiet except to potty is the whole point of crating so you do what you have to in order to ensure she's quiet - even if it's not crating.

[Norman]

I agree with April...lap time is the medicine as long as she's not a wiggler.After Simon's last episode I've found lap time and gentle hugs to be the best medicine.