Jenna has sprained her lower back...
 

And the vet prescribed .15 ml metacam once a day for three days. And two weeks of limited activity.
Has anyone had experience with something like this? The vet said it's unusual to see an injury like this in a 4 year old Yorkie.
All she was doing was running around on the snowy driveway after a wee. :(
She did a big spin at my feet and took off for about twenty feet and then sat down and hunched over in pain. No fall, no visible slip, no other kind of accident...just running.

How does something like this happen? :(

I have LOTS of experience with this & I take all my rescues with back injuries to see a Chiropractor after x-rays done by vet. It is usually an instant fix & no meds or confinement. Most likely she didn't injure it when you think she did, it's most likely been coming on for some time & she just moved wrong & her disc went out. Does she jump on & off your furniture or go up & down stairs ? if yes that's most likely how it started. You can read about Chiropractic for dogs rite here on YT in the library it's called VOM & it's basically the same thing & the exact same tool is used, called an Activator. Also a slipped disc does not usually show on x-ray.

I advise against chiropractic in dogs and feel it can be a very risky undertaking. Listen to your vet regarding crate rest and medications which are medically sound options.

How does it happen? Who knows? I had a neurosurgeon tell me once that a person can herniate a disc while watching TV. So much for trying to figure it out!

I would follow your vet's advice....if there is no improvement after, I am sure your vet will suggest a neurological consult. Most likely she will be fine after rest. I have had this happen with pups. One of my fosters had an issue like this during the past year...she was around 2 years of age. She was fine after anti inflammatory meds and crate rest. I personally would never do any type of treatment on a spine without a CTscan or MRI. There are too many things that don't show up on xrays.

A back sprain and herniated disks are different. I would follow vets advice. I would not use s chiropractor

Yes, they are quite different. I was merely saying that back issues can come out of nowhere. The OP wanted to know how these things happen and that is why I said what I did.
This dog has not really been diagnosed...is merely being treated for symptoms. She could have a herniated disc .. no real way of knowing without further diagnostics. And, with that in mind, I would not go to a chiropractor either.

It was my vet's opinion that if Jenna had a herniated disc that she would've shown significantly more distress than she did. Having spondylosis myself I was thinking he was right. So is he? Do I wait and see if meds and rest work or do I take her back and have them do ultrasound? (MRI is only available at high cost and likely means I'd have to fly her to Anchorage...neither of which I can afford. :( )

Are meds like metacam absolutely necessary or can she recover without them? The side effects are of concern because we live so far from town should she have a reaction. Are there alternative meds? What should I expect while she is taking them?

I have never had a problem with Metacam. It should be given with food. I would say to follow what your vet recommends for the best success for Jenna.
Good luck.

I have never had a problem with Metacam. You only give it once a day. Just make sure to give with food.
Metacam is actually the only thing I will use. I have never had any side effects with it.

Thanks everyone.
She was still walking pretty well yesterday but today she is in further distress, to the point she can barely stand. I got her to eat a little steak and gave her the metacam. Fingers crossed it does the job.
If she continues to not be able to walk we'll be going back. I guess since she spent most of the evening lying on a heating pad/electric blanket last night she is more than a bit stiff. But I don't want to ignore any warning signs of possible complications.
How long does it usually take for a dog to recover from a bad sprain? And what's the best way to manage things like toileting? She won't use a puppy pad but I loathe to take her outdoors to walk around in the slippery snow and single digit cold.
The vet also said she probably shouldn't use her little snow booties unless temps are very low because she may have lost enough traction to have injured herself.

She's asleep in her cuddly cup now, the poor baby. I wonder if that's really the best support for her back though. She was in bed with me all last night on my pillow.

Any other suggestions for making her comfortable and taking care of daily business like meals and eliminating would be most welcome, thank you. :)

i hope she fully recovers. my dh has had major back issues since ive known him and at times it would take him weeks sometimes to recover just turning incorrectly. i would just give her time to rest as your vet suggested. not that they have the same make up but an example of ... as hard as rest is that usually does help. metacam works well with food. i have used it on lola and cedric both. i hope your girl feels better real soon with no major disc issues.

Talked to her vet by phone to relay her progress. He wants me to give her another .15 ml metacam tonight before bed since she didn't receive any last night (she had a very empty tummy and couldn't be encouraged to eat much) so that's two doses in a twelve hour period. She is moving a bit better this afternoon and has peed twice, walking a little way this time and even scratching herself with her hind foot. (Put a stop to that.)
Is this too much metacam for an 8 pound Yorkie? I don't want to further mess up her appetite.

I don't give out dosages, but will only say that if I trusted my vet I would give what she suggested and not ask people on a forum if it was correct. If I did not trust the vet, time for another one.
As for Metacam, again, I have never had any issues with it at all. It is a very good anti inflammatory.
Good luck.

Thanks ladyjane :) I know that we don't give doses out in forums I was just wondering if that was akin to anyone else's experience.
Well she ate a bit of baked Cornish hen this afternoon (she was so eager for it she moved too fast and yelped, poor thing...keeping her still is going to be hard!) But I have to syringe water, she won't drink from a bowl.
She also had a tablespoon of plain canned pumpkin to get things moving, but no poos yet. :(
I had a senior husky cross who'd been run over by a car who eventually lost the ability to defecate. He had to be put down a week later. I DO NOT want to see this happen to Jenna.
Honestly if she had an accident on the carpet right now I'd be thrilled just that she went!

She moves okay when we go outside and seems more comfy in her normal sleeping positions so I'm holding my breath.
Thank you all for your advice and support. It's just so hard to see my baby without her joyful wiggles and spring in her step. Breaks my heart. :'(

Well she was doing really good this morning but this afternoon is hurting again. She got past me and jumped a foot or so into a chair. I am livid with myself for not catching her before she did.
Gurgling stomach so took her out for toilet. No poo. Tried again about an hour later...nothing. She won't eat and I can barely syringe water. She was squealing again so I've kept her propped on blankets and warmed her. But if she can't eat I can't put oral metacam in at nine tonight.
Called vet twice but still waiting for him to return my call. Am unbelievably frustrated.

Any suggestions besides pumpkin to get the gut going or make her comfy enough to poop? I'm worried sick.

Have you tried mineral oil? That helps Mandie to go. I put a little in/on her food and I've also rubbed a little on her bum. The pumpkin is usually used to firm up runny poops, I think, so it might not help if she's constipated.

If she's not eating a lot and not moving around, it is probably lowering her "need to go", too.

I'd definitely try mineral oil if you haven't.

Thank you :) I actually looked up about pumpkin and found quite a few folks who say it's used to firm poos, not loosen them. My poor baby. No wonder she's uncomfy.
I'll have to ask the DH to get some mineral oil at the store, I don't keep it here. :(
Is hairball remedy for cats okay to use too? Not sure she'd eat it but worth a try.

BTW, I love the border collie in your avatar, we have a year old little girl that looks a lot like your pup there. :)

Aww, poor Jenna. My Yorkies' worst injuries started with silly slips. And I'm sure you've got plenty of icy terrain for them to slip on these days

Thanks Mike. :) Yeah the more I look back on it the more I see how this has been coming on a long time. :(
She's done much more running around on the snow and up and down the porch steps this year than previously. More jumping down from chairs and sleeping places. Wild dances and spins when I come home from town. I should've realized this was getting bad for her. :(
Hopefully we've caught it in time before any serious damage was done and it's just a sprain. Though I wish I could have one of the ortho vets down there look at her to be certain.

At two this morning she finally pooped and without too much difficulty. She's been eating and acting more her old self. Ten more days of metacam and two weeks no activity and then we'll reassess.

If there's anything else anyone can think of that I haven't mentioned that would aid Jenna's diagnosis/recovery I'd be grateful, thank you! :)

BTW Mike I know I don't get in here much but when did Lucy join the family? I'm glad to see you have three again, It must've been lonely since Rusty left for the Bridge. (((((((Hugs)))))))))

Sounds like Jenna is doing well....happy to hear it! :)

Yay for poop!!!! What a relief :D I'm glad to hear she's acting more like her old self. That's great!

The border collie in my picture was actually sold to us (back before I had any idea what CKC was versus AKC) as a CKC bi-black sheltie. I did see both of his parents and he looks just like his dad (coloring..not size). They were both taller, less hair than sheltie dogs but really did look like shelties other wise. Long story short - we have no idea what Shelby-Dale is...I just call him a sheltie mix because I really think he has that in him, but most believe he is mixed with border collie. After all, he's all muscle and every bit of 68 lbs. My high dollar mutt..I love him lol

Yes, there will never be another Rusty, and we miss him dearly. Lucy actually came long within weeks of his passing, something I normally wouldn't do. But I knew a big dog is a good fit for our household, and she was coincidentally available within weeks of Rusty's passing. A friend who rescues Chessies had rehomed her once for a year, but the new owner developed some fighting issues with aggressive dogs in his household. We introduced her to our gang, and she was a good fit so we took the plunge even before our grief had subsided. In retrospect, we were ready and prepared and I was glad we did.

Thanks for asking!

MandiesMom: Aww...high dollar or no, he sounds completely adorable! :) I love collies and shelties. If I were a younger woman with more energy I would want one myself.
Our Ebon was just a $100 8 week old handful of pup that was being "given away" in front of Petco before a blizzard. My husband was no match for the cuteness. We were told she was a husky/pomeranian/dachsund cross...no idea how that happened...but she got to be a kind of Corgi weighing in at about 25 pounds of ornery crossed with too clever for her own good. I'll have to post a picture if I can get one uploaded properly. :)

Mike, I find the best ones always come along at such a time. That's how we wound up with Jenna. She was supposed to be my daughter's dog and I really hadn't thought a wee toy in Alaska was such a great idea. But she brought her home anyway and two weeks later Jenna had bonded to me instead. These days she enjoys being in anybody's lap and my daughter does spend a lot of time with her (she gives the best belly rubs) but I have seldom had such a loyal and wonderful friend. That's why watching her hurt like she has been has about killed me. :(

Sooo...today we were on a little more than two days with no poo again. And for the last day or two she's been itching and scratching to the point she's about to take off skin. This morning she had almost completely liquid diarrhea. Poor thing has had so much tummy distress she's been shaking. Of course no vet was available to call me back today. And no one told me I had to put the medicine IN her food not directly in her MOUTH. >_<
So tonight, since tomorrow is a holiday and I'm concerned she may be having a reaction to the metacam, I'm going to hold off on her dose. She is moving really well and the vet had originally only wanted her to take it for three days. We've done that much. She jumped into the chair again today (I'm going to through it out in the street I swear!) but doesn't seem to be having the agony that followed her first leap into it the other day.
We keep up the limited activity but she is full of wiggles and happy feet so it's really hard to keep her quiet.

Can anyone tell me how I should go about bathing her? She's already about two weeks overdue for one and in another two she's going to be a real mess. But I worry about how to keep her still during a bath. (Needless to say she's all dog when it comes to soap and water...doesn't like it one bit and makes a big fuss.)

I hope everyone is having a Happy New Year's Day. :)

On the bath, maybe just hold her in your lap with a big bowl of warm water and some baby shampoo or any shampoo that rinses super easy and then wash her down with a wash cloth. I wouldn't do a full bath at this point.

Sorry to hear she is still having problems with her tummy and such. I wonder if a little benedryl would help with her itching? Maybe someone could chime in on that..?

I may have to use a bit of benadryl which she has had before...not just to help the itching but to make her sleepy and get her to sit still!
She thinks she's all better and won't listen to me. :(

Well her two weeks is almost up and she's long been back to her old self. Still trying to jump up/down on things.:rolleyes:
We had to stop the metacam after four days, she's had an allergic reaction.:(

I can't get anyone to send me a stroller for her that's not over $100. :eek: Does anyone know of a good place to get one that won't cost this much?

I can just see the look on my OH's face when that comes in the door. :mad: "It cost WHAT?"

I've never priced strollers but many here use them. I'm sure someone can help :) I'm glad she's doing better!

I see strollers on ebay for $35.00 & $40.00 all of the time.