Strict cage rest. Tips and/or hints?

Nelson's done his back. He's a six year old staffie/red heeler/JRT cross, about the size of a beagle. A stocky, thick-headed little dog with only two speeds; snoring or explosive.

As I write, he has been at the vet since yesterday. X-rays showed a narrowing of spinal canal that a specialist vet said responds well to strict cage rest and anti-inflammatories. I'm not complaining; yesterday it was looking like emergency spinal decompression surgery for several thousand dollars that I don't have.

Before I pick him up today I need to organise caging facilities. The vet suggested a baby playpen. Of course, I will get more information when I speak with the vet later on but was wondering if anyone has been through this regimen of strict cage rest.

For a beagle-sized dog with a back injury, what size enclosure is appropriate? It obviously needs to be big enough for him to be comfortable but not so big he can hurt himself again. He is also amazingly energetic and not very bright - a real bull-at-the-gate. Sedation may be a solution.

In all my years of having animals, I've never been through the cage rest thing so would appreciate hints and tips on how to handle it from those who have experienced it.

Crate rest for the ill, recovering pet
Staying in the crate for hours on end is a necessary evil for animals suffering from illnesses. Rehabilitation for healing injuries such as ACL surgeries and neurological diseases such as IVDD, which is an unfortunate yet all too common genetic disease in breeds such as the Dachshund, makes extended crate rest an absolute must while recovering at home. And although it makes our jobs easier knowing they're safely confined, try telling the animals that!

Necessary Equipment

* A crate that is large enough for the puppy to sit, lay down, stand and turn around comfortably.
* A crate pad and blanket.
* Odor Neutralizer ("See Spot Go," "Nature's Miracle," etc.).
* Collar or Harness (for dogs genetically prone to Degenerative Disc Disease).
* A leash.
* An empty soda can containing a few pennies with the opening taped shut.
* Have diapers, wraps, bed liners available for your pet if he is in any way incontinent.
* Rescue Remedy, Pet Calm, medically prescribed relaxers for pets who are anxious while in crate.

The Process

* Keeping your pet quiet is your goal, but that doesn't mean he has to be isolated. Put the crate in a place where he can be with the family.
* He should only come out of the crate for medically prescribed therapy, and to carry or leash walk him to his potty area.
* Water and food content should be controlled so that he doesn't constantly have to go.
* Keep your pet at a healthy weight, always, and especially now, where his activity level has been decreased


How to make crate rest more bearable for all
•Aside from veterinary prescribed physical therapy (if applicable) and short leash walks to potty area, life can get pretty boring for even the most well crate-trained pet who has just been told he must stay in there pretty much 24/7 for 6-8 weeks.
•As in basic crate training, remember NEVER to reward him for doing anything that you don't want him to repeat. If he cries to come out, barks, or looks at you pathetically, do not make eye contact for that is another response that to him is favorable and worth repeating. Even if you're ready to take him out, do not ever open the door to the crate while he is behaving badly. That will only reward him, making him want to repeat whatever he was doing at the precise moment you decided to let him have his way.
•If he does seem overly stressed while in crate - read the instructions at bottom of this page.
•Have the crate in areas where he can be with the family - knowing that he is a part of the family will make a huge difference in his comfort level.
• Strollers - strollers have been known to help the dog whose family needs to move about the house with their resting pet. If a pet-specific stroller is to be used, it is crucial that there be a clasp on the inside that will strap your pet so that he cannot get out. Avoid jolts as you move the carriage. Using a harness whose grommet is not pulling on his vertebrae or any area which may hamper the rehabilitation efforts is a must. Strollers can even be placed directly next to you while in bed at night, which is almost as good as having your pet in bed with you. One site that sells nice strollers is Discount Ramps.
•Proper Fitting Harnesses - Call the folks at Dachshund Delights for information pertaining to proper harnesses. Never use a collar on a Dachshund, period.
•Toys and treats - ensuring that your dog is happy and safe should be the two top priorities here. There are many safe toys for some dogs, but not all toys and treats are safe for all dogs. Rawhide, greenies, nylabones are ones that I do not use anymore, nor would I recommend for any dog to use. There have been far too many instances of choking and worse. After seeing my own dogs gagging on the ends of a few rawhides and having to literally dislodge them from their throats, not to mention reading horror stories of how greenies and nylabones have stuck to the inners of animals, I simply won't take the chance.
•Selecting Toys - being very mindful of how easily your dog plays with his toys will be helpful in selecting them. If he has a tendency to destroy the squeaker toys, leaving one in there could prove fatal for it only takes a minute for some dogs to de-squeak one and then possibly swallow the inner plastic, outer covering, stuffing, and/or squeak mechanism.
There are puzzle toys, which contain other smaller toys or, better yet, treats inside. Type in "interactive dog toys" in your favorite search engine for Websites containing such toys. This is one site that I like as the proceeds go toward helping pets in need.
The kong has been a life saver for a countless amount of crated dogs over the years - The Dachshund/Pet Network started recommending this to dogs in the process of being housetrained way back in the 90's. This delicacy is now a staple in many pet-owned homes. Stuffed with not the preservative-ladened crap in a can that is now being sold in pet stores, but your own fillings, is the healthier way to go. Things such as peanut butter, cheese, and cookies will keep your pet happy for hours on end as they lick or nibble the filling out. Keep several kongs in the freezer so that he can spend hours while in the crate enjoying this inverted pet cone. As tough as the Kong is supposed to be, however, keep in mind that there are dogs who have been known to break them apart and digest the rubber. This is dangerous. As with all toys, never leave your pet unattended while in crate with a toy.

http://www.thedachshundnetwork.com/craterest.htm

I briefly owned a red heeler. He was quite the dog and required a lot of space and didn't like being caged up. I wish both you and Nelson the best of luck!!

Very useful information. We'll get through it; the dachshund folk seem to go through this a lot.

I'll find out more when I pick him up from the vet tomorrow for rendition to his own private Gitmo.

:hi:

I realize it is a different name of dog breed but the same strategy seems to be workable I'd think.

The acupuncturist idea might help too.

I really hope this works out. I suppose you'll find out soon enough.

Again, best of luck to both you and Nelson. :)

When Wimsey subluxated (partially dislocated) his elbow, I was told he would need surgery, followed by six weeks of caging.
I didn't know who would go nuts first; him or me (and I was betting on me).

Thanks to the suggestions I received here, :grouphug: I managed to find a vet who did chiropracty on animals- this was her specialty.
She manipulated Wimsey's little joint back into place, and since he was so cooperative about it, followed it up with some accupuncture to speed things along. I think it helped- Wimsey was very relaxed and purring (the 'contented' purr, not the 'raise the endorphin level' purr) during the process.
I'm going by his relaxed body language and the way he was genuinely responding to Dr. Albright (who said he was one of the nicest cats with whom she'd ever worked O8) ).

This meant that instead of 6 weeks in a crate, Wimsey had a week on house arrest.
Easier on both of us, lemme tellya.
This was two years ago and you'd never know he had any kind of injury.

All this to say is maybe a GOOD animal chiropractor is an opinion you might want to consult?

Nelson looks like a real hand...er...pawful! Even that picture of him at rest almost explodes with energy! :bounce:

I don't get to see the x-rays and speak to the vet until later today. There are a few animal chiros around here.

In the meantime, I've been out this morning and purchased a proper prison cell for his detention. I can live with him being caged for a while if the alternative is spinal surgery.

:hi:

My Mother just moved to assisted living, she can have her dog but the dog is older and to help calm her in her new environment the vet recommended a "Comfort Zone" plug in that releases pheromones that keep her more calm. It has made a great difference in her behavior and comfort.

Our young dog strained her leg last week and the vet recommended she only receive leash walks for at least a week. I figured we were in for a very upset 9 month old pup without nightly ball chasing, but it appears that the anti-inflammatory the vet prescribed is making her a little drowsy and she (so far) is fine with just walks. That's hardly the same as crate rest, but I hadn't considered that the necessary medication itself might make her a little less active.

The enclosure lasted about an hour and he spent that head-butting the bars and trying to climb out! I had to take him out because he was going to hurt himself.

He is on anti-inflammatories, and yep, they have made him drowsy, so he's pretty much flaked out on his bed since getting him out of the cage. The vet offered some mild sedatives if required...

It might help.

You did the right thing by taking him out if you think he might hurt himself.

Can you keep him on a leash or a harness next to you at all times? Is this possible? :shrug:

I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time with Nelson, this really sucks for both of you! :(

:hug:

and luckily I'm at home for the next few weeks. Wherever I am, he is right alongside. Thanks for your kind words.

offer support and hugs :hug:. Nelson is a cutie :-). My Murphy is an ACD (probably mixed with something else) and his face looks so much like Nelson they could be twins! Good luck and it seems you have terrific advice so far.

Hugs to you and Murphy. :hug:

Here's Nelson's partner in crime; Rosie my little OCD dog. You can see Nelson in the background. He can't keep up with her.

Murphy has a "sister" Cindy who is a Catahoula Leopard (probably mixed) and weighs 30 lbs more than him. She's never been able to keep up. Murphy's ears normally don't stand up like this, usually they are folded over.

Here they are. It's hard to get them to stand still together :-).

I'd never heard of the Catahoula Leopard until now and naturally had to look up Google images. What an unusual breed.
It made me think of the Australian Koolie, a breed you don't hear much about but also has the blue merle gene.

They are a good looking pair livetohike, Nelson and Murphy could be related! He's definitely got the cattle dog fat tail.

They called her an Australian Shepherd, I guess because of her markings. We took her straight to our vet, who was from Louisiana and she is the one who said Cindy looked like a Catahoula Leopard puppy (Cindy was just 8 weeks old then). We had never heard of that breed. Cindy is really gentle and from what I read, they can be pretty aggressive.

I love them both and they both love to hike, which is what I was hoping for when we looked for pups. We had two Lab/Shepherd mixes from the same litter before these two.The female died at 13.5 and the male almost made it to his 16th birthday. Okay, I'm looking for the Australian Koolie on line now. :hi:

Wow! They are nice looking dogs!

offer some input about the back situation itself.

Many years ago, my little small dog suffered a back injury and was facing multi-thousand-dollar back surgery. My vet suggested we try veterinary acupuncture first. I was skeptical of acupuncture in general, but decided to give it a try. Lo and behold, my little guy went from being unable to walk to careful tottering after the first session. After a couple more treatments, he was back to his normal activities.

Near the end of his life, we returned to the acupuncturist for help with mobility issues again. And it worked again.

Since there is no way there was any "placebo effect" at work, I am now a firm believer in the power of acupuncture. Now, if only I wasn't so deathly scared of needles myself.... :)

:hi:
I've had sciatica treated successfully by accupuncture...when nothing else worked.
Please believe me when I tell you that IT DOES NOT HURT.

The needles are very small and the worst I ever felt was something like a mosquito bite...and that was when I was looking STRAIGHT at the insertion when it was happening and concentrating. Otherwise, nuthin'.

Wimsey didn't react in an "OUCH! Knock it off!" manner either when he had his accupuncture...so I think we can trust our furkid's reactions.

Don't let it scare ya...it really does help! :thumbsup:

but I'm not there yet. ;)


It's not really the pain, it's the thought of the needle that makes me woozy. Silly, I know.

His back and the associated weakness in the rear end seems to be improving each day (as his bloody energy levels return). There's still a long way to go but I will do anything to avoid surgery, so will definitely consider acupuncture if there is not a full recovery or he has a relapse. It's very useful to know how it helped your dog.

I have a tried and true method of conditioning yourself not to hate needles. As a child I was anaemic and needed so many blood tests I became terrified of needles. This was in the 60s and every week doctors would make me blow on a sheet of paper until I fainted! No wonder needles scared me.

In my mid 20s I had to warn dentists and doctors that I would be out like a light at the thought of a needle. I hated it, it was silly and a nuisance but there ya go. Eventually I decided to donate blood, figuring that going for a voluntary needle would get me over it. It worked and I've never looked back. I can now watch and discuss as pointy things are shoved into my arms with no problems with the added bonus of doing some good.

I'm usually under the weight limit to donate, but as I age I'm finding myself over it more and more. ;)

Alas, I'm still in the "Please let me lie down and don't be alarmed when I turn completely gray" stage of blood drawing.