Dog help

[BigN8]

I've got an 11 year old dachshund named Rusty that all of the sudden is having some sort of nervous problem or muscle problem around his neck. We took him to the vet and she prescribed a steroid and muscle relaxer. He doesn't seem to be getting better. It started last Monday, we took him to the vet on Wednesday. I'm thinking we'll probably take him back to vet this Wednesday or Thursday if still no improvement.

He is very lethargic, whenever he moves he whines, when he is asleep and he has a bad dream or shutters, it causes him to go into a loud crying fit I guess because he jerks his neck and it hurts him. I've tried massaging his neck, and when you massage the neck area you can feel the muscles vibrating or shaking rapidly. He's still eating fine and going to the bathroom. He just doesn't want to move because of his neck.

Anyone have any similar experience with this condition?

 

[bronze_10]

Are all four legs moving the same? Are both eyes working right? Equl tracking.. and pupil size

 

[swatski]

I've got an 11 year old dachshund named Rusty that all of the sudden is having some sort of nervous problem or muscle problem around his neck. We took him to the vet and she prescribed a steroid and muscle relaxer. He doesn't seem to be getting better. It started last Monday, we took him to the vet on Wednesday. I'm thinking we'll probably take him back to vet this Wednesday or Thursday if still no improvement.

He is very lethargic, whenever he moves he whines, when he is asleep and he has a bad dream or shutters, it causes him to go into a loud crying fit I guess because he jerks his neck and it hurts him. I've tried massaging his neck, and when you massage the neck area you can feel the muscles vibrating or shaking rapidly. He's still eating fine and going to the bathroom. He just doesn't want to move because of his neck.

Anyone have any similar experience with this condition?

Damn. Sounds like the disc disease (check out "IVDD"). Yes, I had three dachshunds growing up. Could also be arthritis/stenosis. None really great as far as prognosis and outcomes.
I would not do surgery, but it could work, sometimes it does apparently. Bed rest is recommended and could be the best option. Steroids and/or muscle relaxants should help.

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[justason]

I saw this article recently. May not apply to your pooch but want to post it up here as a general PSA

https://video.foxnews.com/v/5838175012001/?#sp=show-clips

FDA warns flea and tick meds linked to neurological problems in pets
Sep. 21, 2018 - 0:48 - According to the FDA, some animals receiving flea and tick medications in the isooxazoline class have experienced adverse events such as muscle tremors, seizures, and ataxia, a lack of muscle coordination.

 

[BigN8]

Are all four legs moving the same? Are both eyes working right? Equl tracking.. and pupil size

Seems like all legs are moving the same but the left front seems to shake a lot. When he walks he seems to limp a little favoring that left front leg. He always lays down with that leg up meaning he is always laying on his right side. Eyes are fine.

 

[bronze_10]

Sounds musculature... not sure what he did to it .... had a dog once who had some kinda weird stroke and was acting funny like that.. was a while before we figured it out. Finally realized she couldnt see outta her left eye... then found the stroke. Thats why i was asking that.. your dog sounds like muscle....

 

[McMark]

Aw poor puppy.

 

[swatski]

Seems like all legs are moving the same but the left front seems to shake a lot. When he walks he seems to limp a little favoring that left front leg. He always lays down with that leg up meaning he is always laying on his right side. Eyes are fine.

If you want to know for sure and x-ray would most likely tell for sure. But it is almost certainly a slipped/herniated or otherwise displaced disc, most likely cervical (in the neck) given the symptoms, most likely with evidence of calcifications etc.
A prolonged bed rest is pretty much only non surgical option, and it could help and the dog may come out of it.

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[zipper]

If it were musculoskeletal I would think the vet would have seen that in an xray. Neurological symptoms can be hard to diagnose. With all the chemicals out there, flea and tick spot ons, community mosquito controlled spraying, lawn fertilizer, weed killer etc. on the ground level with their bellies so low to the grass, they must ingest some as they groom themselves. So if no recent vaccines brought it on or tick bites, hopefully it is chiropractic and a canine chiropractor can provide pain relief. Best wishes for you and your pooch.

 

[BigN8]

Thanks for the input guys. The vet mentioned an x-ray, but she said the bones are so small in his neck that many times the x-rays don't show much in a small dog like this. I guess we will just keep waiting it out and giving him the steroid and the muscle relaxer.

 

[BigN8]

Looks like he is doing better. We stopped giving him the muscle relaxer. Seemed like he was acting weird do to that. He's up and around a lot more, walking pretty normal, not howling like he was, and is back to doing the full body shake like he used to. You know, like when they are wet, the shake their whole body to get rid of the water.

 

[Speedling]

Love wiener dogs!
Had to putours down a couple years ago because she had the disc issue suddenly. Nice big ranch, one step in and out, 1 acre to play in, but she was paralyzed from mid down. After tryng doggie wheelchairs and all she decided she was done. Done eating, couldn't wag her tail, sad face all the time. Had to put her down. Kids and us buried her and had a ceremony.
In any case watch close. It effects about 1/3 of them.

 

[PEARCE]

Some "normal" chiropractors will do adjustments on pets as well. So if this happens again keep that in mind. Glad he's doing better.

 

[AlphaKap]

We recently had to put our doxie down...IVDD was the original issue but then we think he had a stroke. Would have seizures and just stand in front of walls. He just wasn't himself anymore and was time after 15 years. Tough on my wife and tougher on our other dog.

That long back is just rough on them over time. There is a back brace we were going to get but our dog was too far gone for something like that. You might look into it though since he has some years in front of him.

https://wiggleless.com/

 

[BigN8]

When we first got him I had read about chronic back problems in these dogs and a lot of it was due to them jumping down from furniture and stuff. So from day one I would never let him on the furniture and if he did I would set him down.