Pet Health > meds and infections >

Ask Your Pet Question. Pet Experts Answer You ASAP.

(Not a Pet Question?)

on oct 13 i took m dog to the vet for back pain. it seems that there were some disk problems with her spine due to an infection. i know there are several meds for swelling. would you recommend prednisolone. i heard this med should not be taken if one has a bacterial, viral or fungal infection...please advise..

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Status: Closed Value: $1

For dogs that present with a back injury/disc disease prednisolone is not the intital drug of choice. IV steroids are used for dogs with significant paresis, but if your dog is having back pain and is ataxic (weak in legs) it would not be recommended.
My protocal usually begins with the use of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory like Rimadyl or Metacam, then I usually use a mild muscle relaxant to help with the muscle spasms of the back.
Hope this helps, let me know.
Dr.V

Dr. D.A. Vamvakias
Veterinarian

Response to DanaDVM's Post: this is the case. April 2004 the first time my dog had this problem my vet gave her a Phenylbutazone, Dexamethasone, and Baytril injections. I followed up with that using tablets of all of those the vet prescribed for her. She had a follow up at the vets office and she was ok...

Oct. 13 I noticed she acting the same way as the above. I called the vet to make an appt and he was out, so i made an appt with another vet in his office. This vet gave my dog Dexamethasone,
and a Rimadyl injections. Then i followed her care at home with Prednisolone at home which was prescribed for her. I have read online about these meds and it's my understanding that these meds should not be given together. My concern is
Dexamethasone should not be mixed with Rimadyl, and that Prednisolone should not have been given because of the infection....in this case i feel my dog was given more than 1 med that she should not have received....please advise...
Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Best Regards,
Janet jenkins

I would agree with you. The use of rimadyl should not be used with Dex & Pred.
Is your dog clinically okay now?
Dr.V
Can you tell me what signs this dog has, and what makes them think infection?

Dr. D.A. Vamvakias
Veterinarian

Response to DanaDVM's Post: no she is not. She had a stroke the following morning and that was followed by back to back seizures. I rushed to the vet and she was breathing on her own most of the day. later she fell into a comma. she died at 6pm yesterday evening. I lost my baby to someone i thought was caring and giving. i asked her if my baby could have had a reaction to the meds and she said no absoloutly not. I knew differently the whole time. My dog always received the best care and the most love in the world. she was a very healty dog....I love her with all my heart and spent over 4 thousand while she was on life support, and spent all day with her in the hospital over the last 3 days while they were trying to figure out what was wrong....

I am sorry.
I need to do a bit of research to give you a more solid support. Can you please remember how the "Infection" aspect of our dogs diagnosis was reached...bloodwork, cultures, spinal tap, etc.
Dr.V

Dr. D.A. Vamvakias
Veterinarian

Response to DanaDVM's Post: they took xrays of her spinal cord and and bloodwork was done was well. what i don't understand is she pulled her chart and read the history of the previous episode so why would she have given those meds....let me state xrays and bloodwork were done on both occassions. we knew it was the same thing as the first time i took her back in April...

Please help me undertsand this. I buried her this morning at 11am.

I don't have access to these records, and unfortunately I can't request them. No matter what, I can't bring her back.
The combination of the drugs leads to gastric ulcerations and sepsis but I can't say seizures.
You need to determine if you want to pursue this further. You can request copies of your xrays and records, the originals belong to the clinic, but legally you can have a copy. Try not to be aggressive, just explain you want an outside explanation of what happened.
You can chose, if you want,to have these reviewed for wrong doing, you can also notify the Virginia Veterinary Board. I do not recommend legal action unless whomever reviews the records sees obvious wrong doing. Remember, it is unlikely that they (legal system) put the true value on the animal, which is your true loss. The only thing that could come from it is a waiver of the medical bills.
Unfortunately, these cases are hard to prove.
It might be they did everything right but failed to explain the severity.
I wish there was more I could do for you. The grief you are going thru is very real and you will hit all the stages.
Numbness/denial; Pain/anger/depression/guilt/blame; resolution.
To go thru these can takes months. If you need help, seek it.

Sincerely,
Dr.Vamvakias

Dr. D.A. Vamvakias
Veterinarian

I do appreciate your help. I know nothing will bring her back but I do wonder how many persons have lost or will lose their animals to this vet. I am going to have all records reveiwed by at least 2 persons locally. I do not intend to sue over this, but if I am correct about this and I'm very sure I am, I do feel that some course of action needs to be taken. I already have a contact # for the Virginia veterinary Board. Did I mention the vet stayed with her and canclled all appts to help take care of her. Maybe that was a guilt thing. She knew she had messed up...
Once again thank you for the info you have given me.

Best Regards,
Janet

Think you can answer this question?
Login or Become an Expert

DISCLAIMER: You acknowledge that any information you may obtain from individuals you contact through use of the JustAnswer service comes from those individuals, not from JustAnswer, and that JustAnswer is not in any way responsible for any of the information these third parties may supply. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty and no representations are made regarding the qualification of an Expert. Responses and comments on JustAnswer are for general information and are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (such as medical, legal, investment or accounting) and do not establish a professional-client relationship. JustAnswer is not intended or designed to address EMERGENCY QUESTIONS which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals. Please carefully read the Terms of Service.

JustAnswer > Pet Health

Related Answers