My dog has a pinched nerve and arthritis. How long to feel better?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately, intervertebral disk disease is the bane of all long backed dogs. The key to recovery is pain medication either in the form of a steroid like prednisone, or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as rimadyl, carprofen, metacam, etc. & STRICK rest. Ace must not jump, run, or be at all active while trying to heal. It can take 3 weeks for the disk to heal. You can apply alternating treatments of heat & cold by warming a sock with rice in the microwave ( make sure it is warm & not hot ), using it on Ace for 10 minutes, then apply a bag of frozen peas for 10 minutes. You can do this twice a day, but make sure there is a towel between the heat & cold, & move the application frequently to prevent hot or too cold spots. If Ace remains painful, you can ask your vet for an appropriate additive to Ace's medication. A muscle relaxant might be appropriate, or additional pain medications in the form of tramadol or gabapentin. These things take time. Hopefully, he will feel better by tomorrow. Take care.

It sounds like Shaggy may have intervertebral disc disease--iVDD. This could be described as a pinch nerve, in that the disc material located between the back bones pushes up and "pinches" or compresses the spinal cord. So to specifically answer your question--yes, I think this is a reasonable working diagnosis (meaning treat and note response). Dogs often, especially when they start to feel better, are wanting to play and move around and overall act quite well. If he is still on the medications, contact your vet to clarify what and when you should give the meds-- generally we don't want to give Rimadyl ( a non steroidal anti-inflammatory ) and prednisone ( a steroid) at the same time, as this can pose a significant risk for a stomach ulcer. Also ask your vet based on Shaggy's progress, how much activity he would recommend be allowed. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I'm sorry to hear Balto is hurting! Do not give him ibuprofen as it can be harmful to the liver. I would recommend instead to apply heat to the area (hot water bottle, heating pad) and massage it gently. This will increase blood supply and add relaxation the the muscle tissues. The problem with giving him medication tonight is that the doctor will likely want to put him on a medication that is safe for dogs. Each medicine has a wash out period, meaning that he cannot take another medication until the second one has cleared out of his system. This is generally 1-7 days depending on the product. It may cause the doctor not to be able to use the medication of choice. If he continues to hurt, call his veterinarian or an emergency clinic and see if you can get him in for an exam for pain medications if nothing else. I hope Balto starts feeling better soon!

An immediate check up is required as these signs seems to be compatible with a neurological problem. Intervertebral disc extrusion/protrusion in the cervical area can cause commonly nerve/spinal cord and meninges (around spinal cord) compression. The compression may be dynamic, showing up signs when moving the neck in certain postures. X rays and more specific and advanced imaging procedures may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

That is a very commonly-used combination of meds for a pinched nerve or disc problem in dogs, so as long as your dog is tolerating the medication well and you are giving is as prescribed by your veterinarian, I would not have any concerns at all.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This can be quite painful and strong pain control medications such as opioids and NSAIDs should be considered. I agree with your veterinarian in that it takes several weeks on antibiotics to resolve. I would recommend that you consider contacting your veterinarian so that they consider prescribing something strong to treat his pain. I really hope he feels better.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jackie. Anything is worth trying including what you mentioned and acupuncture or chiropractic medicine. Alternative medical modalities are always worth trying. Not sure if cold laser therapy would help but that is another avenue to explore. I would advise reaching out to vets in your area for these alternative treatments. Good luck with Jackie.