Tsk-Tsk - It Might Be A Disc

Mom has been home for an entire week but for whatever reason, she doesn't want to turn the 'puter on. No 'puter means no blog posts so forgive me for being so absent, but know that it's not my fault.

Even though I haven't been on the 'puter, I've been super busy but not in a good way. I can't really tell you what happened while Mom was gone but suffice it to say I just haven't been myself since she returned. You guys know that I'm getting old and that I don't really get around really good but last week I could hardly walk. I mean I could walk but really slow, like a turtle. Mom knew that she had to do something so she called a vet that does laser therapy (a recommendation from a friend) and I went to see her for a consultation last Friday.

I really liked this vet despite the fact that she was bending and twisting me every which way during the consultation. The results? I have a bad elbow, not a bad shoulder. Mom and Dad have been told for years that my shoulder was bad but I knew all along that it was my elbow. I sure wish I could have told them because I could have been receiving treatment on it all along. The other news? The vet thinks I have a bulging disc - yuk! I covered my ears when she described the disc so I really don't know all the details.

After the consultation, the vet tech did the first session of laser therapy on me. I am scheduled to have 6 sessions to start and then be re-evaluated to determine if/when I need more. Each session consists of 3 points on my bad elbow, shown in the picture above, 2 points on each side of my hip, and 1 point on my back. I felt a lot better after the first session and was even walking better.

My second session was this morning and everything was fine. I got a nice treat after the session, enjoyed the car ride home, and took a nap while Mom went shopping. Then the trouble started. Mom took me outside to enjoy the nice afternoon sunshine and I couldn't walk. I would take a few steps and wipe out - boom! I would pick myself up and then fall again. I was walking sideways, or should I say trying to walk and would fall over on one side, staring up at Mom who would rescue me from the fall. Mom was hysterical, crying and crying. She picked me up and I wiped away her tears, telling her that I would be okay but that I needed to go back to the vet.

Mom calmed down long enought to call the vet who told her to bring me back to the office at 3:45. Mom then called Dad to tell him what was going on. He was on his way home from an appointment and said that he would drive us to the vet.

The vet was super nice to me again as I tried to walk around for her. She reiterated some of what she mentioned last Friday about my disc and how it's gotten worse. She told Mom and Dad that she thinks we need to be aggressive with my treatment so I just had my first dose of Prednisone. I just started taking Deramaxx last week and even had one this morning but the vet said I need to take the Prednisone asap so that my disc will calm down (usually you would wait 2 days after taking Deramaxx to begin Prednisone). She also gave me some Carafale to protect my GI. I don't know what a GI is but the medicine is suppose to coat my tummy so that the Prednisone doesn't upset it. Mom also needs to go to Walgreens to get me some Pepcid AC. Phew! Lots of medicines for me. I should be a patient at Smush Face General Hospital!

In addition to all the medicine I have to take, my exercise is restricted. I don't really exercise all that much anyway but the vet says I can only go out to do my business and that I must be carried out to do it. I'm totally okay with that since I want my disc to get better so that I can move around again. I need to be able to play in my yard and visit my friends, especially my Josie.

I also want to get better so that Mom stops crying. She, of course, blames herself for all my problems. If only she had done this or taken me to see that vet, etc. I don't blame her at all because she takes great care of me but you know moms. They accept full responsibility for the whole kit-and-kaboodle everytime something goes awry, even when it's not their fault.

Please keep your paws crossed that the Prednisone works. The vet told Mom and Dad that if it doesn't then I might need surgery. Surgery that may or may not help. I know I'll be okay, but I need all of you to convince Mom. And please convince her that I need to update my bloggie more often and not about myself. I have so many cool things to post about that you need to know about that I want to tell you about.