Answers for Discospondylitis

[SheriB]

Hello, @Dr. Jeff & @Dr. Christina ,

Our 2 year old German Shepherd X, Louie was diagnosed with discospondylitis in March and continued to decline, despite trying different antibiotics.
A couple weeks ago they were starting to suspect he may actually have Multiple Myeloma but we just got the news that he does not.
For the last 10 days we’ve been feeding him home cooked meals, chicken, beef and salmon, fresh veggies, fruits, and berries as well as brought in Barley Grass Juice powder, chia seeds, vitamin C 1000mg, turmeric (fresh and capsules), ginger, curly parsley, 3-4 drops b12, a couple drops of zinc. Im also waiting on an order of Solid Golg Seameal Kelp and Wild Salmon oil to be delivered.
We are also trying to encourage him to sniff more, and im doing massages daily. He seems to be improving but I am wondering if there are any other things we can incorporate to help him?
We will be finding a holistic vet but in the meantime, im trying whatever I can from home. We are considering the spinal surgery, as we’ve been told by his specialist that we are out of options, and that’s what brought me to this path. But the other issue is if he has the surgery, the lesions may and most likely will return.
BY the way, i follow Medical Medium’s protocols for myself and that’s where i got many of the ideas for his current diet regimen.

Thank you so much for any advice you may able to provide us. Your site has restored our faith that our precious pup can still be healed.

Sincerely

Sheri

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Welcome Sheri and thanks for sharing your first forum post.

I'm very sorry to hear about Louie. What are his symptoms, challenges and BEAM?

I'm really glad that he's slowly improving.

It's better, in the long run, to heal slowly as his natural healing is designed to be a slow and steady process. As you said, the quick fix that eliminates symptoms right after a drug or a surgery is usually temporary.

Everything you are doing sounds awe-some!

Regarding what else you can do, here are some thoughts.

1. Start today with the Happiness Protocol to help activate a "flow" state and maximal healing. You can do this just by identifying what he loves (and is capable of doing) to do more than anything else in the world and doing more of it. Here's more details about this approach and why it works:

The Happiness Protocol in Your Pet's Life

At HA! we are committed to much more than helping pets become dis-ease free. We promote restoring and maintaining vitality, balance, energy, & happiness.

www.holisticactions.com

2. Do your gentle massage at least 3x a day and

3. Start using a snuffle mat in addition to his outdoor sniffing for at least an hour a day (you can't overdo this). If he is able to get around at all, you can also play slow "hunt for treats" games by sprinkling favorite treats (freeze dried meat treats work well for this) in the grass and letting him hunt them out.

4. Use a negative ion generator as close to his face for as long and as often as he will tolerate. Here's more info:

Helping all Pets Using Vitality From Negative Ions

Hi @everyone- I am about to go out for a therapeutic sniff walk with Archie, but would like to share one important tip. It's about the potential of increasing cellular energy, vitality and healing using negative using ions. It's the same healing effect that occurs whenever pets or people are...

www.holisticactions.com

It would be great to see what the specialist report says if you are able to upload it to this thread.

You're welcome for the feedback. I'm so happy to hear that you feel that young Louie may have many more dis-ease free years left!

 

[SheriB]

Thank you so much for your response. I am very pleased to hear I am on the right track, as far as Louie’s diet, and supplements are concerned, and look forward to implementing your suggestions. Up until 2 weeks ago, we had a very sick puppy, lethargic, in pain, unable to walk, no appetite and severe diarrhea. At that time he was scheduled for the spinal surgery but the specialist cancelled after he developed involuntary head and eye movements, which has since subsided. At that time they suspected it was cancer and did a spinal tap, MRI and a blood test, but thankfully, he was cleared a few days later leaving spinal surgery as his last option.
Louie still has a lot of difficulty walking and has to be supported by a harness when walking. However, he now walks up and down the stairs and needs less support on his walks. He sometimes get excited and tries to run, but his back end collapses, but to me, i feel like that means he is no longer in pain. His appetite was poor but has increased over the past 10 days to eating twice a day with healthy portions, both meals. He is much brighter now, and has taken an interest in a new toy i bought him and loves his snuffle mat. He has been having lots of pee accidents but that too has improved to 1-2 a day. His thirst is now in the normal range.
I will track down Louie’s test results and submit them when i have them. He’s had 2 MRI’s, one on his head and one on his torso, spinal tap and various other tests.
Thanks again for all your support and for giving us hope that our sweet boy will be healed.
Sincerely
Sheri

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow, Sheri!

Louie sounds like he's doing great!!

It will be so much fun to watch his body at work and slowly re-balance.

Just keep doing what you're doing and focus on his happiness like they did for this "paralyzed" pup:

The Power of the Happiness Protocol for Healing Pets

Wow!! I just watched this (after getting off a client call about a super happy pup 1.5 years into genetic DM). I continued to get blown away by the awe-some healing ability of the body: Here's how I think it works: https://www.holisticactions.com/happiness-protocol/

www.holisticactions.com

 

[Dr. Jeff]

BTW-Would you be up for documenting his recovery in this thread (where you can post pictures and videos)?

 

[SheriB]

BTW-Would you be up for documenting his recovery in this thread (where you can post pictures and videos)?

I would love to share his updates.
The first video was taken a little over two weeks ago as part of a fundraiser as his medical expenses has reached $10,000. You can see the significant impairment in his ability to walk. That was at his lowest point, and from that day forward, we started with the holistic approach with feedings and supplementation.
The second video was taken 6 days ago and you can see his energy and playfulness is starting to return.
The third video shows his personality really starting to return.
Today he’s had a bit of a set back, seems to be in a little more discomfort and his appetite is decreased but im hopeful, tomorrow will be a better day
I have some results now from the vet but i have to try and download them onto my laptop as they are large files, hopefully i will be able to upload them shortly

 

[SheriB]

I would love to share his updates.
The first video was taken a little over two weeks ago as part of a fundraiser as his medical expenses has reached $10,000. You can see the significant impairment in his ability to walk. That was at his lowest point, and from that day forward, we started with the holistic approach with feedings and supplementation.
The second video was taken 6 days ago and you can see his energy and playfulness is starting to return.
The third video shows his personality really starting to return.
Today he’s had a bit of a set back, seems to be in a little more discomfort and his appetite is decreased but im hopeful, tomorrow will be a better day
I have some results now from the vet but i have to try and download them onto my laptop as they are large files, hopefully i will be able to upload them shortly

 

[SheriB]

BTW-Would you be up for documenting his recovery in this thread (where you can post pictures and videos)?

I cant see the video attachments yet, hopefully they uploaded but if not i will try again shortly.

 

[SheriB]

 

[SheriB]

 

[SheriB]

Louie just over 2 weeks ago.

 

[SheriB]

BTW-Would you be up for documenting his recovery in this thread (where you can post pictures and videos)?

This is our precious Louie’s story
Up until the beginning of March, Louie was your average, sweet, playful, healthy puppy, enjoying life to the fullest. But around that time, Joel had started to notice Louie making occasional little whimpers when moving around the house. Initially, Joel did not think much of it, but he quickly became concerned as the incidents became more frequent, and Louie seemed to be getting more and more uncomfortable.
The first few visits to the vet did not set off any major alarm bells, but Louie’s health continued to decline, so back to the vet’s office, they went. This time the vet decided to x-ray Louie, expecting to find an injury, infection or worst-case scenario, early onset hip dysplasia, and sent him home with anti-inflammatory and pain medications while awaiting the results.
Unfortunately, Louie continued to decline over the following days. He began having frequent accidents in the house and stopped showing interest in his favourite foods. He also began having a great deal of difficulty co-ordinating his hind legs and suddenly needed assistance when walking which Joel initially attributed it to his new medications. However, later that evening, Joel got the devastating news that no dog dad, yet alone one of a puppy, ever wants to receive - the cause of these bizarre new symptoms.
The x-ray revealed that Louie had a rare, life-threatening infection of the spinal column, called Discospondylitis. From there Louie was referred to a specialist for diagnostic MRI and started on his first experimental treatment plan which included a $600/month antibiotic. If successful, he would need to stay on it anywhere from a few months to years, as it is exceedingly difficult to treat.
After leaving the specialist’s office that day, the vet bill had already accumulated to just over $6,000 with no guarantee of success, and even though Joel was not able to work while Louie required round the clock care, he knew he had to try everything in his power to try and save his baby - no matter the cost. Louie was counting on him.
Sadly, the initial antibiotic was of no benefit, and Louie continued to decline. The next trial of antibiotics the vet prescribed was a 10-day treatment plan, and very potent. We all rallied around Joel and Louie, trying to stay optimistic, but the 10 days came and went with no improvement, leaving the next and possibly final step, surgery.
Louie was scheduled for a second MRI and spinal surgery on April 28, which would have provided much needed relief to his spine, and a biopsy sample to help his care team establish a more targeted treatment plan. However, April 25, Louie began having involuntary eye and head movements while his co-ordination further declined. On April 26, his specialist decided to postpone the surgery. They are no longer confident with their original diagnosis and will now be preforming a spinal tap and MRI of his neck and brain, leaving us with more questions, than answers.
A few days later we got even more devastating news, the new bloodwork taken revealed that Louie most likely had Multiple Myeloma, and not discospondylitis but we had to wait 4 more gruelling days before meeting with the oncologist.
That following Monday was met with doom and gloom. The oncologist wanted another bloodtest which would give a more conclusive answer but if Louie did have this particular cancer, his prognosis was poor and the Chemo would only extend his life, anywhere from between 8 months to 2 years, at best, and he would have to remain on the chemo for the remainder of his life. We were absolutely devastated, to say the least.
While Louie’s condition continued to grow dire, so did the vet bill as it approached the $10,000 mark, not including surgeries, additional treatment plans, or even a concrete diagnosis at this point.
So at this point, I decided to step in and introduce holistic medicine to my son and take over Louie’s care. I started researching multiple sources on building immunity. I went over the Medical Medium Pet Podcast several times, joined Holistic Actions and started rounding up supplements and supplies. Together with my son we learned what foods to buy and how to prepare them.
And Im happy to report that over the last 2 weeks we’ve seen dramatic improvements to his BEAM. For the first time in well over two months, we are finally feeling optimistic that our sweet boy may one day soon be restored to playful puppy he once was ??

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow, beautiful Sheri!

Keep on using Louie's Happiness Protocol to help him "overFLOW with joy" and activate all of his healing abilities.

You're very wise to realize that having one day with lower BEAM is really just part of the healing process. Ups and downs are to be expected.

The pup in this thread is a good example of the power of love and happiness:

The Power of the Happiness Protocol for Healing Pets

Wow!! I just watched this (after getting off a client call about a super happy pup 1.5 years into genetic DM). I continued to get blown away by the awe-some healing ability of the body: Here's how I think it works: https://www.holisticactions.com/happiness-protocol/

www.holisticactions.com

 

[SheriB]

Wow, beautiful Sheri!

Keep on using Louie's Happiness Protocol to help him "overFLOW with joy" and activate all of his healing abilities.

You're very wise to realize that having one day with lower BEAM is really just part of the healing process. Ups and downs are to be expected.

The pup in this thread is a good example of the power of love and happiness:

The Power of the Happiness Protocol for Healing Pets

Wow!! I just watched this (after getting off a client call about a super happy pup 1.5 years into genetic DM). I continued to get blown away by the awe-some healing ability of the body: Here's how I think it works: https://www.holisticactions.com/happiness-protocol/

www.holisticactions.com

Thank you so much Dr Jeff for all you positive energy, and thatvideo was so inspiring.
Just to let you know, ive ordered the Negative Ion Generator, as well as glucosamine hopefully we’ll ll have them soon to add to Louie’s healing regimen.
Sheri ??

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're very welcome Sheri! And thank *you* for your time and desire to work with Louie's body.

 

[SheriB]

Here is Louie relaxing on his new crib mattress. I think he likes it ?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Sheri, hows he doing today?

 

[SheriB]

Louie is doing a lot better today. We’ve been encouraging him to stand for short periods of time, several times a day, and we are also seeing some improvements while out on his short walks, moving his hinds legs once again. He also looks like he may have put some of the weight back on that he lost over the last couple months.
We’ve held off on contacting the surgeon for the time being, hopefully, we wont need to.
I can’t tell you how much your continued support has meant to us at this very trying time in our lives. Thank you so much ?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Fantastic that Louie is better!

You're welcome Sheri.

 

[SheriB]

Hi Dr Jeff
Louie has been doing great since we talked last except for some excessive thirst/urinating and loose stools. Im not sure if they are connected but im wondering if we should change any of his supplementations or diet. We have had him on a bland diet trying to get the loose stools under control but as soon as we reintroduce some of the other foods or supplements, we see a return of the symptoms. His appetite wasn’t the greatest the last couple days, either and he threw up his whole meal yesterday. But everything else is coming along nicely, and he’s walking all over the house and even tried to go up the stairs by himself.
I dont know how concerned we should be with his other symptoms at this point and if so, what should we try?
Thanks so much
Sheri