Pain Management

[SheriS]

1. Create one forum thread per pet. If you have more than one case, create a thread for each animal.
2. Your pet's name Fibi
3. Approximate age 14
4. Sex Female
5. Neutering status Yes
6. Breed Havanese
7. Approximate weight 9.5 lbs
8. What's their BEAM (behavior, energy, appetite, mood)Sleeps a lot but very interested in being close to us also doesn't hear well anymore and eye sight is poor too., Mostly sleepy but comes alive for food and treats, Great appetite, Obsessed with where the next treat is coming from which can be a buzz kill. She will play for rewards. Also seems a bit melancholy.
9. Diet. Primal complete raw freeze-dried (venison or rabbit + fresh raw meat (venison).
10. Vaccination history / exposure to toxins, other medication: Only vaccinated as a young puppy, Historic exposure to mold. Lived previously in NYC...toxins. Currently on levothyroxine, adrenal dessicated, lion's main, b-12-cbd, st johns wort, Peter Dobias' Green Min & Soul food.
11. Primary problem, when it began and if there was anything else happening around that time. Fibi fell down a flight of stairs in February 2022 and was badly bruised but no internal bleeding, organ damage or broken bones. She has a history of back issues since she was a young pup. Was off pain meds w/in a week and rebounded quite well.
12. Is the condition better or worse from exercise, heat, cold, time of day, certain foods, emotional upset, being touched, excitement, etc? Fibi appears to be sensitive to touch on her lower spine, and frequently moans when we pick her up (very gently and balanced).
13. Has any diagnostic work been done? Diagnosis if available (you can attach your diagnostic tests to the post if you have them). Fibi has some disc issues from a fall as a young puppy and has had chiropractic and acupuncture on and off for years which seems to provide some minor relief.
14. Current and previous treatment: Chiro/ Acupuncture.
15. Other health concerns: We would like to be prepared for an emergency to help alleviate serious pain until able to get to an animal emergency clinic. We live in rural Upstate NY and the ride to the vet is at least 35 minutes. We currently have Tramadol, Meloxicam and Methocarbamol which were provided after her fall in February. Can someone offer some guidance as to which meds if any) to administer, under what conditions and how much to administer until she could be seen by her local vet? I'm homebound much of the time with chronic illness and my husband is out (sometimes overnight) for work.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Sheri-

Thanks for making your first post and I am super sorry to hear about Fibi's continued health challenges.

It's wonderful to hear that his BEAM is so high!?

Out of the 3 meds you mentioned, the methocarbamol is least potentially toxic. It is also least likely to help Fibi IMHO.

Then Tramadol followed by meloxicam.

However, you may want to try increasing his use of the snuffle mat or the hunt for treats game (especially using freeze dried chicken/turkey heart) first.

When and if his BEAM score drops below 6 (where 10 is great) you may want to ask your vet about using the occasional dose of Buprenex. It's a much better pain reliever.

Buprenorphine For Dogs | Veterinary Place

Buprenorphine (also known as Buprenex) is a partial mu-opiate agonist, which can produce effects similar to morphine, with a smaller risk of side effects. Most commonly it will be given to dogs before surgery as a premed, or post-operatively to help relieve pain. Even though it is 30x as potent...

www.veterinaryplace.com

 

[Dr. Sara]

Dear Sheri,
Dr. Jeff has good suggestions for acute pain relief. Ideally, we would like Fibi to improve so that an acute situation is unlikely.

Please ask your chiropractor and acupuncturist to show you gentle massage / effleurage techniques to help Fibi. If your acupuncturist is skilled in Chinese herbal medicine, there are a number of herbal combinations that can help alleviate pain and stiffness without side effects. Proper diagnosis depends on the dog's presentation - where they are stiff, how they move, their tongue and pulse characteristics.

Another intervention that can help stimulate healing is infrared and Red Light Therapy. I like this company - their pads use both infrared and red lights, they are high quality, and have excellent customer service. I would suggest using the pad on the lower spine where she appears to have discomfort; more information is on the company website.

According to "Gospel"...Equine Light Therapy®-Canine Light TherapyWelcome to Affordable Light Therapy for Horses and Dogs!

Equine & Canine Light Therapy! Photonic energy, red light therapy, photobiomodulation. Same healing energy as a laser at a fraction of the cost. Safe, effective, affordable, easy to use light therapy pads for horses, dogs and all animals.

equinelighttherapy.com

I hope this helps!
Dr. Sara

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wonderful Dr. Sara! Thanks for reminding me about red light therapy for Fibi.

Sheri, here's another tool you can use when you do your massage:

FAQ's | LumaSoothe

Have questions about LumaSoothe Light Therapy for Pets? Checkout our informative frequently asked questions (FAQ) for answers to common questions.

lumasoothe.com

 

[SheriS]

Hi Sheri-

Thanks for making your first post and I am super sorry to hear about Fibi's continued health challenges.

It's wonderful to hear that his BEAM is so high!?

Out of the 3 meds you mentioned, the methocarbamol is least potentially toxic. It is also least likely to help Fibi IMHO.

Then Tramadol followed by meloxicam.

However, you may want to try increasing his use of the snuffle mat or the hunt for treats game (especially using freeze dried chicken/turkey heart) first.

When and if his BEAM score drops below 6 (where 10 is great) you may want to ask your vet about using the occasional dose of Buprenex. It's a much better pain reliever.

Buprenorphine For Dogs | Veterinary Place

Buprenorphine (also known as Buprenex) is a partial mu-opiate agonist, which can produce effects similar to morphine, with a smaller risk of side effects. Most commonly it will be given to dogs before surgery as a premed, or post-operatively to help relieve pain. Even though it is 30x as potent...

www.veterinaryplace.com

Dr Jeff, Thanks very much for your suggestions. At this time, she doesn't seem to be in any acute pain. This is in case of emergency, given the distance to the nearest emegency vet.

 

[SheriS]

Dear Sheri,
Dr. Jeff has good suggestions for acute pain relief. Ideally, we would like Fibi to improve so that an acute situation is unlikely.

Please ask your chiropractor and acupuncturist to show you gentle massage / effleurage techniques to help Fibi. If your acupuncturist is skilled in Chinese herbal medicine, there are a number of herbal combinations that can help alleviate pain and stiffness without side effects. Proper diagnosis depends on the dog's presentation - where they are stiff, how they move, their tongue and pulse characteristics.

Another intervention that can help stimulate healing is infrared and Red Light Therapy. I like this company - their pads use both infrared and red lights, they are high quality, and have excellent customer service. I would suggest using the pad on the lower spine where she appears to have discomfort; more information is on the company website.

According to "Gospel"...Equine Light Therapy®-Canine Light TherapyWelcome to Affordable Light Therapy for Horses and Dogs!

Equine & Canine Light Therapy! Photonic energy, red light therapy, photobiomodulation. Same healing energy as a laser at a fraction of the cost. Safe, effective, affordable, easy to use light therapy pads for horses, dogs and all animals.

equinelighttherapy.com

I hope this helps!
Dr. Sara

Dr. Sara, I appreciate your recommendations. Fibi's chiroprator uses some laser, acupuncture and Beamer in addition to gentle physical manipulation.