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spondylosis

To answer the question above, I would think it's OK to use gabapentin on a trial basis, ie to see if it makes a difference. It's a pain killer after all. That said, I'm just a surgeon, not a neurologist!

Dr Zeltzman
www.drphilzeltzman.com
 
I took Sammy to the vet again today. She thought his scratching wasn't the type she's observed with SM.

When I compare the SM-related scratching of two of my cavaliers, there is no similarity between the two. Please share this with your vet, as she may not realize the wide range of symptoms that are possible with SM.

My Charlie (at the bridge) did the air scratching and also hit his head with his hind leg during pain episodes. He had an MRI diagnosis of SM. He was cared for by both a neurologist and a neurosurgeon.

My Geordie scratches at his neck below his ear and at his shoulder region and licks his front legs. He always makes contact with his skin, and I've never seen him air scratch. He had a CT-scan diagnosis of SM while in the PSOM study. He was seen by a neurologist at the time he was diagnosed.
 
Thanks Dr Zeltzman, it's been really great to get the opinion of a vet surgeon here!! The vet I saw was really interested and receptive about the information I've had here, and hopefully this will mean more pain relief in other other sm dogs she's treating. Apparently all the vets in Finland pretty much refer all difficult cases to this specialist centre in Helsinki (which includes a neurologist etc). I think that's why she was so eager to have their cooperation.

The reason the vet suspected the scratching wasn't sm-like, was because he doesn't seem to be triggered by exercise/excitment etc. The other dogs she's seen have been scratching on the way to the office, while being examined etc. Sammy on the other hand has never scratched in front of them because he seems to be distracted by exercise and excitment. He also shakes his head a lot, as though there's something he wants to get out.
 
Update: Sammy's been doing much better the past couple of days. He's nearly back to himself in fact, and I was so so happy yesterday evening when he picked up his favourite toy and started zooming up and down the living room with it and wagging his tail. He was grinning from ear to ear :D. I can only hope that the vet was right and he had an inner ear infection, which is being cured by the antibiotics :xfngr: He is still scratching though from time to time, so I don't want to speak too soon. I also started giving him omeprazole on Monday, so that may also have made the difference. But it's just wonderful that he's out of that pain at the moment.

Am absolutely exhausted after all of this - I feel like I'm the one who's been sick, not my dog :eek:
 
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