positive vibes for bentley needed x

hey everyone, some of you may have read but bentley had the sudden onset (literally one minute i thought he's gone quiet, the next he cant jump up on the sofa or go outside as he wimpers) of back pain. he even had a very short pain episode where he wimpered so loudly i felt helpless. my thoughts flew to SM and even right now that hasnt been ruled out. i was up all that night with him, he couldnt lie flat and wanted his head up high. at one point i was sleeping sat up so he could rest his head up my arm. im not ashamed to say i have never cried like that before, to see my bubba in so much pain was excrucitaing. the next day at 9am we took him to the vet, we are part of the goddard vet group which i am so greatful as that is the same group that claire rushbridge is a vet at. i let the vet examine bentley without saying my fears as i didnt want to cloud any judgment. he manipulated bentleys head in all directions. bentley didnt wimper once though there was resistance when he reied to tilt his head down. his back letf leg was slightly behind in reacting to things (puttings his foot on a mat and pulling the mat away etc bentley reacted slower to pulling his foot away on this leg compared to his right back leg) he checked his knees incase that was the problem and then went about feeling his back. bentley didnt react to any of it thought when he watched him walk he could see that he was stiff and was afraid to jump up.
i then told him my fears which he agreed was possible, though he said he didnt want to just generalise because bentley is a cavi and that each dog should be treated to there individual symptoms which i thought was nice as i hate it when vets say 'well he'll get a mumur one day he's a cavi!'
he said that though SM is a plausible cause, bentley had no pain reaction around his kneck which is a good sign. he has started him on rimadyl tabs, half a tablet twice daily for a week.
i had to call today to let them know how bentley is doing as if there was no improvement or if bentley was getting worse he would refer me straight to claire.
bentley has improved so much, even from yeasterday. before you could notice when the pain kilers were wearing off but today he is like his old self again. the vet was very pleased though we both know he could not be out of the woods yet, he wants me to call on friday as he wants me to be in regular contact incase bentley needs an urgent referal. if all goes well bentley will have a check up next week andwe will go from there.

i know he may still have along way to go, but knowing i have claire when i need her and the fact that this is the 1st vet i have spoken to that actually knows what he is talking about makes me feel that no matter what the outcome bentley is in the best hands.

just to be on the safe side could you guys be thinking positive thoughts for my gorgeous little guy??

xx

Positive thoughts from nicki, elvis and max! It's so hard to see them in so much pain and not being able to stop it for them but things are looking up already!

Kisses for Bentley

thanks nicki xx

:hug:Oh thats all very worrying for you but it sounds like its possibly going in the right direction! I am sending you some pixie dust (sorry my 8 year old always says that)

Awww. It always breaks my heart to hear the word "SM" even pop up in a dog...
I can only imagine how you feel. I cried for two straight hours on the couch when i suspected SM after also a very sudden onset of symptoms . (that subsided later, but my gut feeling was right unfotunately)
Im sending you tons and tons of positive vibes to little bentley, we are all here for you both! :lotsaluv:

SO very sorry to read about your scare with Bentley, there is nothing worse than seeing them in so much pain and feeling helpless.


***PLEASE if anything like that ever happens again, at the very least telephone the emergency vet for advice. ***

Sudden onset pain like this is an emergency situation - would you not have gone to A&E if it was for a person? [You can always relate it to that, if you would go to A&E then you need to 'phone an emergency vet]


It's great that Bentley has improved so much just on Rimadyl - so everything crossed it is not SM - are they going to do x-rays or anything to see if they can find out what it was?

I'm sending those positive vibes to Bentley.

He is so lucky to have a caring owner like you.

I hope Bentley is still doing well, he has our thoughts with him anyway.:l*v:

Before Oliver had any clear symptoms of his SM (which had already been diagnosed), he developed spondylosis - osteoarthritis of the spinal vertebrae - which gave him very stilted movement in his hind legs and a lot of pain. After about 4 weeks of crate rest and a slow return to regular exercise, he has been fine and seems to have no problems. I don't expect him to walk 10 miles anymore, but he manages 5 miles with real enjoyment, though I am careful with rough ground and stiles.

Cavaliers also seem prone to disc problems, so there are a lot of alternatives to SM when they develop back pain!

Kate, Oliver and Aled

Nicki said:

SO very sorry to read about your scare with Bentley, there is nothing worse than seeing them in so much pain and feeling helpless.


***PLEASE if anything like that ever happens again, at the very least telephone the emergency vet for advice. ***

Sudden onset pain like this is an emergency situation - would you not have gone to A&E if it was for a person? [You can always relate it to that, if you would go to A&E then you need to 'phone an emergency vet]


It's great that Bentley has improved so much just on Rimadyl - so everything crossed it is not SM - are they going to do x-rays or anything to see if they can find out what it was?

Click to expand...

xrays were mentioned, but he said that tissue issues wouldnt show up on them and that if we needed to investigate an MRI and an assessment would be the way we needed to go.

TODAYS UPDATE:

now i dont want to speak too soon but bentley is back and back with avengence. he is like his ususal loopy self though i think he is becoming a tablet junkie (probably because i disguise them in ham icon_whistling)
i guess the real test will be once he has finished his pain killers but im thinking all signs are goos at the moment and that is the most i can ask for. as long as whatever is causing him pain we can manage be it CM,SM or indeed disk issues, i will count muself fortunate.
the vet said that he diubted it was disk issues purely because his line when he walked was good and when he did his assessment he didnt see an signs that that would be the cause. however i know untill be delve a little deeper we cant rule anything out.

bentley and myself are so greatful for all your kind words.

(i completely agree with the calling an emergency vet comment, i just paniced and did the best i could )

xx

Glad Bentley seems to be doing better. Positive thoughts been flown accross the ocean to him!

UPDATE:

well, bentley is still remaining to be doing so well. he hasn't appeard to be in any pain for 2 days now and there is no sign of stiffness even when his meds wear off. his energy levels are high as we are having to keep his exercise down to the minimum and as we are home he keeps expecting us to take him to the woods and is getting increasingly grumpy with us as we are not :roll:

for the last few nights since the problem started he has always seemed restless and potters about a he couldn't get comfy. i woke up last night because i thought my OH had his knee in my back..... oh no no that was bentley on his back legs all over the bless. if it hadn'tof made me smile that my bubba was having a good nights sleep i would have chucked him off the bed

so i guess what im trying to say is thanks everyone as your 'get well vibes' seem to be working :biggrin:

he takes his last pain killer tomorrow night and im just keeping my fingers crossed that he still does well once he is off them

xx

Thats great news Michelle cl*p
We've been thinking of little Bentley and are glad he's back to his old self:wink:

thanks mel, its been so emotinally draining this last week but having you guys to listen to me vent has meant the world to me and bentley. its very easy to feel isolated when things take a turn for the worse. im off all next week and im planning to just hang out with my little man (who may i add is currently snoring beside me :slp

howz leo??

x