Do you have Clare Rusbridge's treatment algorithm? ALL those drugs are indeed recommended for CM/SM. Prednisone is only listed as a last ditch, when other drugs are not addressing pain or for dogs with specific needs for steroids. Generally you avoid prednisone unless necessary (speaking as someone who is on daily low dose preds for a type of athritis). Personally I'd save daily predisone for when absolutely nothing else works for my dogs.
I really recommend reading Rod's information on SM, my
www.smcavaliers.com site, and Clare's information for pet owners with dogs with SM as there is plenty of detail on symptoms, treatment, types of drugs, dosage, recommended order to try, blood tests needed. Clare's site also has a section on CM/SM for vets and for breeders.
I think if you have people who are not treating your dog as you wish, then (as often with SM) it really becomes the owner's duty to be as informed as possible and help make the treatment decisions and ask for changes when wanted. All of us really have found we must be very proactive.
Clare's website:
http://www.veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/
SM section:
http://www.veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/Syringomyelia/
You can download her SM info as well as the treatment algorithm.
I would really work to talk to your vet rather than guess and buy things over the counter without knowing what you are buying -- for Charlie's well-being and yours. This could be dangerous and counterproductive. Gving him 200mg daily in one go, for example, could have been very damaging to his health so this is really important. :flwr: You really need to be working with your vet on this.
Omeprazole is also available over the counter. Sometimes prescription costs less. Omeprazole is off patent and available as a generic OTC and on prescription.
Unfortunately this IS an expensive condition to treat -- which is why we so strongly urge all cavalier owners to immediately get pet insurance that covers genetic disease as soon as they get a cavalier. If cost is a major issue in treatment then you do have a difficult dilemma -- you cannot leave him without the correct meds to adequately treat the condition over his lifetime. I don't have any answers if that is the case but I would recommend shopping around for medications as price can vary hugely (generic gabapentin is actually pretty inexpensive now through places like Costco). Lyrica is still on patent and considerably more expensive. Charlie may not need Lyrica but need a daily painkiller and there are a range of those.
The prednisone incidentally would likely cause him to gain weight over time and make him a lot more hungry.
As noted before Rod has a list of neurologists on his website and marks those known to have managed SM so maybe it would be best to try his list and see if you can find someone in driving distance that is more knowledgable or go back and work with the one you had before, but bring Clare's algorithm and be sure you have read thoroughly on the condition as well to be able to discuss options.