Doggie's in pain. Help!

I have a 4 year old Rottweiler girl who has a crooked vertabae in her neck that been there for almost 3 years. She been doing great the past few years, but something got it really angry recently. She's stopped chasing UPS trucks and barking at the pool guy...she's in alot of pain and having trouble walking on the right side. We took her to the vet last week and got some meds, but they don't seem to be working well.
We were offered an iffy surgery(50/50 chance it will do anything) at a price tag of 5grand IF the surgeon accepts it. With me being out of work and my dad out from open heart sugery, we cannot afford 5grand.
So what I'm looking for is any kind of alternative therapies...chiropratic, massages, rehab...anything cheaper. She's in alot of pain and my parents are talking seriously about putting her down. Any input will help!

 

your poor girl. Defininately try chiropractic care. I would always try that first for anything bone/muscular wise before resorting to surgery. Since you live in San Diego, yo be able to find a lot of vets specializing in chiropractic

good luck

 

EDIT: I just talked to my vet and they said there was no such thing approved for dogs...human chiropractors say they do it, but it's malpractice. I remember something about equine chiropractors from somone else? Something about them working on dogs as well.
The other option was acupuncture, which would be an ongoing thing or try and find someone who would manipulate the bones as well. She's really pushing the surgery on me though.

 

Ive heard of chiropractors for pets and from what Ive been told some human ones do work with pets if theyre working in conjunction with a vet.

Heres some info for you. I havent seen the website before so I have no idea of the legitimacy or quality or anything so you should do a little research yourself but theres a lot of info in here.

http://www.avcadoctors.com/

and heres a list of certified pet chiropractors in the US, scroll down a little, theres about 50 listings in California.

http://www.avcadoctors.com/certified_me ... states.htm

I dont know what the prices are but Im thinking that if it something that will be ongoing you might end up paying what it would cost for surgery anyway.

If you decide to opt for surgery though I can recommend a place in Arcadia, bit of a drive for you but the vet is a board certified orthopedic specialist, I know him personally, worked for him years ago and he is a good friend now also. He has vets all over California and sometimes from out of State that refer their clients to him. His prices, Im not sure about but I would think probably similar to what youve already been quoted.

Anyways, the place is Arcadia Small Animal Hospital, number is 626-447-2244 and the vets name is Dr Klause.

Good luck.

 

i forgot about acupuncture too. I saw one for foot problems a few years ago and he also does dogs. So give that a try.

I am sorry to hear your vet doesnt agree with these other treatments. Just like some Drs that dont believe in either in accupuncture and chiro.


an ecample from me. several years ago I started developing sever headaches a few months after car accident. went to the Drs, they said it was from stress, couldnt find anything with xrays, they stuck these tubes up my nose thinking it was sinus. I had never been to a chiro and someone recommended theirs, It hought what I have I got to lose.

After 2 visits I was cured almost immediate relief. He said I had pinched a nerve in the base of my neck and that he release it. The only thing that would have showed this is if I had an MRI, which I never got too.


soo, just dont disount these types of treatment just because your vet doesnt.

 

Oh yeah, doctors swear by drugs and stress and think chiro and acupuncture is a whole bunch of hocus pocus. But its not! I know chiro works, but I've never tried acupuncture. i know its supposed to help with pain, but what I really want is that vertabrae back in place.
But...I felt like my vet was full of crap, which sucks...it was such a good, helpful vet and she wasnt giving me any alternatives but surgery and 1000 xrays. I know there are doggie chiropractors around and its not malpractice if someone does it.
I managed to find a holistic vet so maybe thats what she needs. She was so pathetic last night it broke my heart...she can barely get up because its so painful. Thanks alot for the information honeybears!

 

I am glad you are seeing a holistic vet, We have one here and he does chiropractic too

good luck and keep us posted.

 

Update:
We had to put her to sleep today. We think her spine dislocated from that vertabrae this afternoon and she couldnt move from where she was laying 24 hours ago, let alone get up and eat or drink. She was just suffering...so it was time.

 

I am so sorry for your loss.
It was a brave decision you had to make today. I know it was the right thing to do.

 

Thanks, I think it was too. It was just too heartbreaking to see her like that...but now she's in a better place and free of pain.

 

Sorry for your loss

 

I am sorry for your loss - something to bear in mind for the future there are vets who do chiropractic and acupunture work. Holistic vets usually do this.
I would avoid any human chiropractor who says they do animal work.
I'm sorry about your dog - she's pain free now.

 

Onix, I am so sorry for your loss, As you say and remember she is in a better place now and pain free.

honeybear

 

I am so sorry for your loss but I think you did what was right in this situation.

 

Thank you so much guys .
It was a learning experience and now I have a holistic vet as well as a certified canine chiropractor who is in a vet hospital near my house and saved them for future reference. Too bad I feel like the vet Ive been going to for years just wanted my money for the surgery instead of trying to help me fix her noninvasively.

 

Onix...when I had first started taking my Sadie to a holistic vet who did chiro/acupuncture work he kinda scoffed. There is another vet in his practice that I prefer and when I told her she wanted to know how it went. I let her know quickly on that it was working for Sadie...she actually went out and took classes on acupuncture and now they offer it.
Many people go to her for that specific reason. The owner vet didn't see the point so I'm glad he has one vet with an open mind who could see the possiblity and she expanded her horizons.
I think, for older pets, rather than give them meds that could also cause problems it's good to treat them as holistically as possible.
I wouldn't hesitate to use that approach on any of my pets now. Wish I hadn't waited so long with Sadie - she was 10 when I first started taking her and she would have benefitted so much even when she was younger...I was unaware of the procedures.