Dog with back problems.

I know it's log winded, but I wanted to include all the information possible...

My dog Tex had his IVDD episode on Friday night 9/9/11. He was staring at me sitting on the couch and wanting me to pick him up. He usually would put his front paws up on the cushion for me to pick him so I thought it was a little weird that he was just standing there staring. I reached down to pick him up, touched his chest and he let out one of those screaming yelps. He then cowered on the floor, afraid for me to touch him. I wasn’t sure what it was of if I had touched him weird or what. I asked him if he wanted to go potty outside and he got excited and went down the stairs into the backyard. He walked a little, but just kept looking back at me. I figured he really didn’t need to go and said, “O.K. let’s go back in the house.” He just stood at the bottom of the stairs. Then my brain started working and it clicked that it might be the back issues that I had heard about that Daschunds usually have and that I knew his parents had had in the past. I carried him into the house and he hid under a chair. I didn’t bother him. He would try to come out but then just stop where he stood, afraid to move. I decided to put him in a carrier and take him to the Emergency Vet. I called the Emergency center. They seemed to think that it would be O.K. if I waited to see the regular Vet first thing in the morning. He was calm and not shaking anymore so I decided we would go to the Vet first thing Saturday morning. I had looked up a few things on the internet that night, but just to try and diagnose the problem when he originally yelped and I hadn’t come across this site yet. Not knowing any better I took him out of the carrier and we got in bed. We both slept in the same position all night. When we woke in the morning, I put him in the carrier, carried it to the front yard and let him out to do his business. He lifted his leg to pee, just not as high as usual. I then put him back in the carrier and we went to the Vet.

As per his usual, the Vet took Tex back for his exam and came back and talked to me. He said he was going to give him an anti-inflammatory and keep him for observation. He said for me to give them a call Monday afternoon. When I did he said he still yelped a little when he was taken out that morning, that his right leg was a little weak with slight knuckling over, and he wanted to keep him another day. During this time I read everything on the Dodgerslist.com web site and any other site I could find. When I called back on Tuesday to check on him, the Vet asked if he could keep him until Thursday. Feeling confident that I could provide 24/7 cage rest, I said that I would rather have him home. I picked Tex up Tuesday after work. We were sent home with 1 5mg Prednisone tab for 9/14, skip 9/15, 2.5 mg 9/16, skip 9/17, 2.5mg 9/18. Although he felt better, seemed to walk the few steps I let him fine, I kept him caged other than taking him to the potty. It was hard keeping him caged, but for his own good we did it.

On Wednesday 9/14, I gave him the 5 mg Prednisone in the morning. I bought and set up a wire crate for Tex, because he had been recovering in the plastic carrier. After work on Wednesday I introduced him to his new crate where he ate his dinner and played with a Kong. After his dinner I carried him outside to potty. When I picked him up to go back inside he did wince with pain a little. I put him back in the wire crate and after a while it was bed time. I went to bed and left him in the crate. After a while he started whining. I figured it was because he has never not slept in the bed with me when we were both home. He kept whining so I went to check on him. I open the crate to pet him and noticed that he had wet in the crate where he laid and didn’t bother to move. This really scared me, so I picked him up to see if he could still stand and he could move both back legs so I cleaned the crate, put him back in and laid next to the crate to keep an eye on him. He quit whining, but I noticed he was panting pretty hard. This went on for a while and I was really getting worried. I called the Emergency Vet again and they said it was probably a reaction to the Prednisone and again basically talked me into not coming in. I gave him a piece of ice and the panting quit. He then slept throughout the night. The first thing this morning, Thursday 9/15, I picked Tex up to go to the potty. He peed but wouldn’t lift his leg, he just leaved forward a bit, he then took a few steps to go number two and both back legs gave out on him and he sat down. We immediately loaded up and went to the Vet. The Vet wasn’t in yet, so I explained everything to the Nurse/Vet Tech that was in and dropped him off. Especially since today was supposed to be a skip day with the Prednisone, I want the Vet to reassess and maybe change the med schedule. I’m waiting for more information.

Here are my questions:
1. How long does a Vet typically need to keep a dog for something like this before releasing him to the owner? Should I have left him there longer?
2. I’m not sure what dosage of Prednisone Tex was given on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. All I know is that I gave him 5 mg on Wednesday. If he was given a higher dose the other days, and the 5 mg was a taper dose, could that be why he regressed on Wednesday? If he was given 5 mg all five days, is that a strong enough dose? He weighs approximately 20 lbs and is 6 yrs, 11 mos. old with no other health problems. What medicine regimen would you suggest – dosage and frequency?
3. The Vet was unconcerned about prescribing a pain med. Should he have one no matter what, or is it unnecessary in what was initially a mild episode.
4. Also I asked about Pepcid AC and the Vet said that at the dosage of Prednisone he is getting it shouldn’t be a problem.
5. Will proper anti-inflammatories and 24/7 crate rest keep him from getting worse or might he get worse regardless?
6. Does anyone know of a specialist in the Waco, TX area?

I’m frustrated and scared for my sweet dog. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.