Rusty’s UPDATE on MRI

[Rusty’s Owner]

Rusty had the MRI done today at the other specialist clinic, this neurologist was amazing, very good with Frenchies and very knowledgeable.
He did the exam and then agreed with the other neurologist we seen at the other clinic, and said MRI is next step, we can do it now, and that worked Out good.

We actually seen 2 other Frenchies there today.

They did the bloodwork, MRI, and spine tap.

They said he wouldn’t be under anesthesia for longer than 2 hrs, it was not even 5 hrs after the appointment we got to pick him up, the neurologist called me after he did the MRI which actually didn’t take the full 2 hrs.

Good news and bad news.
Good news:
No brain tumour or cyst, or inflammation of his brain. Glad those are ruled out.

However, the not so great news:

Rusty has IVDD as well, his spine is like a rollercoaster, a few not good areas(he showed us the MRI and explained), so he thinks later down the road, Rusty could have spine issues, it doesn’t cause him pain right now.
He still has the Kink in his spine, but there are areas where the spine is really not good. So yes he also does have IVDD he said.

If this other tests come back good, he has idiopathic epilepsy(no known cause).

I plan to do laser Therapy on his spine in hopes of preventing more spine issues.


Now it’s waiting for Rusty to come out of the anesthesia. He is very dozy right now, and he ate a little bit of his food and I will give him more later if he keeps this down.

Hopefully by tomorrow, most of the anesthesia will be out of him, and he will be better.

I’m very relieved no brain tumour or cyst, but I’m still concerned about his back but definitely glad it’s done and no other things now Rusty needs to go thru.

Im hoping Rusty will recover quick and ok.
Hopefully the other test comes back good.


Cost was $6K☹️ Glad I have pet insurance, they only pay 50% now but it’s better than nothing.

 

[Mavis]

Rusty had the MRI done today at the other specialist clinic, this neurologist was amazing, very good with Frenchies and very knowledgeable.
He did the exam and then agreed with the other neurologist we seen at the other clinic, and said MRI is next step, we can do it now, and that worked Out good.

We actually seen 2 other Frenchies there today.

They did the bloodwork, MRI, and spine tap.

They said he wouldn’t be under anesthesia for longer than 2 hrs, it was not even 5 hrs after the appointment we got to pick him up, the neurologist called me after he did the MRI which actually didn’t take the full 2 hrs.

Good news and bad news.
Good news:
No brain tumour or cyst, or inflammation of his brain. Glad those are ruled out.

However, the not so great news:

Rusty has IVDD as well, his spine is like a rollercoaster, a few not good areas(he showed us the MRI and explained), so he thinks later down the road, Rusty could have spine issues, it doesn’t cause him pain right now.
He still has the Kink in his spine, but there are areas where the spine is really not good. So yes he also does have IVDD he said.

If this other tests come back good, he has idiopathic epilepsy(no known cause).

I plan to do laser Therapy on his spine in hopes of preventing more spine issues.


Now it’s waiting for Rusty to come out of the anesthesia. He is very dozy right now, and he ate a little bit of his food and I will give him more later if he keeps this down.

Hopefully by tomorrow, most of the anesthesia will be out of him, and he will be better.

I’m very relieved no brain tumour or cyst, but I’m still concerned about his back but definitely glad it’s done and no other things now Rusty needs to go thru.

Im hoping Rusty will recover quick and ok.
Hopefully the other test comes back good.


Cost was $6K☹️ Glad I have pet insurance, they only pay 50% now but it’s better than nothing.

I'm glad he doesn't have any brain abnormalities; that is big! I'm sorry about the IVDD; hopefully with your being so careful with him, nothing serious will manifest for many, many years. Not the news you were hoping for, but at least now you can be extra careful with him.

 

[Rusty’s Owner]

I'm glad he doesn't have any brain abnormalities; that is big! I'm sorry about the IVDD; hopefully with your being so careful with him, nothing serious will manifest for many, many years. Not the news you were hoping for, but at least now you can be extra careful with him.

He does have a spot behind his left eye that isn’t yet causing any problems, and that wouldn’t cause the episodes.

The Dr said you are taking such good care of Rusty to me, that was nice of him to say.

Now I know I have done everything possible for Rusty, and like my parents have said as well as the neurologist, if worst case he has a IVDD flare, at least I have done everything possible for Rusty and that’s out of my control if he can’t use his back legs all of a sudden(the neurologist said that’s common), he said if it’s gonna happen it’s gonna happen unfortunately. No guarantee it will or won’t happen.

I’m relieved, and actually can sleep now, I was SO worried about it that I actually couldn’t sleep.

But at least we know for sure no growth on his head, and once those spine tap results come back good/normal, it’s idiopathic epilepsy and IVDD he has.
Wasn’t expecting both IVDD and idiopathic epilepsy.


Hopefully he recovers fast, and today he hopefully will be better.

 

[Rusty’s Owner]

I'm glad he doesn't have any brain abnormalities; that is big! I'm sorry about the IVDD; hopefully with your being so careful with him, nothing serious will manifest for many, many years. Not the news you were hoping for, but at least now you can be extra careful with him.

Rusty has perked up a bit and is mostly back to his playful self, he is barking again at me to play with him! Still seems a little off but mostly back to himself.
I’m very glad he has perked up a bit.

The bottom photo is him being lazy in his cozy crate bed, he didn’t want to come out😊 the other photos are him waiting for me to play(the one of him sitting there) and the one where he has his harness on, he was waiting to go for a walk.


Then my mom took him upstairs to play with her, and she turned her back on him for 30 seconds to do something, I see him coming down the stairs, already half way down already, I stopped him and went to pick him up to take him back downstairs, he just sits there thinking he can do the stairs now. I have never let him do the stairs and he knows to wait, however when he goes up with my mom(she carry him upstairs too and also downstairs usually) he will sometimes sneak downstairs instead of waiting! Darn, especially now being officially diagnosed with IVDD as well as Idiopathic epilepsy, they said no stairs and continue what I’m doing, well Rusty decided to not listen☹️Top photo is him sitting on the stairs thinking he can do the stairs now🙁


Here is the photos:

 

[Mavis]

Rusty has perked up a bit and is mostly back to his playful self, he is barking again at me to play with him! Still seems a little off but mostly back to himself.
I’m very glad he has perked up a bit.

The bottom photo is him being lazy in his cozy crate bed, he didn’t want to come out😊 the other photos are him waiting for me to play(the one of him sitting there) and the one where he has his harness on, he was waiting to go for a walk.


Then my mom took him upstairs to play with her, and she turned her back on him for 30 seconds to do something, I see him coming down the stairs, already half way down already, I stopped him and went to pick him up to take him back downstairs, he just sits there thinking he can do the stairs now. I have never let him do the stairs and he knows to wait, however when he goes up with my mom(she carry him upstairs too and also downstairs usually) he will sometimes sneak downstairs instead of waiting! Darn, especially now being officially diagnosed with IVDD as well as Idiopathic epilepsy, they said no stairs and continue what I’m doing, well Rusty decided to not listen☹️Top photo is him sitting on the stairs thinking he can do the stairs now🙁


Here is the photos:
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He is the cutest little peanut!

 

[2bullymama]

Rusty has perked up a bit and is mostly back to his playful self, he is barking again at me to play with him! Still seems a little off but mostly back to himself.
I’m very glad he has perked up a bit.

The bottom photo is him being lazy in his cozy crate bed, he didn’t want to come out😊 the other photos are him waiting for me to play(the one of him sitting there) and the one where he has his harness on, he was waiting to go for a walk.


Then my mom took him upstairs to play with her, and she turned her back on him for 30 seconds to do something, I see him coming down the stairs, already half way down already, I stopped him and went to pick him up to take him back downstairs, he just sits there thinking he can do the stairs now. I have never let him do the stairs and he knows to wait, however when he goes up with my mom(she carry him upstairs too and also downstairs usually) he will sometimes sneak downstairs instead of waiting! Darn, especially now being officially diagnosed with IVDD as well as Idiopathic epilepsy, they said no stairs and continue what I’m doing, well Rusty decided to not listen☹️Top photo is him sitting on the stairs thinking he can do the stairs now🙁


Here is the photos:
View attachment 15989
View attachment 15986
View attachment 15987
View attachment 15988

He is so freakin Laser therapy will help … we do it for Cheli every month and see a difference in his mobility if we are even a few days late

 

[Rusty’s Owner]

He is so freakin Laser therapy will help … we do it for Cheli every month and see a difference in his mobility if we are even a few days late

Do you do laser therapy 1 day a month or once a week or every 2 weeks?? I’m not sure how often I should do it.
I’m just worried about him suddenly having a flare up and not being able to walk(the neurologist said it’s common for them to be fine and go to bed then in the morning suddenly they can’t walk and can’t use the back legs), which is actually my biggest fear with Rusty from day 1 of getting him.

Im trying to do everything possible to prevent any further spine issues and hope IVDD isn’t gonna flare up anytime soon, or might not even be a issue I hope!

I don’t let him jump on or off furniture, no stairs(of course the 1 day he sneaked half way downstairs), I carry him up and down the stairs, and he sleeps in his crate which he loves and it’s beside my bed(I wouldn love for him to sleep with me but I don’t want him jump on or off or even fall off!).

I’m giving him CBD oil daily for pain/inflammation and seizures(to prevent and maintain), do you give your Frenchie CBD oil? Which brand? The I have Rusty on is not available right now, I’m in Canada.

He also gets green lipped mussels, omega 3 and greens and berry blend(which is needed for his urine health to prevent new crystals from coming back-he has been crystal free for over 2 years now with these supplements), and he gets open farm beef bone broth that has tumeric in it, he gets immunity mushrooms for allergies and keep immune system good. He also gets plaque off dental powder too now.

Anything else you recommend me give him that’s I’m not giving him right now that I should add?? I know that sounds like a lot of stuff but all these supplements are needed for certain health issues to maintain his health but if you recommend something else I should look into for his IVDD and seizures???

Does your Frenchie have IVDD?

Has he ever not been able to use his back legs during a flare or needed surgery for IVDD??


Rusty is only 3 years, I worry about him flare up and not being able to walk one day, that’s always been my biggest fear, I sure hope it never happens though☹️

 

[2bullymama]

Do you do laser therapy 1 day a month or once a week or every 2 weeks?? I’m not sure how often I should do it.
I’m just worried about him suddenly having a flare up and not being able to walk(the neurologist said it’s common for them to be fine and go to bed then in the morning suddenly they can’t walk and can’t use the back legs), which is actually my biggest fear with Rusty from day 1 of getting him.

Im trying to do everything possible to prevent any further spine issues and hope IVDD isn’t gonna flare up anytime soon, or might not even be a issue I hope!

I don’t let him jump on or off furniture, no stairs(of course the 1 day he sneaked half way downstairs), I carry him up and down the stairs, and he sleeps in his crate which he loves and it’s beside my bed(I wouldn love for him to sleep with me but I don’t want him jump on or off or even fall off!).

I’m giving him CBD oil daily for pain/inflammation and seizures(to prevent and maintain), do you give your Frenchie CBD oil? Which brand? The I have Rusty on is not available right now, I’m in Canada.

He also gets green lipped mussels, omega 3 and greens and berry blend(which is needed for his urine health to prevent new crystals from coming back-he has been crystal free for over 2 years now with these supplements), and he gets open farm beef bone broth that has tumeric in it, he gets immunity mushrooms for allergies and keep immune system good. He also gets plaque off dental powder too now.

Anything else you recommend me give him that’s I’m not giving him right now that I should add?? I know that sounds like a lot of stuff but all these supplements are needed for certain health issues to maintain his health but if you recommend something else I should look into for his IVDD and seizures???

Does your Frenchie have IVDD?

Has he ever not been able to use his back legs during a flare or needed surgery for IVDD??


Rusty is only 3 years, I worry about him flare up and not being able to walk one day, that’s always been my biggest fear, I sure hope it never happens though☹️

We worked up to laser once a month, it is a slow progress to a maintenance level. Then you have to monitor to see if they need it more often. I’ve not done the MRI to confirm IVDD, but it is suspected. X-rays many years ago did show some fused vertebrae so that was enough for me to treat him with whatever we can. We do not allow him to use stairs or jump at all for a few years now. We do the laser monthly, give him Movoflex and turmeric paste daily. And we have gabapentin on hand as needed.

you have to try pretty much everything to see what will work for him. Cheli is 11 years old and has no idea he is that age or that he has backend issues. I just closely monitor his behavior to determine what needs to happen for him on that particular day. Cheli loves walks, so stopping those is not an option to me, so I bought him a stroller. We walk till I see he is having issues usually less than a city block, the. I place him in the stroller and the walk continues. Moderation is key … monitor behavior and you’ll get to know pain triggers and limits.

 

[Rusty’s Owner]

Just a update, we got the 2 test results back(spinal tap and the other test), all came back good, now every single test is clear and we know exactly what we are dealing with, the neurologist called me tonight with the results!

So he is for sure diagnosed with:

-Idiopathic epilepsy(no known cause)
-IVDD that’s not yet causing any issues(touch wood it continues this way!)

I am planning on starting laser therapy treatments soon in hopes to prevent any further spine issues.

He loves to sit in the sun.
He is such a sweet boy!

 

[2bullymama]

That is real good news…. Just monitor his behavior and you will know when he is in pain or not feeling well. Tuning in to that is key when dealing with bulldog type breeds as they have a high tolerance for pain so knowing behaviors helps to catch things earl