u/Engineering_quest_

Are the desks in the Reston office in cubicles or is it an open office space? Thank you so much!

Hello! I’ll be starting my new position soon and had a few questions.

1.What’s the dress code for the Reston Virginia office? Do most people dress business or do people wear jeans with a nice top? Is there a gym?

2.I’ll have a little over an hour commute. Besides the train, does anyone know of a commuter bus or van service that picks up in PG County? Is the building a short walk from the metro station? I’m going to do a practice run next week to see how early I will have to leave my house.

3.Are DCAA auditors required to submit a daily log of their work? I’m just curious to know if this is still going on.

4.What can I expect from the two week training in Atlanta? Should I plan to dress professionally each day (no jeans). Are we just doing onboarding tasks for two weeks?

Thanks you!!

Maryland/DMV

I’ve been thinking about this for a while.

Would anyone be interested in a thread where we post what state/city we’re in so IVDD owners can connect with people nearby?

When Gizmo (12 yrs old) was diagnosed I would have loved to have someone local who understood what we were going through. I lived in the ER and vet office. I was so lost, sad, frustrated, and scared. It was and is still difficult to navigate (we’re on week four of conservative crate therapy). Maybe people can share recommendations for neurologists, rehab, acupuncturist, home care, etc. Also, you may want to meet with other IVDD parents.

If you’re interested, comment with your state or whatever you’re comfortable with.

I’m in Maryland/DMV

If you’ve reread one, how many times? Which Stephen King books have you read more than twice, and how many times? What is it about those books that keeps pulling you back?

The first book that made me fall in love with reading was The Stand. I was around 12 or 13, and it was also my first Stephen King book. I still remember feeling sad every time I got close to the end of SK books because I didn’t want it to be over. This is why I keep returning to his books.

I’ve reread a few of his books over the years but wonder which ones other people keep coming back to.

Hello all.

Something seems to be going on with my dog. We’re in week 3 of crate rest. He finished his prednisolone last week, and now he doesn’t want to eat. While he was on the steroids, he wanted food constantly, so this is a big change. He’s also been throwing up and has diarrhea. Not much comes out because his stomach is so empty. I’ve been offering boiled chicken and rice which he would normally go crazy for but he doesn’t want to eat with an upset stomach. I read that these issues can happen after stopping steroids.

Has anyone gone through something similar after their dog finished prednisolone taper? If so, how long did it last, and is there anything that helped? I’d really appreciate any advice. I’m hoping this is temporary.

My dog Gizmo was diagnosed with IVDD just a few days ago, and I'm trying to learn as much as I can. He's 12 years old and has always been such a playful, active, happy little dog, so seeing him spend most of his day in a crate is really emotional for me.

We're committed to doing strict crate rest and following all of our vets' instructions. I know we're still very early in this journey, but I would love to hear from others who have been through this. Trust me, I’ve done a lot of research and watch many articles but I still have questions. I’m sure some of these questions have been posted and answered so I apologize for the long list of questions. Even if you can only answer one, please help.

1. How soon after diagnosis did you start acupuncture, laser therapy, physical therapy, or other holistic treatments?
   -Did your neurologist or veterinarian recommend waiting a certain amount of time before starting?
   -If you traveled for treatments during strict crate rest, how did you safely transport your dog?
   -I found a rehabilitation facility that does a full consultation and exam before treatment. Did anyone else go through this, and was it worth the additional handling and travel so soon after diagnosis?
   -Did acupuncture, laser therapy, or physical therapy make a noticeable difference? If so, which seemed to help the most?

2. How long did you do strict crate rest? Did you do the full 6 to 8 weeks?

3. Were your dogs on medications like gabapentin for the entire crate rest period or were they gradually reduced?

4. For those whose dogs lost strength or use of their hind legs, what were the earliest signs that recovery was happening?

5. How did you keep your dog mentally stimulated during crate rest without risking additional injury?

6. How did you prevent weight gain during crate rest. Even with lower calorie food and smaller portions, they’re lying around all day with very little activity. It seems easy for them to gain weight, so I’d love to hear what has worked for others.

7. What improvements did you see during weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8?

8. What products, tips, or tricks made crate rest easier for you and your dog?

9. Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known during those first few weeks after diagnosis?

10. How how often often did you take your dog to follow up appointment with the vet or neurologist?

Thank you for any advice.