The only person who can give you advice on this issue is your Vet.

Pick up the phone, call your Vet, and ask these questions. Something he should have already told you in the first place.

he is probably experiencing pain because you are lowering the dose on the pred. if this is the case then it means that the steroid treatment wasnt effective and you need to talk to your vet about other options. really the next option is surgery which is very expensive and probably will need to be done by a specialist. your vet can recommend you to one in your area. there are other stronger steroids that you could try but really i would let your vet guide you in this as it is a very touchy subject. it is also very common in doxies. good luck and hope he feels better soon

You need to call your vet or speak to a specialist. Herniated disc is a serious issue in dachshunds and need to be taken care of. Sometimes surgery is the only way. If the dog ends up needing surgery, the sooner the better.

When the time comes that he will need surgery on his back, you’ll want a vet who has performed many of them.

This is an extremely common issue in dachshunds. I did a paper on this for school…here’s a link with some good info.

http://www.dachshunddog.net/health.php

Also, Pred is not exactly for pain. It’s a steriod. Did they give him anything else? If not, call your vet and ask for something. There are plenty of safe pain meds that they can prescribe.

It is proabbly good that he is being weaned off the Pred. Steroids are generally good for short-term help, but are hard on the body when given long term.

If surgery if not an option, our vets have had good success managing pain with a combo of Deramaxx and Tramadol. They typically use this with their cancer patients and after major surgeries.

He should get some bloodwork done if he is going to be on any type of medication long-term. Your vet will be able to monitor him for proper organ function and make sure the meds are doing any damage to his organs.

You can also try warm heat applied to his back, like those rice bags that you put in the microwave. And if he’ll let you, some gentle massage for the rest of his back, but not directly where the herniation is. Down his neck, shoulders and legs with a soft touch. This will help keep the blood flowing and alleviate any stiffness. Of course, don’t massage if it makes him uncomfortable.

Here’s some general info about Intervertebral Disc Disease:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2373

Talk to you vet first and see what is recommended. Another option other than surgery is a cart for your dog, to help relieve any further injuries and pressure on the spine. It is a very serious and common condition is this breed of dog, and they can still live a happy and healthy life in a cart. A good site for dog carts is http://www.discountdogcarts.com. Hope this helps.