Transitional Veterbral Segment - Page 2

I have a son of 2 time World Sieger Rikkor Bad-Boll.  He has done quite well in the shows, but I stopped showing him and decided to train him in Schutzhund  myself.  I finally found a club where I thought the methods were logical and based on animal behavior and dog behavior and which also provides a lot of instruction, mentorship and guidance.

My boy was doing just great in the training and being developed on focus and precision in obedience and the protection work gradually coming on strong with the dog loving all of it.  He had his BH and AD and was just about to do his SchH1. 

At 2 years when his OFA was done, the presence of TVS was noted on his certificate and he was given a Fair.  However, this fall when he had barely turned 4 years old, I noticed that he was having periods of not eating and hiding in the bedroom in the dark on his nighttime dog bed not wanting to get up.  This is a dog that was always following me around and ready for anything.  He was not limping at all and I thought he had a virus so took him to the vet, blood work done and results within normal limits.  Also quit working him.  But by the time I got results, he had bounced back and was OK again so I did not pursue it further.  Then a couple of weeks later, same thing showed up the day after training the evening before.  This time I clued in and realized the boy was in pain, so I felt along his back, gently massaging as I moved over his back.  When I got towards the tail end, he cried out and his back end fell to the floor.  Back to the vet and X-Rays this time.  I thought they will show nothing.  Wrong.  They showed spondylosis and likely cauda equina.  I retired him from work immediately and put him on Rimadyl which keeps him feeling great.  But he now only has free excercise off leash in a large field, no pulling, jumping, etc.  I also notice that he is now slightly dragging his right hind toe off and on.  I will care for him as pain free as possible for as long as he is able to be comfortable.  It might be one or two years or 10.