Degenerative Disk Disease

This is a placeholder text
Group text

by gsdland on 16 June 2010 - 13:06

Hi All,

I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with Degenerative Disk Disease or a blood clot to the spine. My good friends dog is at the vet now getting x-rays and depending on what they find also an MRI. They are thinking it could be DDD and I am wondering how is this caused and has anyone had first hand experience with this. Thanks!

by Rubad on 16 June 2010 - 17:06

I breed Cardigan Corgis, so I do have experience with Degenerative Disk Disease. Check out the Dachshund Club of America disk book for information: http://www.dachshund-dca.org/discbook.html This probably doesn't explain why it might have happened if it is this issue, because in our breed dwarfism is the cause, though many dogs go through life unaffected.

Xrays will tell you little to nothing. In dogs with disk issues, flipping the rear paws over and noting if the paw does not readily flip back into normal position will tell you if there may be a spinal issue going on. The MRI will show what is going on definitively.

If there is pain, it could be a disk issue. If there is no pain, it may be degenerative myelopathy.

by Uber Land on 16 June 2010 - 22:06

not canine, but I was recently diagnosed with DDD, and spinal stenosis.

by gsdland on 16 June 2010 - 22:06

Thanks for the link! Very useful information.. Uber during my search for information I came across this article, dont know if you aware of it but thought I would pass it along to you. Take Care and I wish you good health..

http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/2004/041203.Borgens.PEG.html

by hexe on 17 June 2010 - 04:06

Degenerative disk disease will produce evidence of chronic pain that will show some degree of response to pain-relieving medication; a spinal fibrocartilagenous embolism, or blood clot, will generally only involve pain at the moment the embolism connects with the spine, and for no more than 24 hours afterward, and from then on the dog will probably not be in pain yet still be showing evidence of loss of mobility (how severe this loss is depends on where the embolism connected with the spine). What symptoms were seen in your friend's dog? Was this sudden onset, or has this been coming on gradually? An MRI will provide significantly more information than an x-ray, but is also significantly more expensive (I was quoted $3000 two years ago when I took one of mine to a veterinary imaging center, and prices generally go up, not down...)

by gsdland on 17 June 2010 - 12:06

Hi Hexe,

My friends dog had sudden pain and refusal to use his rear legs. He is a 2 year old GSD. They went ahead and did x-rays, bloodwork and an MRI yesterday and all was clear?? The did a spinal tap while he was under and results will be in this morning. They have been talking about mosquito or tick diseases and possibly menangitis.. I will let everyone know what the result is..

by hexe on 17 June 2010 - 22:06

Sounds like he's got a good medical care team working with him; they're following the logical progression of rule-outs, so hopefully the spinal tap will reveal a definitive diagnosis so they can get started on treating it and reversing the partial parlysis. My best to the owners in this frightening and difficult time.

by gsdland on 18 June 2010 - 00:06

Thank you Hexe. Ok, so they were able to pick up their dog today, he is feeling bettter, had a bowel movement and is walking and eating?? Very confusing? The diagnosis they gave for the pet insurance is Meningomyelitis and Polyarthritis.. I guess the vets dont know? They said that his brain, spinal column and joints all have fluid and they are going to send out some more tests for fungal growth? But his tap and MRI were ok.. He is home resting and they sent him home on antibotics and said if he starts to decline again they would prescribe steroids.. All this to the tune of $5500 in less than 24 hours with no answers. I am now applying for pet insurance myself!!

by hexe on 18 June 2010 - 03:06

What part of the country/world are we talking about with this dog? Since the imaging didn't indicate anything mechanical (damaged disk or vertebra, evidence of a clot or obstruction impinging on the spinal cord), the next logical rule-outs will be bacterial, fungal and parasitic causes for the paraparesis. That the dog has regained motor function in the hindquarters is an encouraging sign.

by gsdland on 18 June 2010 - 11:06

We are in the US in New England. I have to find out what other tests they are doing but my friend was dealing with 2 young kids and her poor dog and trying to get everyone settled so I told her I would talk to her later, I know she said Fungal tests and something about a tick borne disease but her regular vet just did a 4DX and all was negative so she didnt know why they were testing again? What other things can cause this if its not mechanical?

Contact information Disclaimer Privacy Statement Copyright Information Terms of Service Cookie policy ↑ Back to top

Degenerative Disk Disease - Page 1

Pedigree Database