SLIP DISC - Page 1

Hi Can anyone helpme pls! One of my top show dogs has slipped a disc in her back and cant use her back legs but still has feeling in them and they are still warm. If anyone has every experienced this in any of the dogs could they please let me know what the treatment was and what the outcome was please. Thanks in advance Emma

Emma, I have a 9 y.o. male that has a spinal leison. He injured himself by chasing along the horse corral and then jumping up to bark over the fence, and landing on his hindquarters. He was entirely unable to use his back legs. I immediately took him to the vet and had him xrayed. While relieved to find that his hips were excellent, he had done extensive damage to his spine. He weighs in at 130#. I brought him home on pain meds, Metacam. After the 3rd day of watching him unable to move, with heavy heart, I made an appointment to have him put down. Lo and behold, and as if he had heard me make the appointment, he raised himself up and began taking tiny painful steps. Needless to say, I cancelled his appointment. Within a week I was able to take him off the pain meds, and he was back to running with the other dogs. Today he moves oddly in the back, but keeps up with the other younger dogs on our walks up and down hills across the desert. He chases rabbits, birds, annoys the other dogs (lol, he's loveable, but something of a bully)and is a happy energetic dog. Every now and then he needs a dose of pain meds, but it's very infrequent. And, yes, if you watch him move you can tell that something is different in his movements. But, I can tell you that he is a happy guy that loves and enjoys his life.

Find a chiropractor that treats dogs. The sooner the better so permanent damage isn't done.

You do not say how the injury was diagnosed. Assuming the dog really has a disc injury, the sooner you have some sort of definitive treatment, the better. To wait means the possibility of permanent paralysis. Once the injury is repaired, then a wonderful way to rehabilitate the dog will be to swim it. Again, it is very urgent that you have an experienced veterinarian or neurosurgeon look at this injury immediately. Good luck.

I have to agree with Hodie 100%. Get him to a good vet now. If need be do a mylogram. Even the swelling that comes with trauma can do plenty of damage. All he might need is some anti inflammatoris! Get him in asap. I got my fingers crossed for you.

Hodie is so right. When there is a possible spinal cord injury, the situation is not one to be fooled with, especially since there is usually bruising which causes swelling. When my dog was 8 he started walking as if he had myelopathy (sp), I was scared to death but took him to my vet right away. He also thought it was myelopathy, but sent me to a neurosurgeon. That vet did a mylogram & diagnosed disc injury. He performed surgery & my dog recovered 100%. I attribute this to great vets & quick action! Also the recovery was very fast thanks to lots of swimming. I'm keeping everything crossed for you too.

I had a dog with a herniated disk in his lumar region once. I had the two vertebrae on either side fused surgically at the University of CA VMTH. He had a complete recovery. I know two other dogs who underwent the same procedure, one with cerebral vertebrae, one scral. They too recovered fully and one even went on to take 2nd in the North American FH Championship (Grimm Heidemark). It ain't cheap, and I wouldn't have spinal surgery performed anyplace that didn't have a sterile operating suite, but done right, with a carefully planed and executed recovery/physical therapy program (mine included a lot of swimming) a complete recovery can be enjoyed. Good luck. BTW: Most VMTH's are a lot cheaper than private vet hosptals, especialy early in the year when the teaching grant money for "interesting/unusual teaching opportunity cases" is still in the faculty kitty. SS

BTW: I don't know where you are, but most VMTH's are open 24/7. If your dog is in distress, just GO. It'll cost you maybe $200. more for the after hours call, but they can get started taking tests right away. By morning you should have a definitive diagnosis, treatment options, prognosis, the works, and leave there, with or without the patient, secure in the knowledge that everything possible is being done for your "baby"... and done RIGHT! If you call as you pull up to the door the techs will have a gurney out front to meet you. Take a book, laptop or something to read and a pillow/fleece throw to make yourself comfortable with while you wait, and wait, and wait. If you have a long way to go, your dog does need surgey, and you want to wait instead of making another round trip, the people there can usually recommend an inexpensive motel nearby. Don't feed your dog before you go or give him much water (unless its between 5 pm midnight, as they usually only do surgeries in the mornings) but take his food with you for when he wakes up in case he DOES get surgery in the morning. Again, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Now get goiong! (You can worry about re-fi-ing your house for the bill and the parking ticket for leaving your car running in front of the hospital door later...)

HI thanks for all ure replies. Just to add i took her to my vet who did an x-ray and diagnosed the slip disc. (Thia was done straight away). Since my last post the dog has had intensive steriod treatment to take done the inflammation she has also had anti inflammatories (metacam) to easy the pain. It was very painful to watch one of your top show dogs who happens to live in the house go to bed and wake up not being able to work. We think the injury happened when she jumped on a box and twisted back and fell. It came to the point when i said to my vet if theres no improvement i couldnt watch the dog suffer as normally she is so active and loves running round the fields at home i would have no choice but to consider putting her to sleep. But then i looked up on the internet to see if there was any osteopaths near me and blow and behold there was one just 20mins away so i made an appointment and off i went at 8pm one night. The osteopath was honest and said she didnt think her treatment would work but i asked her to try anyway as it wouldnt hurt. So she carried out the procedure and the dog relaxed and looked as if she enjoyed it. The session finished and i picked her up and put her in my car to see her stand up on her own and turn round i was amazed and the osteopath was shocked. That little walk gave me a little hope for my dog and everyday at the moment i can see come kind of improvement. Today she goes out to the garden with minimal support from an old curtain around her stomach. She walks quite well but tends to drag her legs now and again but considering she couldnt even walk i think thats a huge improvement. She is on steriod tablets now and im just watching her improve daily. Thanks for everybodies advice and il keep everyone posted on her outcome.

Emmaj, Again, I do not know where you live or what type of medical help you have available. Steroids can help, but, if the disc is causing pressure that is NOT relieved, the hope for this dog to be normal again is not very good. This is why I say it is very Urgent that you take the dog to a neurosurgeon who might be able to do something to give permanent relief. No one can make a decision except for you about whether to put the dog down or not. But I would hope you would check out the alternative. The longer this pressure exists on the spinal cord or nerves, the less likely it is that the problem will go away. It may be that the neurosurgeon would not recommend surgery, but if it needs surgery, it would be good to know that option exists. I am sure it will be expensive, but it may be successful where doing what you are doing now might not be. Best wishes.