Lumbosacral Disease AKA Cauda Equina Syndrome - Page 1

Any one here had a gsd who has/had this vertebrae issue- compressed nerves in the L7/S1. Were steroid injections successful for your dog to avoid surgery.
Going through this at the Vet School now.

Steroids, if effective at all, will only provide temporary relief from the pain associated with cauda equina, and frankly, long-term steroid use is not something anyone would recommend because of the serious side effects that come with their use.  The ONLY true solution for cauda equina syndrome is corrective surgery, and it's better to have this done while the dog is as young as possible--you don't want to find yourself in the situation where the dog is now 7 or 8 years old, and because of the steroid side effects, their use has to end, and the dog isn't in any shape to physically handle the surgery. If you need to go the steroid route while saving up for the cost of the surgery, fine, but don't let it go that route for too long.

i feel for you and the dog, but i fear in a few years this problem is as common as hipproblems these days, thank you sv/wusv for the superb job in declining all health problems until we can't get rid of them anymore

I am told that corrective back surgery is rare in dogs- actually at the vet school at Uof F there are no spine surgeons. This disease is common to male gsds the research indicates. Also the surgeons claim that they see many dogs with an MRI like my 2.5 year old but the dogs do not show the signs of the disease. This dog is a direct Remo progeny.

My dog, Radar, had a severe case of cauda equina, and had surgery at a relatively young age, at around 2 years old.  He was operated on at the University of Georgia Veterinary Hospital, with a neurologist and orthopedist performing the surgery together.  He came through the surgery very well and we saw immediate improvement in his gait and comfort level.  I would do this again, in a heartbeat, and recommend U of Ga Veterinary Hospital without reservation.  It was expensive, but saved our dog's life, as his spine was very unstable ( the docs had to install a plate).  

My guy at the L7/ S1 has a small disc protusion into the nerves. They think that a series of 1-3 spinal injections will help the problem.  Cannot imagine how expensive the surgery was- it was $2k for a MRI/EMG and then next day spinal injection. I am told post surgery requires 3 months of rest?

I remember that the cost of surgery was around $3k, I don't think we paid as much as you did for the MRI . . . I seem to recall that Radar spent one- two months in "lockdown" (i.e., crated except for potty breaks), although he is a very high drive boy he adjusted very well to the confinement.  He just seemed to know that it was necessary and he is a very upbeat, practical boy.
But it sounds like your boy has a very different type of issue, I know that for Radar the surgery was needed to save his life as a jump, roll or tumble could have resulted in paralysis.
U of Ga let us know the charges upfront and it certainly would not hurt to give them a call or have your vet give them a call to inquire about costs.

If it comes to that I must certainly will contact them- the UofFlorida wants to take a conservative approach in dealing with this- they gave me a research paper that  has  different ways to go and data of the outcomes over time. Confinement would be a really big issue with this guy with two other gsds in the house.
3K for the surgery is CHEAP in my mind.

It may have been a bit more or less, I just don't remember, the memory of my crippled puppy has long faded, and I am now dealing with an active, happy boy!