Intervertebral Disc Disease/ Back Problems

[Vada]

Hi,
My Vada who is 3.5 years old had been perfectly healthy, until one day she went outside to play and came back in holding her head and neck very different. Then her neck started to have spasms and she seemed to be in pain. I took her to the vet and they told me it was neck/back problems and gave me anti-inflammatories and pain meds and told me to keep her in her crate for 3-4 weeks. After about a week she was still in pain. We then took her to a nuerosurgen. He said since the meds were not helping we needed to do a myelogram (where they inject dye into the spine and then preform a CT scan to look for problems in the spine). They did find a ruptured disc in her neck and she did have to have surgery. They did tell me that she had other abnormal disc but that is common for the breed and may or may not cause problems down the road. It has now been 4 weeks after surgery and Vada is back to her old self. She is till confined to her crate until her next vet appointment. I am just concerend because she is so young and has already had a major back surgery. Has anyone else had a dog go through this surgery? If so how do you prevent it from happining again? How do I prevent them from jumping off the couch and bed etc...? I look forward to hear from anyone who has been through this.

[Piperloo]

;) Hi! I'm sorry that you and Vada had to go through this. Hudson also just went through this surgery in the beginning of February. It was in the lumbar region of her back and more of an emergency situation as she was also paralyzed.

She came through it great with 100% recovery. However, a dog that ruptures one disc has a 25% chance of rupturing another. Unfortunately Hudson fell into that percentage. At the end of April she started limping on her right hind leg. That lasted about a week and then she suddenly declined where one minute she went out to urinate and when she came inside she laid on the inside door mat and screamed in pain. This time it was her neck and it was so bad you could actually see the muscle spasming.

Since then she has been on two different pain meds, cortisone and a muscle relaxer. It has done her wonders and she is in the process of being weaned down from everything now.

There's really no way to prevent another herniation. Obviously for Hudson's second herniation she was simply resting from the surgery. The simple act of posturing to urinate could have made it herniate. Getting startled from sleep, rolling on the floor, doing normal dog things can all cause it to happen. It may not necessarily be the "big" things like the jump from the couch or bed or playing with that big dog at the dog park.

My personal thoughts are this: when she's better I will restrict her to a point. I will keep her from doing crazy acrobatic jumps like from our high bed (the best I can ;) ) but I won't keep her from playing with my other dog, I won't keep her from playing ball or frisbee (although the games won't be quite as athletic), I won't keep her from walks.... I won't keep her "in a bubble" because the next herniation may be "the big one" and then what kind of life will she have had up to that point?

As for right now...while she's healing....for the next few months (it takes the spinal cord a number of months to completely heal)...she is crated when I am not home. She doesn't tolerate her crate well at night - she thrashes and cries. I didn't think that was condusive to her healing so we put our mattress on the floor. If she is on the couch someone is sitting next to her. If no one is on the couch she is on the floor. No exceptions. I put a gate across our stairs so she cannot sneak when I'm not watching. And I squash any dog play that starts between my girls as soon as it starts. (I feel bad about that one because they look at me like I'm an ogre. :lol: ) No park walks, no pet store...we are basically under house arrest. :eek: Yes, it's awful but I keep telling myself - and her ;) it will be worth it in the end. :D

You have to relax a little too and know that "accidents" will happen. Vada WILL get away from you and do something she's not supposed to do. You can't worry yourself to death and make yourself crazy over every little thing. It's not healthy. Hudson has snuck up the steps on me. She's jumped off the couch on my husband's watch. :eek: She refuses to wait to go down the one step out the front door to go outside. I have started to relax about that one. It's very easy to make yourself crazy about every little thing. :lol:

[Piperloo]

Oh! Hudson is only 2 1/2 years old.

[Chefren]

read these articles

http://www.frogdog.org/intervertebral_disc_disease.htm
http://www.frogdog.org/hemivertebrae__by_jan_grebe.htm
http://www.frenchbulldogvillage.com/grebe_interview.htm

;)

[Vada]

Thank you for sharing your story and web address. Vada had her one month check and is doing well. I am just so worried this will happen again. I don't want her to be in pain. These little dogs sure do take up a big part of our hearts.