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Old 11-09-2012, 06:50 AM   #1
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Default Teddy with "possible" herniated disk disease

Long story short, our 8 month old Teddy woke up one morning with screaming pains when we touched him or tried to pick him up. We brought him into the hospital and when the vet put pressure on his back, he let out a scream. We proceeded with an x-ray and was told he has "possible" herniated disk. I say possible because the vet wasn't 100% sure as the x-ray wasn't clear cut enough to confirm (looked normal to us but she said it's narrow, but we are no vet). He was then prescribed some anti-inflammatories and pain meds and to let him rest with minimal movement for the next 2 weeks or so.

She said worst case scenario is the spongy material in between the vertebrae bursts and pinches the nerve and that's where it gets serious with surgery and possibility of him being paralyzed if not taken care of.

We told her that the prior day, he ran awkwardly into my girlfriend at full speed and he let out a welp, and the following night, he couldn't move. She said that was unlikely, but possibility. My girlfriend said he ran at full speed, blindly into her leg.

Anyway, whole reason for this post is I am worried he will have a weakened back and not recover fully 100% for the rest of his life and he's only 8 months old! We are thinking it may be and hopefully a wrong diagnoses and he just sprained something by running into her leg and will recover 100%.

Anyone have similar experience? Thanks for reading!
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Old 11-09-2012, 06:56 AM   #2
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I don't have experiences with herniated disks in dogs just only people. I am living with it for 14 years now
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Old 11-09-2012, 07:14 AM   #3
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I'd be going to a specialist for a second opinion.
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Old 11-09-2012, 07:26 AM   #4
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I agree with kjc, I would definitely see a specialist who deals with cases like this. This is something that I would want a second opinion on!
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Old 11-09-2012, 10:32 AM   #5
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Definitely see a specialist NOW. In the meantime no up or down stairs, no running or jumping. Crate rest, just out on the leash to potty.

There are a number of treatment options; once a diagnosis is firm from the neurologist.

Some considerations are: 1) Laser Therapy - Class IV or V is most effective

2) Physiotherapy - a specifically designed program to strengthen his muscles.

This may include, treadmill, underwater treadmill work - ball work - ROM etc.

3) Anti-inflammatories

4) Joint supplements.

5) Other complementary therapies - are herbal remedies, chiropractor, acupuncture.

I do urge you to get a definitive diagnosis of the problem area(s), prior to looking at any remedial work with your pup.

It is quite possible that a pup running at full speed into a person's leg, could herniate a disc; how-ever I would believe that if this happened then there is a likely underlying structural weakness. This should be identified if possible, so that the root cause can be addressed.

My boy suffers from DLSS - Degenerative Lumbo Sacral Syndrome. A condition different from a herniated disc, but a condition that could easily lead to herniation.
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Old 11-09-2012, 04:59 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gemy View Post
Definitely see a specialist NOW. In the meantime no up or down stairs, no running or jumping. Crate rest, just out on the leash to potty.

There are a number of treatment options; once a diagnosis is firm from the neurologist.

Some considerations are: 1) Laser Therapy - Class IV or V is most effective

2) Physiotherapy - a specifically designed program to strengthen his muscles.

This may include, treadmill, underwater treadmill work - ball work - ROM etc.

3) Anti-inflammatories

4) Joint supplements.

5) Other complementary therapies - are herbal remedies, chiropractor, acupuncture.

I do urge you to get a definitive diagnosis of the problem area(s), prior to looking at any remedial work with your pup.

It is quite possible that a pup running at full speed into a person's leg, could herniate a disc; how-ever I would believe that if this happened then there is a likely underlying structural weakness. This should be identified if possible, so that the root cause can be addressed.

My boy suffers from DLSS - Degenerative Lumbo Sacral Syndrome. A condition different from a herniated disc, but a condition that could easily lead to herniation.

A specialist is required immediately....limit activity, as stated above, to prevent among other things, damage to his spinal cord which could lead to permanent paralysis.
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Old 11-10-2012, 04:16 PM   #7
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Thanks for the support and advice everyone!

I was keeping him in his crate and minimal movements. The day after the vet, he seemed to have gotten 80% of his energy levels back and with no pain in his back when I put small pressure on it with my hands. I am sure his energy level is probably due to the medication. His back no longer hurts but I am assuming that's due to the pain meds while it's still injured? Because he still tries to run around and jump.

Anywhoo, good news! My vet called me and told me that since she wasn't so sure, she passed it on to a radiologist and he said the x-ray looks normal and my vet said she probably saw some artifacts on the x-ray and thought he had a herniated disc. Could he just have sprained a muscle on his back? Are there even muscles there?

If I hadn't known he got hurt, I would assume he's normal at this moment because he feels no pain and just wants to play, but of course I will keep his movements to a minimal.
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Old 11-10-2012, 04:25 PM   #8
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Very good to hear! Yes, the pain meds will mask the injury, he'll think he's feeling better but without them he may still be painful. He still needs time to heal.
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Old 11-15-2012, 12:19 PM   #9
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If it is a herniated disc, it would not show very well on an x-ray. The only way to know for sure is with an MRI. It's true that you may be able to see a slight narrowing between the vertebrae in an x-ray, which is hard to see without studying very closely. Your vet may have seen something, and I would rather be too careful than to just ignore it completely.

The meds will mask the pain. If the disc is herniated and there is no pain, it is still not okay to let him move around. Movement will make a bulging disk rupture, and a ruptured disc not be able to heal. As it has been explained to me, consider it a scab on a knuckle. If it really hurts to move, you won't move it and it will heal itself. If it doesn't hurt at all and you keep moving it , the scab will keep ripping and need to repair over and over and over and take longer to heal. It won't heal at all until it stops moving.

Personally, the suggestiong of disc disease would be enough to ask for a referral to a neurologist asap. As you can see in my avatar, my baby Layla is paralyzed. She was diagnosed with IVDD in 2010 when she was 4 years old. She was walking funny, with her legs stiff and her back arched, and we took her to the vet who said it could be many things including disc disease, and some things less serious. We took our chances. By the middle of the night she was screaming in pain and her legs went limp beneath her. She was having spinal surgery within about 6 hours but it was too late - there was enough damage to her spinal cord that it could not repair itself.

If you can see a neurologist and get a difinitive or probable answer about his discs, it doesn't have to come down to surgery. Layla had another flare-up in late 2010 and recovered completely with weeks of crate rest and medications (MUCH cheaper!!!)

Since we've gone through it, I have thought the only good thing about this happening to Layla is that we can use her and our own mistakes to educate others going through the same thing. I absolutely regret not taking the steps in the beginning and taking her straight to a specialist. But we all have to live with mistakes and move on. She is as happy as she can be and doesn't even know anything is wrong with her, but it is extra work to care for a paralyzed dog.
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Old 11-15-2012, 12:44 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WiL11o6 View Post
Thanks for the support and advice everyone!

I was keeping him in his crate and minimal movements. The day after the vet, he seemed to have gotten 80% of his energy levels back and with no pain in his back when I put small pressure on it with my hands. I am sure his energy level is probably due to the medication. His back no longer hurts but I am assuming that's due to the pain meds while it's still injured? Because he still tries to run around and jump.

Anywhoo, good news! My vet called me and told me that since she wasn't so sure, she passed it on to a radiologist and he said the x-ray looks normal and my vet said she probably saw some artifacts on the x-ray and thought he had a herniated disc. Could he just have sprained a muscle on his back? Are there even muscles there?

If I hadn't known he got hurt, I would assume he's normal at this moment because he feels no pain and just wants to play, but of course I will keep his movements to a minimal.
Actually there are a LOt of Back Muscles, The paraspinals, the gluteal muscles, the rotatores etc. And yes a grade 2 sprain is possible on any or some combination of the back muscles. Iliopsoas muscle strain can present with trembling in rear legs and weakness.

I can only share with you that given the severity of the pain, albeit that severity was brief, I would be headed out to a specialist, along with the Xrays to have a full evaluation done. In the long run, you may save your dogs legs, and in the short run, you should get a clear evaluative diagnosis that other therapists can model an exercise program on.

Also you vet if they didn't should be doing some basic neuro evaluative testing.

I wish you and your pup the best. And a happy and full life together
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Old 11-15-2012, 02:44 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by linz06 View Post
If it is a herniated disc, it would not show very well on an x-ray. The only way to know for sure is with an MRI. It's true that you may be able to see a slight narrowing between the vertebrae in an x-ray, which is hard to see without studying very closely. Your vet may have seen something, and I would rather be too careful than to just ignore it completely.

The meds will mask the pain. If the disc is herniated and there is no pain, it is still not okay to let him move around. Movement will make a bulging disk rupture, and a ruptured disc not be able to heal. As it has been explained to me, consider it a scab on a knuckle. If it really hurts to move, you won't move it and it will heal itself. If it doesn't hurt at all and you keep moving it , the scab will keep ripping and need to repair over and over and over and take longer to heal. It won't heal at all until it stops moving.

Personally, the suggestiong of disc disease would be enough to ask for a referral to a neurologist asap. As you can see in my avatar, my baby Layla is paralyzed. She was diagnosed with IVDD in 2010 when she was 4 years old. She was walking funny, with her legs stiff and her back arched, and we took her to the vet who said it could be many things including disc disease, and some things less serious. We took our chances. By the middle of the night she was screaming in pain and her legs went limp beneath her. She was having spinal surgery within about 6 hours but it was too late - there was enough damage to her spinal cord that it could not repair itself.

If you can see a neurologist and get a difinitive or probable answer about his discs, it doesn't have to come down to surgery. Layla had another flare-up in late 2010 and recovered completely with weeks of crate rest and medications (MUCH cheaper!!!)

Since we've gone through it, I have thought the only good thing about this happening to Layla is that we can use her and our own mistakes to educate others going through the same thing. I absolutely regret not taking the steps in the beginning and taking her straight to a specialist. But we all have to live with mistakes and move on. She is as happy as she can be and doesn't even know anything is wrong with her, but it is extra work to care for a paralyzed dog.
I agree herniated disks are found with MRI. I would go to a specialist to find out. I would not want to risk it.
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