Reluctance to move: The pain associated with back problems means the dog is unwilling to move and may stand in one spot, head lowered. He may yelp or cry out when you try to put his collar on. Some dogs refuse to eat or drink because lowering their head to the bowl is painful. Arched back: Many dogs with back pain adopt a hunched back stance, and stand stiffly, guarding their movements. They may also sit with their hips turned to one side instead of straight. Altered behavior: The dog may be reluctant to jump up onto a favorite sofa, or not be able to go upstairs to bed.
Severe paralysis can interfere with bladder and bowel function, and the dog may either become incontinent or it may be unable to empty its bladder. Your veterinarian should give you guidance about how to deal with this problem.
When you take the dog to the vet, carry it to the car and carry it into the vet’s office, as moving awkwardly could cause a grumbling disc to rupture.
The vet will gently feel along the spine, being especially alert for local areas of tenderness and muscle “fasciculation,” which is where the muscles twitch because they are sensitized to pain.
Two views are usually taken of each area so as to provide a cross reference: One view taken from the side (the lateral) and one from above or below (the dorso-ventral or ventro-dorsal). [5] X Research source Radiography can provide helpful information about the bones of the spine and the spaces between them, but it cannot provide a picture of the spinal cord itself. For this more advanced imaging methods are needed. A limitation of x-rays is they can be misleading. For example, a narrowed space between two vertebra is abnormal and suggest that the disc is diseased. However, the disc may have ruptured harmlessly to one side and avoided pressurizing the spinal cord. Thus, x-rays can give a clues, which can be interpreted in the light of clinical signs as giving a diagnosis. [8] X Research source Intervertebral disc disease in the Dog. McKeen. In Practice 458-471
This is vital information if specialist decompression surgery is being considered, as it allows the surgeon to know exactly which discs are involved, so they operate in the correct place. [9] X Research source Intervertebral disc disease in the Dog. McKeen. In Practice 458-471 Unfortunately, MRI and CT scans are costly. In addition, the dog also needs to be anesthetized so that it keeps still in the scanner. This will have an additional cost, as well as a further health risk for the dog.
Consider putting up dog gates at the top and bottom of stairs. This will stop the dog from going up or down without your supervision.
You can also add them to the front of your couch or any other piece of furniture that you want to give your dog access to.
Each disc has a spongy center (nucleus pulposus) surrounded by a more fibrous body (annulus fibrosus). Damage to the disc can happen when the liquid core becomes solid and its cushioning effect is lost, or if the fibrous body ages and becomes brittle and prone to cracking or rupture. When force is applied (such as when the dachshund jumps off a chair or twists awkwardly) the disc is prone to shear and tear. If the now-stiff nucleus pulposus presses upwards it puts pressure on the spinal cord, which results in pain. If the disc fails catastrophically the contents of the nucleus pulposus can be forced explosively into the spinal cord and cause nerve damage. [12] X Research source Intervertebral disc disease in the Dog. McKeen. In Practice 458-471 Dachshunds, along with breeds such as the Pekinese and Shih Tzu, are genetically predisposed to premature ageing of the cartilage part of the disc. This, along with the structure forces at work on the spine, mean they are prone to back pain, from ages as young as 2 - 4 years. [13] X Research source Intervertebral disc disease in the Dog. McKeen. In Practice 458-471
