pets disease

Problems with Degenerative disk disease (DDD) can show up in smaller breeds as early as 3 years of age. In larger dogs, the onset of signs might not occur until they are 6 to 7 years old. Overweight dogs are at an especially high risk of developing complications associated with intervertebral disk disease.
The clinical signs seen with degenerative disk disease and/or disk rupture depend on the location of the lesion and the amount, if any, of the rupture that has taken place. In fact, the extent of pressure or damage to the spinal cord can be estimated according to the signs seen.
Dogs with early or mild cases of disk disease causing slight pressure upon the cord will be quite painful and reluctant to move. Many will cry or yelp when picked up. If the neck is involved, any manipulations attempted will be met with vigorous protests. These pets often prefer not to be bothered, and have the tendency to isolate themselves. Appetites are usually reduced as well. Since nerve fibers responsible for coordinated muscle movement run within the outer layers of the spinal cord, owners may also notice weakness and/or incoordination when their pet attempts to walk.
With more severe disk ruptures, damage to the deeper portions of the spinal cord can become a serious factor. When this occurs, partial or complete paralysis of one or more limbs might result, depending on the location of the rupture. If the entire depth of the spinal cord is involved, these animals will also lose all pain sensation to one or all four limbs, again depending on the areas of the spinal cord involved. Such severe cases carry a very grave prognosis, since treatment at this stage is rarely successful.
In most cases, confirmation of a ruptured disk is made via a thorough examination, clinical signs, and with radiographs of the vertebral column. If the exact location of the spinal lesion cannot be pinpointed with regular radiographs, a special test, called a myelogram, is performed. This test involves injecting a dye directly into the spinal canal. The dye, which can be identified on a radiograph, helps outline the cord lesion and demonstrate the extent of the disk rupture.
The type of treatment instituted for disk disease and/or rupture depends on the extent of the damage done by the disk to the spinal cord.
For those dogs showing only pain with some mild incoordination, a strict 2 week confinement period, either at home or in a hospital setting, is a must Afterward, short 10- to 15-minute physical therapy sessions, including swimming, can be performed twice daily to help speed recovery and return to normal function.
For cases in which the affected dog is having great difficulty walking, strict cage confinement combined with anti-inflammatory therapy and other specific treatment is indicated. If the disease is such that the dog is unable to support weight on the limbs at all, even after medical therapy, then surgery is required to reduce the pres- sure placed on the spinal cord by the ruptured disk.
This surgery, called a laminectomy or hemilaminectomy, works best if performed within the first 24 hours of the injury. It involves the removal of part of the vertebra over the affected cord segment. By eliminating the enclosed space through which the spinal cord runs, the pressure on the cord caused by the inflammation is allowed to dissipate. At the same time, surgeons often elect to perform intervertebral disk fenestrations, aimed at removing the offending nucleus pulposus from the disk in question and from adjacent disks as well.
The prognosis is poor for those pets that are unable to walk and have lost deep pain sensation in their legs as a result of a ruptured disk. The loss of deep pain indicates that the entire depth of the spinal cord is invariably involved, and surgical salvage procedures are rarely successful.
In those instances where surgery is unsuccessful, or in which paralysis is permanent, euthanasia is not always the only option left to the owner. Special “wheelchairs” for dogs have been developed for dogs paralyzed by a ruptured disk or other neurological accidents. Although not suitable for every patient, these carts can help afford mobility to select patients willing to wear the apparatus and an alternative for those owners willing to devote much time and care to their paralyzed pet. If you think that such a device could be applicable to your own pet’s situation, ask your veterinarian for more details regarding this and other management options available.
There are specific measures that pet owners can take to help protect their dog from a ruptured disk. The first and most important is to prevent obesity. Overweight dogs are prime candidates for such complications; hence, they should be placed on a strict diet to reduce this risk factor.
Jumping should be discouraged in dogs predisposed to intervertebral disk disease. Many ruptured disks result from pets jumping off and on furniture. Pets so inclined should be assisted up or down whenever possible. Even better, a small chair or ramp can be placed in front of the dog’s favorite piece of furniture to allow easier access.
Whenever lifting a dog with back problems, be sure to firmly sup- port both the front and hind ends, keeping the back as straight as possible. This stabilizes the position of the spine and affords the handler with better and safer control should the pet struggle.
Surgical intervertebral disk fenestration is often used as preventive measures in dogs that have previously suffered from bouts of inter- vertebral disk disease. As mentioned before, this involves the penetration and removal of the nucleus pulposus from one or more intervertebral disks suspected of causing current or future problems. If this is done, the danger associated with later disk rupture is removed with the nucleus.