Intervertebral disk disease is a common cause of lower back pain in those breeds with long backs and short legs (Dachshunds, Corgis, and Bassets most commonly). The physics of having the back suspended over an unusually long length allows it to bow abnormally and be predisposed to injury. As a matter of fact there is a 20% incidence of disk issues in these breeds, with an average age of 5 years. There are two types of disk disease generally speaking, type 1 is a total rupture of the outer disk layer allowing massive herniation of the inner material against the cord causing damage, acute back pain and neurologic signs. This is the typical herniated disk you think about, and immediate surgery is needed for the best resolution. The symptoms range from a wobbly walk to complete paralysis. Type 2 disk disease is more of a protrusion; a bulging disk, rather than a herniation. It still causes cord damage, but the symptoms are gradual in onset and more minor in appearance. There may be only back pain with no neurologic signs. This type is more typical in large breed dogs, and can be treated with rest and medication to decrease the inflammation for a month before starting rehab.
The primary purpose of rehab for dogs with disk disease is to get the limbs moving again in a coordinated and normal fashion. Most dogs undergoing back surgery for these disks have a time of rear limb paralysis and rehab is important to getting the limbs retrained on normal movement as quickly as possible before there is muscle atrophy. We begin with electrical stimulation to move the muscles. We often include simple passive range of motion exercises to keep the joints exercised. We use therapy balls to improve balance and core strength. Later, the treadmill is used because it moves the legs for the dog, at least in one direction, and we help move the legs forward. The important thing is to retrain the body to learn how to walk again properly. This can be a slow process during which time we continue to improve balance and core strength. Eventually we increase to building general strength and conditioning. The typical post-op disk dog is walking well within 60 days of surgery.
There are many other spinal diseases that occur in the dog: developmental disk disease like Wobbler’s syndrome, degenerative disk disease like some cases of herniated disks and bulging disks, spinal stenosis and arthritis, and traumatic injuries. All can benefit from early rehabilitative therapy.
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