[xnbacon]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a good source of info for spinal injuries in dogs (more specifically largeish ones - mine is a Dalmatian)  as mine is currently suffering one. Looks like wear and tear type not trauma.  Obviously she has seen the vet, but I'm interested in reading around, particularly as regards medical management/rehab. She's not having surgery as too many ££s, but I do have plenty of time.  Prognosis isn't great, but I'd like to give her a fighting chance!

[pgkevet]

That's a huge subject  and easy to fall into a trap of assuming that common is common and not assessing the patient fully for metabolic or adnexal causes of spinal weakness.

Start by lookng up how to do neurological examinations and locating the level of lesions. Then look at assesing that part of the body in greater detail.. in other words neck problems have to include the head and neck for masses and hormone influences and toxins etc. Front leg issues have to include joints and chest. Back end weaknesses have to include not just the overview but also back end joints and pelvic diseases and often forgotten (in the male) things like prostate and in both sexes effects from things like sub-lumbar LN pathology.

If you want to jump about a bit and play guessing games about back end issues then fibrocartilaginous embolism, lumbo-sacral discospondylopathy, chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy,  bilateral hip disease, bilateral cruciate disease, hypothyroidism and it's effects on muscles, disc prolapse.

But when it comes down to it the non-surgical management is generally the same (stats on recoveries aren't)

Also never forget that a weakness the patient may have been able to cope with becomes impossible if it has severe heart disease or toxin metabolic problems.

[vfr400boy]

I would go to your local greyhound track and ask to see the bone man , they are loads cheaper than vets and know all they is to know about bones and mussels etc hope this helps

[pgkevet]

I would go to your local greyhound track and ask to see the bone man , they are loads cheaper than vets and know all they is to know about bones and mussels etc hope this helps

 
You'll recognise him by the grass skirt, belt of shrunken heads and the rattles in his hands. Or just go down the pub and find a drunk in the corner for advice.

As it happens i used to do vet duty (dim and distant past) at a greyhound track... odd that they bothered employing a vet with all that free expert knowledge....

[doganjo]

I would go to your local greyhound track and ask to see the bone man , they are loads cheaper than vets and know all they is to know about bones and mussels etc hope this helps

The words Charlatan and  Witch doctor spring to mind

[nutterly_uts]

After the above mentioned vet checks and being given the green light by them can I suggest finding a registered chiropractor or osteopath and looking into strengthing exercises like the things fitpaws offer.

I have a collie here with a suspected disc issue (area is in her sacrum and imaging wasn't clear but I'm not prepared to MRI her at this point - she is getting intermittant unsoundness [very minimal - only a good eye spots it at this point]1) so we've done some vet massage, some hydro, found a fabulous osteopath AND chiropractor and now we've had the green light to start fitpaws-  it works on core muscles and balance to help prevent joint stresses and front or rear loading problems