Slipped Disc in Pets?
This Saturday morning, my dog (black lab/beagle mix; roughly 45lbs – average weight) was having trouble walking. My mom and aunt took her to the vet, and the vet said that she had a slipped/herniated disc in her neck. The vet gave her a steroid shot and explained that she is a candidate for surgery, which is roughly $3,000. That’s out the the question. The vet told us that another possible and rather effective treatment was steroids and a muscle relaxer, given daily. The vet said she should show improvement over the weekend. It is now Sunday evening and Lucky has shown no signs of improvement, if anything, has gotten worse. She is paralyzed in a sense that she can no longer move her hind legs, and lays in her bed all day. To take her to the bathroom we have to carry her outside and have one person hold her up with a towel, while the other moves her tail etc. It doesn’t look like she is ever going to get better. Has anyone ever had a pet that was had this happen to them, and, have they recovered? What was the outcome?
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16 Answers
It is common among the daschunds due to long back. We had one once who herniated a disc; long before the options of canine surgery existed. A sad ending but a quick one at the vet’s.
An online site suggested trying to find an animal chiropractor.
The steroids/pain control only works in cases where the damage is not particularly severe. If surgery is truly not an option, it’s worth giving her a few more days to see if they’ll take effect. But she will not spontaneously improve at some point in the future.
Try to find a local group that might offer pro bono work, or at least work at a lower cost. Any vet training facilities in your area? Do some research, you might just find a way to make the surgery happen. Good luck!
This happened to my whippet. The surgeon said that there were no guarantees and the surgery could paralyze him (his was not his neck).
He said our other option was to crate him and not allow him to move for three weeks, and that he might heal on his own that way. We did that, carrying him out to go. We figured if it did not work, we could then try the surgery. He recovered, but had to be careful not to reinjure it. He lived many more years, ran and played, etc.
If this were my dog, I would take him to a specialist before making a decision.
Thank you all for your kind words. It’s now about quarter after nine on Sunday night. My parents have just sat me down and told me that unless Lucky makes a miraculous improvement overnight, my parents are going to take her to the vets again tomorrow morning, ask if anything else is in order, and then put her down. I personally don’t want to see this happen, and it breaks my heart since this is my very first dog and we have raised her since she was a puppy. I’m asking for you all to keep Lucky in your prayers and I will keep you posted on what happens.
Oh, aanuszek1, I am so sorry. It breaks my heart to hear that. I will pray for Lucky tonight.
My thoughts will be with you and Lucky tonight.
Here Goes. Today I ended up going to school, only because I had an extremely large project due in civics, and I did not want to let my partner down by not bringing my half of the project. I barely made it through the day, and not to mention marching band practice after school until 4. My mom picked me up from band, and she said that we had put Lucky down and buried her wrapped in her favorite blanket, along with her favorite toy, curled up in a ball like how she sleeps. My mom and I drove to my uncles, which is only two minutes away, and walked down to the edge of the woods where we buried her. I stayed there for ten minutes or so, and then walked back up to our car, picked up some KFC, and came up to my room, where I am now, crying my eyes out as I type this post. It’s going to take a long time to move on from this. I have one other dog, Daisy, who looks almost exactly like Lucky, except she is a bit heavier. I can’t even bear to look at her because she reminds me of Lucky. Everything l do and see, reminds me of Lucky. The flattened couch cushions where she would sleep, the leaf piles she would love to run through, and so many other countless little things. I just don’t know what to do… :(
Take care, and know that she isn’t suffering anymore.
Aanusket!: I’m really sad to hear about Lucky’s ending. You are grieving; it is physical and needs to run its course. Sometimes, writing, as you are to the collective, helps a little. Maybe at some point, when you are ready, make a little grave marker or put a pretty large stone on the spot. Woods change; you want to be able to locate the site.
Life without love is safe; but who wants that? And Daisy may well be grieving too. Help her as soon as you are ready. A collective hug. ( )
Thank you augustlan and gail for your comforting responses. It’s just going to be so different without her here… :(
@aanuszek1 I am so glad that you and Lucky had each other for a while. She will still be in your heart. Take care.
There are also alternatives to giving those shots. Ask your vet about pills.
You’re a Month to late…
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