06/02/2025
This little guy is as sweet as they come! ❤️🐾
🚨He saw us today for a sudden inability to use his back legs. After doctor examination and some screening diagnostics, we are suspecting he has intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), which in very simple terms is when the spinal cord either gets inflamed, bruised, compressed, or even transected. Depending on the degree of injury you may see just pain (commonly presents as reluctance to go up/down stairs or to jump), or you may see anything from weakness to full paralysis. This injury is common in small dogs that like to jump on/off furniture, but it can be seen in any breed, any age! Dachshunds are predisposed to a form of this injury, as well as overweight animals to some degree.
🏥This condition requires advanced imaging (such as MRI or CT) usually performed by a veterinary neurologist, to be truly diagnosed. On an emergency basis, we control pain💊, screen for other causes that can look similar with x-rays of the back 🩻 and sometimes check blood work🩸, as well as assess ability to urinate (it can be life threatening if the nerves that go to the bladder are involved with the injury and the patient cannot urinate).
🩺Depending on the veterinarian’s neurological exam of the patient, we may recommend immediate referral to a neurologist for work up and/or spinal surgery, or we may discuss medical management trial if appropriate. Some cases can recover without surgery, while others may require surgery to have a chance at walking again.
This precious boy is a candidate for going home with medications and instructions for bed rest and nursing care. We hope with time he regains function in his legs and goes on to live a long life with his family that love him dearly!
❤️🐾❤️🐾❤️
