# herniated disk



## bernadettelevis (Feb 2, 2011)

I just returned from my vet. We made an x-ray just to be sure there isn't any metal left in his system and there isn't which is pretty good.

However the vet also saw on the x-ray, that Levis has almost no intervertebraldisk between two vertebrae behind his ribs. This might lead to a herniated disk in the future. He doesn't show any symptoms though (or yet).

So this means no ball or stick fetching and of course i will stop agility.Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there anything i can do to help prevent a herniated disk? Anything i can feed him??

I'm pretty shocked right now since he doesn't show any signs or symptoms. Plus he's pretty active and i don't want to and can't forbid him to run and jump around....:frown: any suggestions or experience with something like this is welcome...


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

How old is Levis? How long has he been living with this that you didn't know about it?

Chelsy had a herniated disk when she was 3 years old. It is fairly common in Lhasa Apso's since they are so long and low to the ground. My first Lhasa had one in her neck but hers happened when she was older and just caused her some discomfort.

Chelsy's actually completely herniated and happened suddenly in the evening. She started screaming in pain and we had to rush her to the emergency room. By midnight she couldn't move her hind quarters so they operated on her and totally removed the disk and fused the lower vertebrae together. The vet was very reassuring and said he did about 4 of the surgeries a week (this was over ten years ago) and predicted a complete recovery for her. It took about 3 months but she got back almost total use of her back legs. Her one leg had a tiny limp which actually disappointed the surgeon...he wanted a total and complete recovery. Most people could not tell there was anything wrong with her.

When she was about 11 years old when she developed more disc problems but at that point we chose not to operate again because it is not causing her a lot of pain. She is now almost 15 and takes medicine twice daily. She stumbles and falls over but she gets herself around. She is a really severe case of disc disease. Most dogs can have a problem and you will never know it. BUT, surgery to fuse the discs is tremendously successful if they need it and I would do it in an instant again if another dog ever needed it. Chelsy was in a lot of pain before and after the surgery (and it was expensive) and recovery took a long time with some physical therapy on my part helping her, but it was well worth it and gave her a normal life. She could run and play like a normal dog again.

As far as restricting Levi's activities now, I would seek out a second opinion from a specialist, preferably one who would be doing the surgery if he does end up herniating the disc completely. I'm not sure it is necessary to restrict him completely his whole life to prevent something that may not happen. It might only be things like high jumps. 

Chelsy had her surgery done by a specialty hospital who just happened to run the emergency room the night I took her in so we were lucky.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Man, I am so sorry. 

Even if you trust your vet, you might get a second opinion. I know with Snorkels I took a vet's word for it once (not related to discs but it WAS related to x-rays) and it costs me much money, alot of stress, and I gave her really strong medications that she had to be weaned off slowly once I found the vet was full of patooty.


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## bernadettelevis (Feb 2, 2011)

Thanks! Levis is 2 and i don't know for how long he's had it without me knowing. The thing is you can't see anything, no pain no limping he runs and jumps round....also when he gets up after sleeping i can't see anything wrong with him...this is why i would have never thought of him having something like this.

And i am defenitely going to get a second or third opinion. I like my vet but i do not know who experienced she is with something like that. I'm defenitely gonna show the x-ray to my horse-vet, i don't know how much she knows about dogs, but with things like this in horses she is the best and she sees things on the x-rays other vets don't and a friend recommended another vet who treated her beagle who had a herniated disc. 

I just hope it wont restric his livestyle and activity too much. But I'm already looking for an alternative for agility, maybe tracking or mantrailing! It's just not worth it 

But thanks for your responses it does relax me a bit.


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