[Teresa51]

GEEZ!! I thought I posted this a couple hours ago but apparently I didn't click the right button, so now here is the much shorter version!

My 7 1/2 yr old dachshund has suffered a back injury a little over 3 weeks ago. I cannot say when or how it occurred although I suspect it was when he jumped out of my vehicle one day when we arrived home. I cannot be sure, however, because he did not yelp or give me any indication that he might be hurt.

At any rate, I noticed about 3 weeks ago that he was acting a little strange, not as lively, and when I brushed ever so slightly against his jaw with my leg, he yelped. He yelped again (something he does not do) when I picked him up to take him to the vet.

The vet gently pricked his all up and down his spine and determined that he was sore in the middle section about 4 inches long. He gave me prednisone and rimadyl for 10 days. (Note that the vet did not give me any information about what to expect with these meds nor what I should do to help my dog at home. And I didn't know enough the vet well enough to ask anything. I assume a doctor tells you all you need to know.)

The meds seemed to work magic and my dog was up and running around as normal. 6 days after the vet visit, late at night, my dog jumped quickly out of my lap and when he hit the floor, he let out a fairly loud yelp. He then moved, hunched back, tail tucked, to the door and I let him outside. He then laid down on the grass, and when I tried after a while to pick him up to bring him back inside, he "hollered" very loudly 5 or 6 times. I finally got him inside and several hours later I was able to get some of the Rimadyl (for pain) in him.

The next night (Saturday) as he was sitting in my lap again, I noticed 3 small knots/lumps on his spine in the middle section. I took him back to the vet in a few days to show it to the doctor. He felt it, and could not tell me what it was. I told him the story of my dog jumping off my lap and being in such pain on that Friday night. He fussed at me for letting the dog jump on and off the couch----which I honestly did not know that would be a problem, since it has never been a problem in the past, and I have never been told this. The vet then gave me some more meds.

This past week, yesterday and 5 days earlier, my dog has been in pain once again but I have no idea what is triggering his pain. He hunches his back, tucks his tail, gently walks around in a circle as though he doesn't WANT to sit, and holds up his front right paw. Last night when this occurred, I gave him 1/2 an aspirin because I had run out of the meds the vet gave me. I called the vet (just happened to catch him before he went out of town for the 3 day weekend), and explained my dilimna and the 3 small knots on the spine again---hoping he could tell me if the 3 lumps have something to do with the pain my dog kept experiencing. He said he didn't know what the 3 knots could be. (no help!) I called the only other vet in the area, and could not reach him. It being a holiday weekend, it seems the help has all left the country.

My questions are:

(1) Has anyone else experienced any small lumps on the spine of your dachshund? What are they? (To add, I have never noticed this knots before the night after he jumped from my lap---so I think they are a new occurance).

(2) If it is not the lumps/knots that continue to cause my dog pain, could it be that his normal walking around the house would be triggering his pain? I mean, he walks around lively as he always has, tail wagging non-stop, and shows no sign of a problem, but then later in the day, he is in pain, and I am baffled as to why.

(3) How can I possibly know when he is all better? Medication makes him feel good (including the aspirin) and he wants to do everything as he always has. He is not showing any weakness in his hind legs, and only has favored that right front paw on 2 occasions. He also still has the sensations to empty his bladder and bowels. I have been picking him up each time he wants to go up or off the couch, and I have been somewhat diligent at carrying him up and down the 4 porch steps when he goes outside.

It simply breaks my heart to see him in pain, and I have boo-hooed quite a few times over the past 3 weeks as I felt helpless to do more than I was doing. :(

[fixius_ae]

I don't know about the knots. I'm sorry. I would be worried to. But my grandparents have a dachshund and they were told by a vet that because the dachsunds legs are short and their backs are so long that if you continuously let them jump from chairs, furniture, stairs, cars, etc. that it will cause back problems. So if this is just now happening I'm sure he can get better. But a thing to know about medicine... the way medicine works is that it blocks the pain receptors in your body so that you simply can not feel the pain. It does not mean that the soreness is gone or that the problem is resolved. So when you let him run around all chipper (which is a good sign, seeing that he feels better would make me a little less concerned about the knots) when he is on his pain meds, you may be doing more damage to his back because the problem is still there. Think about it this way. If you strained a muscle in your back and took medicine and it felt better, then started to lift things and do all sorts of activities engaging your back, would you not notice that you had done all those things. No. You would feel even worse because you had done more with a sore back. Just because you can not feel it does not mean you are causing damage. That is the wonderful plus of medicine and the down fall. You need to make him rest for at least a month. That is what a human would need to do. My mom recently had a back injury and she kept doing activities. Well she is still hurting to this day 3 months later!! Just make him rest. Also I just thought of something. The knots could be inflammation. Maybe you could switch him to Ibuprofen (which has an anti-inflammatory in it) from the asprin. But make sure he gets a ton of rest, no stairs or jumping or playing, just rest. And see how that helps. And he may not need pain meds if he is just resting, but just watch and see if he starts to favor his back like it hurts. And I'm sorry about how unhelpful your vet is. I have had a similar experience. It cost me $700 and they had no idea what was wrong with my puppy. Good luck and maybe you should try a new vet if this doesn't get better.

[Teresa51]

Thanks for the response.
I think I read not to give your dogs Ibuprofen, but to give aspirin instead. I suppose I should "google" that info again to be sure.

Although I do not have a crate to crate the dog, and I have been limiting his activity pretty well the past couple of days anyway by being constantly around him, I am thinking of "quarantining" him to about 3 or 4 feet in my small hallway with 2 child gates to keep his walking around to a minimum. But again, how in the heck will I know when he is well enough to lead a normal life to be 'released'?

I have compared my dog's problem with a strained muscle pain I had in my back about 6 years ago, and I don't remember mine taking this long to heal.

Since the vet did not mention that he thought the small lumps were inflammation, I just don't know. I had thought at one point that that would be a good sign as to when he was well---the lumps were gone. I don't think they have changed size since I first found them.

Am I just worrying too much?

[froggy7]

No, you aren't worrying too much. And, since you have a doxie, I am flabbergasted that your vet hasn't mentioned that it's possible that your dog is suffering from problems with the spinal disks. Doxies are notorious for having sudden ruptures of the disk. They can be fine when they go to bed, and entirely paralyzed in the morning.

If you want my entirely unprofessional opinion: confine your dog in as small of a space as you can, until you get him in to the other vet for a second opinion. If I were you, I'd buy a crate for him just big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and lie down. Carry him outside to go potty, and then it's back in the crate. You want to minimize movement as much as you possibly can. If this is a disk problem, you can look forward to at least 6 weeks of doing this, along with anti-inflammatories to reduce pressure on the spinal cord. If the disk has actually ruptured, and isn't just bulging, then you are probably looking at surgery to remove the disk material.

I cannot impress on you too much that this could be very serious. If it is a spinal problem, your doxie could wind up paralyzed below the level of the problem. This is not something to mess around with, and I am shocked that your vet has taken such a laidback approach with your dog.

[Teresa51]

I am very seriously leaing towards taking him tomorrow (after the holiday) to the one other vet that is in our area. The vet I have taken him to has not mentioned confinement at all, and the only reason I know anything about that is because I saw something about it on-line as I was searching for answers to my dachshund's problem (after the vet visits).

I am hoping, froggy7, that you are wrong and that this is not very serious but more like an inconvenience for him for now (the confinement, the limited activity, etc.)---that he has just suffered a strained muscle that won't heal completely because he hasn't had enough rest.

My main concern still is: What are those little knots on his spine?

[froggy7]

Can you describe the lumps any? Are they round, irregular, hard, soft, squishy? Do they move relative to anything? Does your dog seem to be in pain if you touch them?

And I hope that it's not anything serious too! But for now, I'd play it safe until you can see the other vet. Confining him for a day won't hurt him any, and better to do that on a false alarm than have him make the condition worse.

[Teresa51]

froggy7, the 3 knots seem to be hard. I have not pressed them to any extent for fear of causing pain. Snickers (my doxie) has shown no discomfort when I touch them. If they have changed in size since I first discovered them, then I don't know it (meaning the change would be miniscule). They are round and an even distance from each other down the spine. They do not move relative to anything as far as I know but are stationary. I would not know they were there if I did not feel them---you don't notice them by just looking at him.

[froggy7]

This may be a silly question, but it's not just the vetebral spines, is it? If you ever look at the spine, the vertebra are rings with little pointy-out bits. You can see those in people's backs. You should be able to see/feel them in your dog' back, too, but I'd think that you would have noticed those earlier.

[Teresa51]

I suppose its not a silly question since you are trying to understand what I am talking about... although it is kinda silly. HA!

No, its not just the vertebral spines---I say that because it is only the 3 knots that I feel, nothing more. The rest of the spine feels rather smooth---so it is a very noticeable change. And I pet my dog frequently, and just noticed these small protrusions within the past 2 weeks.

[danielnoahsmommy]

can it possibly be herniations? Did they take x-rays?

from what I understand dogs can take intera-coated aspirin. I hope that helps.

[Teresa51]

Thought I would pass along the update on my doxie.

I took him to a different vet this time, where x-rays were done. My dog's pain seems to be caused, in part, by calcification between 2 discs. He also is showing a disc condition that will probably result in chronic back pain for the rest of his life, but nothing that can't be managed, per the vet.

Froggy7, you will be interested to know that YOU WERE RIGHT!! The 3 knots I was so concerned about because I had never felt them before were the vertibrae. The vet said that the reason I was now feeling them was because my dog is arching his back. I said, "THAT is arching??" because I could only see a slight curve. At any rate, I was quite relieved that it was nothing to be alarmed over.

As far as the calcification and pain, I am to confine my doxie for 2 weeks---restricting his activity. Again, Froggy7, you were correct. I go back in 2 weeks to check on any improvements---I suppose that means more x-rays!

Thanks for your help everyone!

[froggy7]

Thanks for reporting back. I'm glad to hear that it's manageable. My greyhound has a bulging disk, so I am paranoid about spinal problems. You may want to talk to your vet about Adequan. It's indicated for arthritis in dogs, but seems to have some cartilage protecting properties as well. It's not a drug, but a naturally occurring substance that they get out of cow tracheas, so it won't hurt anything to try it... no nasty side effects. And it seems to have helped my girl feel better and move better.

[Teresa51]

Thanks again, froggy 7. I will write this down and will ask the vet when I go back in 2 weeks.

I must tell you that I feel much more confident in this new vet. Because I am a detailed-oriented person, I greatly appreciate that he also seems to be---and without me asking, gives details (and even draws pictures) to explain everything.

[froggy7]

It's good to hear that you like this vet more. I had a hard time when I moved... I interviewed 5 vets, 4 of which came highly recommended, before I found one that I "clicked" with. I'm sure that the others would have been perfectly adequate at treating my dog, but it makes a difference when you feel comfortable with the vet.

[Teresa51]

I live in a rural community, small town. We have had the same vet here since I was a girl----a LONG time ago. He must be in his 80's. So when my dog got injured, I automatically went to this vet because he is the only one I knew to go to... and besides, I had heard for years that he was good. And he was reasonable in pricing.

The new vet came to our area a few years ago. I knew nothing of him---didnt even know his name, just where he was located. He is much younger than the original vet and seems to me to be more thorough in his examinations. And as I said, he explains everything to me without me asking, yet I feel very comfortable asking him all kinds of questions. His services, however, are much higher than the older vet.

He has had me "crate" Snickers for 2 weeks (trying to avoid surgery for one area of his back). Snickers is not used to that, so yesterday (his first day) he whined a good portion of the day. I am not actually using a crate because I could not find one. I have put up 2 child safety gates in a small hallway (b/c I wanted to put him in a place where he can see me most of the time), and his "area" is 33" X30". My first vet never mentioned doing that. Of course, the first vet did not do x-rays either, and I found out from this new vet's office that my old vet does not have an x-ray machine. At any rate, Snickers is doing great today as far as going back into his "area" after we go outside to do his business. (I let him walk the few steps to the "area") So that is such a relief for me as now he is not whining.

It is a nice feeling to have this vet have a much kinder "bedside manner" I call it. Its easier for me to follow this vet's instructions because I feel like he knows what he is talking about.

[froggy7]

I can sympathize with you about the crating and the whining! My girl doesn't like to be confined, either. I sometimes think that she's slightly claustrophobic. But you really do want to limit Snickers' movement as much as possible. Thankfully you have a small dog, so a wire crate isn't going to cost you much. And it should be small enough that you can put it next to you on the sofa, or close to where you are during the day. I was stuck with spending long hours sitting on the floor next to my Trink in order to keep her reasonably calm and settled. Hard on the back!

[Teresa51]

I couldn't have a crate that was his size so that's why the child safety gates. I may be making a mistake, though, because when he whines it is not always easy to tell if it is because he needs to go outside or something else. So when I remove one of the gates, I let him walk out to see if he heads towards the front door which is probably 30 feet away. If he does, I pick him up and carry him outdoors to expel his bowels and empty his bladder---which he does every single time I take him our.

I wonder if I should stop letting him walk to the door, and just pick him up instead and assume that ihe is needing to go out.

When we looked at the x-rays the other day at the vets office, he showed me that Snickers' intestine was packed---and he suggested that it may be hurting to push to have a BM, and gave me a laxative (Laxatone----says its for cats though) to help move things along. I have been giving it to him for 2.5 days now (every 8 hours) and I am not seeing Snickers expelling more with each BM than he used to---although he may be having more BMs during the day.

Any suggestions for any foods that may help as a natural laxative and move things along a little better? I was seriously thinking about giving him a human laxative but wasn't sure that would be such a great idea. I suppose I am just concerned that all that accummulation in his bowels must be causing some discomfort.

[Dachshund_breed]

In the interests of helping I have cut and pasted the following posts from two sites.
There are other relevant postings to read there as well... Hope these two articles help.



The following article is from the site:
PetLovers.com
Dachshund back problems - Discuss Pets @ PetLovers.Com

' Dachshund back problems:

The short answer to what to do if your Dachshund has back trouble is to stop reading this and take him to your veterinarian. In severe cases, you literally only have a matter of hours to react, waiting can mean the difference between full recovery and your dog never regaining his mobility.

Hopefully you have already been to the vet and are now trying to understand what is happening to your beloved Dachshund. I am not a medical expert but after my personal experience I accumulated a significant amount of information.

The Dachshund's elongated body predisposes them to back issues. Another genetic component is the disc's outer layer being thinner than normal and sometimes calcifying making it brittle. Discs are the cushions between the vertebrae in the spinal column. The medical name for this health issue is Inter-vertebral Disc Disease. It is possible for the herniation to occur in the neck area, but more frequent in the middle of the back where the chest and abdomen meet (where most stress is absorbed when jumping).

The spinal cord in dogs extends to the hips; in people it stops in the middle of the back
(we have nerves that extend beyond that but not the actual spinal cord). This is why disc problems in dogs are dramatically more severe than in humans. A disc weakened by age or trauma can bulge (herniate) or rupture. Bulged discs protrude and can place pressure on the spinal cord causing severe pain, weakness or even paralysis. The effect on the spinal cord depends on the severity of pressure.

Ruptured discs release the contents (a jelly like substance) into the spinal canal. A ruptured disc is the most severe; the disc contents traumatize the spinal cord and create a great deal of swelling. When this happens quickly reducing the swelling is imperative. The longer the spinal cord is deprived of oxygen and spinal fluid the less nerve function there is to return.

The exact cause of a disc bulging or rupturing is frequently unknown. It is rarely associated with a severe trauma, many believe it occurs by dogs jumping off furniture. While preventing your dog from jumping off furniture is difficult, every effort should be made to train them to wait to be picked up or to use a ramp. There is a wide array of ramps or steps available to assist the dog going up and down to beds, couches and other furniture. Traversing long stairs should also be avoided as well as play that involves twisting and jumping. When you carry your Dachshund keep his spine horizontal and use two hands to pick him up with one hand supporting his waist or rear legs.

Keeping your Dachshund's weight down will also mitigate back issues, extra weight is a constant strain.

Symptoms include yelping when touched, arching their back, unsteady walking or paralysis of the rear legs. Sometimes the nerves to the bladder and colon are affected making it difficult for dogs to urinate and defecate on their own. A wobbly walk is a precursor to paralysis, if you see this symptom it is time to get to a specialist for evaluation.

Treatment almost always includes using an anti-inflammatory medicine. You'll hear the term "conservative treatment", this means a less radical approach or non surgical. Conservative treatments can include rest and medication, injections (Adequan is a medication said to promote healing of disc cartilage) and even chiropractic or acupuncture treatments. While surgery is expensive it can be highly effective if done within the first twenty-four hours of paralysis. After twenty-four hours the success rate drops, but with therapy and rest there is still hope.

Confinement is a critical component of treatment regardless of the approach. A small crate placed where the dog can see you and is easy to clean can be effective. Confinement usually last two to six weeks depending on the severity of the injury, your vet can advise what is appropriate for your dog. Continuing this vital treatment is important since the dog can easily re-injure him-self. The medication they receive makes them feel so much better that they want to resume their normal activities before they are completely healed.

Paralysis in Dachshunds is not a death sentence. Surgery and conservative treatments will often bring your dog back to 100 percent. There has also been some success with therapy in paraplegic Dachshunds. Gentle manipulation of the paralyzed limbs and water walking (where the water supports his rear end) and towel walking (a towel slung under his abdomen for support) have been cited in success stories. Some paraplegic dogs are fitted for carts and back to racing through the house in no time. Dog diapers are available for bowel and bladder issues, I've even seen them in hot pink with lime green polka dots.

There is no universally correct treatment for all Dachshunds with back trouble. This is a choice that you and your vet need to make after evaluation of his symptoms, your dog's overall health and age, and the length of time since injury. Unfortunately, like in human medical issues, your finances will also play a role. If you feel it is time to see a specialist look for one specializing in neurology and surgery with experience with Dachshunds. '

...

This second site gives some information:

'The Dachshund Back Digest'... at URL

The Dachshund Back Digest



' Dachshunds and several other breeds (Bassets, Pekingese I can recall) are genetically predisposed to have herniated and ruptured disks. This condition, "chondrodystrophy," is characteristic of dwarfism and is also witnessed in humans. Basically, the outer layer of the disk is thinner than normal. Also, some specific dogs have a hardening of this outer layer called "calcification" that makes the disk more brittle than it should be. This condition shows up on x-rays to vets who are familiar with it. The DCA pamphlet on "Canine Intervertebral Disk Disease" tells us that 25% of Dachshunds will have at least one episode of disk herniation or rupture in their lifetime.

The combination of thin and brittle disks in some dogs means that they will have a herniation or rupture of a disk, usually in the 2 to 7 year ages, with peak chances of occurrence at around age 4. When this occurs, the disk is not "slipped" - the outer layer tears and a bubble of gelatinous nuclear material protrudes. Since the thinnest portion of any disk is that area adjacent to the spinal cord, this is where the protrusion (herniation) takes place. This finger of material presses against the spinal cord causing pain and, in severe instances, degrees of loss of neurological function (incoordination, paralysis, loss of bowel and bladder control). In more serious cases the bubble ruptures and nuclear material is ejected forcefully into the spinal canal and traumatizes the spinal cord.

This latter situation is an emergency, the dog will usually be paralyzed, and treatment must begin immediately by a vet who knows Dachshunds. This is not the time to dither and hope it improves, you have a few hours before the inflammation constricting the spinal cord will cause it to begin to die from lack of nutrition. After this happens, the prognosis for recovery is guarded. Treatment usually includes steroids to quickly reduce the swelling so that circulation in the spinal canal can be restored.

If your dog is exhibiting incoordination or paralysis and you and your vet surgeon are agreed that surgery is an option, then the next step is a myelogram. A myelogram (x-ray using an injection of radio-opaque dye in the spinal canal) will confirm the rupture and indicate which disk is affected. Surgery can produce a rapid and near complete recovery if it is performed within 24 hours of the injury. It is expensive, and is just not an option for a lot of people, and there are many cases of substantial recovery without surgery. For this reason, one has to rely on the opinion of an experienced vet orthopedic specialist who has done a lot of Dachshund backs.

Sadly, many owners can't contemplate the thought of a paralyzed dog and the possibility that it may never use its rear limbs again. In a well-intentioned attempt to save the animal suffering, many Dachshunds are needlessly put down right away. This is tragic, because many (possibly most, I don't know the statistics) paralyzed Dachshunds who are given a few months to recover will gain adequate mobility. Some recover to near normal mobility. But there are a few who remain paralyzed in the rear for the rest of their days, and as some of our members can relate, they were and are just as wonderful pets as they were before. You see, it is the humans who get their emotions all tangled up when they see paralysis. When the pain of immediate injury is past, the dog doesn't know it's paralyzed, and doesn't care about it at all. They adapt, and with adjustments on the part of their humans, continue to be fulfilling companions with high quality of life.

[Our Frieda had surgery twice in the first five months of 1995, recovering from paralysis in nine days the first time, and in 5 days the second time. The second time, the surgeon "fenestrated" (deflated) seven other disks to lessen the chance that she would have another episode]

In the cases where surgery is not recommended or elected, and in most herniation or non-paralysis cases, the immediate treatment is anti-inflammatory medication and CONFINEMENT. The dog spends two to four weeks in an airline kennel large enough to turn around in, only going out to eliminate several times daily. The confinement is absolutely necessary to allow the herniated disk time to heal so that it doesn't further traumatize the spinal cord or rupture. After this two to four week period, the dog may gradually be allowed to resume activity, and if impairment exists therapy can begin.

If your Dachshund has no bladder or bowel control, you will have to guard against infection occasioned by urine pooling in the bladder especially during this period of inactivity. Your Vet or an animal technologist can teach you how to express the bladder manually. Fortunately, in a lot of cases the first positive sign of recovery will be a return of bladder and bowel control.

Dachshunds that have had an episode of disk disease are forever at risk for a recurrence and _must_ be trained and prevented from behaviors that stress the back. Of the remainder of the Dachshund population, it is not possible to say that a particular dog is not at risk. So all Dachshunds should be made to follow precautions. This list is certainly not all-inclusive:

1. No jumping off furniture or beds. This is the likely cause of most back injuries. Yes, it is difficult to stop a Dachshund from doing this. Many of our members have built carpeted ramps up to their beds and couches. Our minis have been trained to wait until they are picked up by a human to get up on a bed our couch. This is a topic for obedience class :-)
2. No climbing long stairs up or down, use gates at stairways, and carry the dog up and down. With minis this is especially important. On walks, lift minis over high curbs.
3. No yard play which involves leaping.
4. No standing on the hind legs and begging. This compresses the spine.
5. Do not hold a Dachshund vertically, thereby compressing its spine.
6. The correct way to carry a Dachshund keeps its spine horizontal. Pick the dog up with two hands, one under the deepest part of its chest letting forepaws dangle, and the other supporting its waist or rear legs. Minis can be tucked in the crook of the elbow in a "football" carry.

I hope you and your friend find this information useful. The precautions are worth all the time and trouble, believe me. I have witnessed the dismal results of not following them and am forever changed by the experience. '

...

[bluetoof]

Hi Teresa,

I found your post here, and our doxie is going through something similar. Would you mind updating this post with any new information that might be helpful to us? Thank you for your time.

-Toof

[Alty]

Hi Teresa,

I found your post here, and our doxie is going through something similar. Would you mind updating this post with any new information that might be helpful to us? Thank you for your time.

-Toof

Teresa hasn't been back since September of 2008. Over 1 year.

If you have a question then it's best to start your own thread, not to open an old thread. It's in the rules and regulations of this site.

I'm asking the mods to close this thread. It's great to read the older threads but posting on them bumps them to the top and they are no longer a priority because of their age.

Thank you.