The sooner dog neck pain is attended to, the better the prognosis. ĭogs can recover from cervical disc disease, but without timely treatment, it can progress quickly and cause irreversible spinal cord injury. “Although Grade 5 is the most severe stage, it is very uncommon with cervical IVDD and much more common with IVDD in the thoracolumbar spine (mid-back),” notes Dr. Grade 5: The dog is paralyzed and CANNOT feel its toes.Grade 4: The dog is paralyzed, but still has feeling in its toes.Grade 3: The dog is too weak to walk, but can still move its limbs.When walking, the patient may appear drunk and wobbly, cross or splay its legs, or knuckle its paws under, but is able to walk. Grade 2: There is weakness in all four limbs, but the dog remains able to walk.While there is variability in the severity of pain, there are no neurologic deficits, and the neurologic exam is normal. Grade 1: The dog is only experiencing neck pain.In extreme cases of cervical IVDD near the shoulders, dogs may even have difficulty breathing.Ī grading scheme of 1-5 is used to assess the severity of cervical disc disease symptoms: In some cases, this condition can cause weakness in all four limbs, the holding up of a thoracic (front) limb, or in severe cases, inability to move the legs. However, a variety of other clinical signs may develop. Many dogs with cervical IVDD only show the signs of neck pain listed earlier. Symptoms of Cervical Disc Disease in DogsĬlinical signs of cervical disc disease can range from mild to severe. The result is pressure on the spinal cord, causing an array of symptoms ranging from neck pain to permanent paralysis in dogs. You may have heard the condition in humans referred to as: IVDD occurs when the once spongy, shock-absorbing discs between the bones of the spine dry out, harden, and rupture. What is Cervical Disc Disease in Dogs?Ĭervical disc disease is intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) that only occurs in the neck (cervical spine) of a dog. Sadly, some of the breed traits that make our furry friends so lovable can also make these dogs more susceptible to neck pain. Montana DiVita, Neurology Resident at Southeast Veterinary Neurology.Ĭervical disc disease can be common in dogs as part of the aging process, but certain breeds are more prone to be affected earlier in life. “Aside from a straightforward injury, neck pain in dogs is often caused by a neurological condition called cervical disc disease,” says Dr. There are several possible causes of dog neck pain, such as injury, infection, cancer, and a host of neurological diseases.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |