Tips for Bulging Disc in a Dog's Back

Watching a pet dog suffer is difficult and can cause your heart to ache, especially when the pain radiates from a part of his body that is affected by almost every movement -- his back. When bulging disks happen, they can signify a variety of different problems. Your dog can be treated to alleviate the pain in the long term.

  1. Recognizing Symptoms

    • Before diagnosing the animal or racing her to a vet, exam the symptoms and try to create a holistic understanding of the problem. Bulging disks, caused by ruptured or bridged disks, cause a high level of pain in dogs, who will display stiffness in their movement, bumps along their spine, and whimpering from high pain levels. When disks are bulging on the inside, they might not always cause the dog to show physical discomfort initially; however, bulging disks can form quickly and unexpectedly and can even cause paralysis.This means that you must be aware of any changes in your dog's symptoms, especially if you are already aware that your dog has bulging disks or is prone to them.

    Diagnosis

    • When symptoms are recognized, it is important to take your dog to your veterinarian to obtain a diagnosis for the dog. The veterinarian might order a computed typography (CT) scan, a magnetic resonance imaging test or a melogram. All of this imaging will show the extent to which the disk is herniated or bulging. From these tests your veterinarian should be able to determine a course of treatment. This can range from treatment for mild cases which include home therapies to extreme cases which can call for immediate veterinary treatment.

    Home Treatment

    • For those who own dogs with only mild cases, home treatments might be the solution to help your dog deal with bulging disk pain. Steroids and muscle relaxants are the best medication for helping deal with pain and swelling of the joint, plus slow walking and small exercise sessions shouid be employed. Do not do any strenuous activity with your animal and provide him with a comfortable, warm bed in which to rest. Home treatments are also an option for those who simply cannot afford the veterinary treatment options and do not want to put their dog down.

    Veterinary Treatment

    • Veterinary treatment is often the best course of treatment for a bulging disk if the pain becomes unmanageable and home treatments are not working. Veterinarians often recommend surgery, depending on the severity of the bulging disk, which is the most common treatment. Preventative surgical treatment might also be recommended for animals who are prone to rupturing disks.