Lumbosacral stenosis is arthritis of the joint between the last lumbar vertebra and the sacrum, a bone in the pelvic region. Arthritis puts excess pressure on the nerves, causing your dog to be in pain and have stiff joints.
Prompt diagnosis and treatment by a veterinarian, and your tender loving care, can help your dog resume an active life.
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Risk Factors
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Lumbosacral stenosis is more common in large-breed dogs, especially German shepherds. Dogs can be born with lumbosacral stenosis or develop the condition, usually from age 3 to 7.
Symptoms
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Symptoms of lumbosacral stenosis include pain in the back, hind legs or tail; stiffness as your dog gets up from lying down; difficulty urinating or defecating; incontinence; and chewing on the pelvic area, hind legs or tail
Diagnosis
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A veterinarian will take a medical history from the owner and perform a physical exam. The hind legs will be manipulated to determine which positions cause the dog pain. A neurological exam will include testing the reflexes for nerve injury.
X-rays of the spine and pelvis do not provide enough information to make a definitive diagnosis, so with the dog under anesthesia, dye will be injected into the affected area and X-rays taken again. If the dye is displaced by abnormalities in the bones or the intervertebral disc, the dog has lumbosacral stenosis.
Treatment
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Depending on the severity of the dog's pain, overall health and the owner's financial means, lumbosacral stenosis can be treated surgically; otherwise the dog can be treated at home.
One possible surgical technique is to fuse the bones together as normally as possible, preventing abnormal motion and reducing the chances of the dog developing arthritis in the future.
If the surgeon prefers, he can remove part of the bone and the intervertebral disc, reducing pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.
With both surgical options, your dog needs to be confined for two to four weeks after surgery, and may need to take prednisone.
If the lumbosacral stenosis is not serious, your dog can be treated at home with strict rest for six to eight weeks, and given anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone. Strict rest and medication can relieve symptoms, but as the dog returns to normal activity, symptoms may return.
Expressing the Bladder
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If your dog has problems urinating, you'll need to manually express its bladder several times a day, consulting the veterinarian for proper techniques. Express the bladder of large dogs by following these steps:
• Put your hands on the dog's sides behind the ribs, with thumbs resting lightly on the its back.
• Squeeze sides inward and upward, avoiding direct pressure on the spine.
• If your hands get tired, take a break, then start again. The bladder will shrink, so move your hands to a better position, and continue until there is no urine left in the bladder.
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