Cervical Disc Disease in Dogs

Cervical disc disease is a disease of the spinal column that is more prevalent in small breeds of dogs. Cervical discs are structures in the spine between the vertebrae in the spinal column of the dog that are supposed to act like shock absorbers. In cervical disc disease, these cervical discs get out of place and cause pain, numbness and even paralysis.

  1. Features

    • Cervical disc disease occurs when a disc begins to harden. The inner portion of the disc is normally a gel, but in cervical disc disease, this gel begins to calcify. This hardening of the disc will cause it to compress the vertebrae around it, or the disc will be displaced and will move into the spinal canal and begin to press on the spinal cord. This can cause pain, numbness or paralysis, depending on the severity.

    Symptoms

    • Some of the symptoms of cervical disc disease may include the dog suddenly showing signs of neck pain, clumsiness or wobbliness while walking, holding up a paw for no apparent reason, having difficulty getting up, partial or complete incontinence due to paralysis, and the inability to walk.

    Treatment

    • If the dog is showing only mild signs of difficulty with cervical disc disease, then it may only need rest and steroids to reduce inflammation. A muscle relaxer may also be prescribed if the dislodged disc is causing muscle spasms. If the dog doesn't respond well to rest and steroids, or if it is showing more severe symptoms such as partial or complete paralysis, then the surgical removal of the disc is the next option.

    Postoperative Care

    • After surgery, the dog will usually need a couple of days at the veterinary hospital to recover and receive pain medication. After that, it will need to be confined in a cage or a small room for three or four weeks. The dog will usually require some sort of therapy to help it learn to walk as it recovers, and it will usually need help eliminating by either being carried outside or by the owner expressing the urine from the bladder. It may take many weeks for the dog to heal. Some dogs may never use their hind legs again because the damage to the spinal cord was too severe.

    Predisposition

    • Some breeds of dogs are more predisposed to cervical disc disease. Certain smaller breeds of dogs are chondrodystrophoid, a form of dwarfism in which the limbs are deformed. This makes them more susceptible to back problems. These breeds include Beagles, Dachshunds, Pekingese, Cocker Spaniels, Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzus.