Dog Back Injuries
Back injuries are serious conditions affecting a dog's comfort, health and safety. Whether the injury is muscular or skeletal, prompt treatment by a veterinarian is essential to pain relief and prevention of further injury. With veterinary help and care by an attentive and loving owner, minor dog back injuries can be successfully treated and severe injuries can be managed.
-
Symptoms
-
Symptoms of a canine back injury vary depending on the type of injury sustained. Some general symptoms that suggest a canine back injury include arching of the back due to pain, walking slowly, reluctance or refusal to eat and drink, limping or similar mobility trouble, or crying or whining when touched. The dog may experience stiffness in the back or neck, or reluctance to move his head or neck. Severe cases of canine back injury may include symptoms of partial to complete paralysis and urinary or fecal incontinence.
-
Causes
-
Canine back injuries can occur in a variety of ways, from dog fights to being hit by a car. Other causes include genetic predisposition to back problems, disk degeneration due to old age or injury, or onset of disease such as cancer. If the disks are herniated, pressure is applied to the spinal cord, causing lameness, pain and loss of feeling in the limbs. Pulled muscles and obesity are other reasons a dog may have a painful back.
Diagnosis
-
Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination that includes evaluation of the nervous system. X-rays of the spine may show narrowed disk spaces or signs of calcification along the spinal column. However, precisely locating the specific disk(s) involved may be impossible without more extensive and invasive testing.
Treatment
-
Treatment of canine back injuries includes pain management, reduction of swelling and rest. Dogs are often confined to a crate until the back has had time to recover. Pain medication, muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medications (usually steroids) are administered. For severe cases of back injury, surgery may be required. Other options include glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for cartilage repair, as well as herbal, vitamin and mineral supplements.
Home Care
-
Institute a weight management program if your dog is obese or to ensure that he does not become obese. This will aid in relief and elimination of certain back problems. Monitor the dog's response to treatment, reporting any changes in condition to the veterinarian so that changes can be made to the treatment program, as needed. Administer any and all medications as directed, and return for any follow-up visits recommended by your veterinarian. Reduce exercise until the injury is healed.
References
- Photo Credit "Becky" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: aussiegall (Louise Docker) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
