Question:
Hi guys,
Last May my friend's Husky was limping, she brought him to the vet and nothing was found and with rest it seemed to cure itself. She had noticed intermittently since then a slight limp that went away when the dog was up and moving around. Over this holiday season, her dog started "crying" and would not or had great trouble moving around. This happened very suddenly,
the dog was fine in the morning when she went to work and seemed normal when she returned, walking and playing as usual. After about 2 hours the crying started she took her to the vet. They did x-rays and everything looks normal but when the vet put pressure on the lumbar region, the dog was very vocal! The vet told her to get a crate and keep the dog quiet for 10 days and that she suspects Intravertabre disc disorder. This is a youg dog (3 years) with no obvious symptoms except the sudden onset of pain (the husky was playing vigoriously with my dog only 3 days before!) I told her to get a second opinion and suspect maybe a pinched nerve or slipped disc which wouldn't show on an x-ray. She decided to bring the dog home and crate it things improve with rest. I'm hoping one of you have come across somthing like this before.

Rogue

Answer:
Do what the vet said and crate her for the 10 days, maybe go even 2 weeks.

Do consult with another vet if it will make you feel more comfortable.

Just reread your post too, the Husky played very hard with your dog 3 days ago...not good. Please keep in contact with the vet and adhere to any recomendations.

Answer:
Radiographs (x-rays) are a low yield diagnostic tool for soft tissue. To diagnosis slipped disc/disc damage/spinal cord disease we employ myleograms (contrast agent in the spinal space and radiographs), MRI/ CT scans, spinal fluid analysis.

A structural defect such as disc disease will show up readily with MRI, my favorite tool. Myleograms are too invasive and do not give the same detail as MRI, and also have a degree of risk.

If there is muscle trauma (lower back), then this may show up with MRI, but not with myleograms or radiographs, and probably not with CT imaging. There are certain spinal cord disease that cause pain, but have no structural derangements: these are usually infectious or of some type of diffuse vascular damage.

Cage rest will help lower back muscle spasm, might help mild disc disease and not really help vascular type/infectious problems. Further investagation is indicated before a diagnosis can be made.

Dr. Van Lienden

Dr. Raymond Van Lienden DVM
The Animal Clinic of Clifton
12702 Chapel Road, Clifton
Virginia, U.S.A. 20124
703-802-0490

Answer:
Hi Rogue,
We hope you are still checking this site because our husky today had the exact same symptoms and crying that you wrote about years ago. Did you ever find out anything more?
Our husky dug out one night ago under the fence and seemed fine yesterday, but today he cried out and didn't want to get up. The vet found the sensitive place in the lumbar region and so far has just suggested painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicine for a few days.
We wonder if your dog got over the condition or if it developed into something else?
Here's hoping for insight . .
Thanks

Originally Posted by rogue
Hi guys,
Last May my friend's Husky was limping, she brought him to the vet and nothing was found and with rest it seemed to cure itself. She had noticed intermittently since then a slight limp that went away when the dog was up and moving around. Over this holiday season, her dog started "crying" and would not or had great trouble moving around. This happened very suddenly,
the dog was fine in the morning when she went to work and seemed normal when she returned, walking and playing as usual. After about 2 hours the crying started she took her to the vet. They did x-rays and everything looks normal but when the vet put pressure on the lumbar region, the dog was very vocal! The vet told her to get a crate and keep the dog quiet for 10 days and that she suspects Intravertabre disc disorder. This is a youg dog (3 years) with no obvious symptoms except the sudden onset of pain (the husky was playing vigoriously with my dog only 3 days before!) I told her to get a second opinion and suspect maybe a pinched nerve or slipped disc which wouldn't show on an x-ray. She decided to bring the dog home and crate it things improve with rest. I'm hoping one of you have come across somthing like this before.

Rogue



Answer: