Spondylosis in Dogs

[Am_I_There_Yet]

It would be helpful to know if this is something new or if it's been elevated for a while. You should have a conversation with your vet about it. Did he mention it before?

If it's any consolation, this is something we see happen in the hospital a lot.

I know this wasn't there last year when we had the cancer scare. She had so many tests run and I know they ran blood work before they put her under for the biopsy. I would think he would have mentioned it, especially since it was at the height of all of those dog food recalls.

I'm really scared. I know I need to take her in, but I'm so scared I'm going to hear something bad. I've gotten waaaay too attached to her and the thought of losing her is more than I can bear.

 

[CathrynRose]

I'm really scared. I know I need to take her in, but I'm so scared I'm going to hear something bad. I've gotten waaaay too attached to her and the thought of losing her is more than I can bear.

Okay - BUT (I dont know anything about her blood count, or anything....BUT) it could be as simple as a medicine she needs to take to make everything okay.

Waiting because you dont want to hear the worst, COULD be worse.

DONT COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH!!! Dont let yourself get worked up....

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

You won't be getting puppy for another 3 months, yes? Around 12 weeks? That is plenty of time to get Chloe seen by a specialist and things worked out. Don't stress yet - it'll be okay!

It'll be sometime in April. I'm trying not to stress.

Maybe you should drive to Kentucky and have Dr. MickeyMouseGal see her?

I would if I could!

I do have relatives in Murray, Kentucky. I always wanted a vet in the family. Maybe she's a long lost cousin or something. I know we both share the same great taste in dogs.

Hang in there - make a call to another vet you got a recommendation for and see if you can get a 2nd opinion. Ask for copies of all her labs and xrays from your other vet before you go so they don't have to repeat too much. See what they say and go from there.

I can't remember what you told me your friends said about the one in Oak Ridge North. That's the closest one to me. I'm also tempted to take her back to my old vet. But the last time she was there, she came back with an injured tail. I don't the vet had anything to do with it, but something happened to her there.

I either think she was pulled, or picked up by the base of her tail, or she was dropped on it somehow. She's a big dog and she was under general anesthesia, so who knows.

I liked the vet though. He's one of the best in my area.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Okay - BUT (I dont know anything about her blood count, or anything....BUT) it could be as simple as a medicine she needs to take to make everything okay.

Waiting because you dont want to hear the worst, COULD be worse.

DONT COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH!!! Dont let yourself get worked up....

Oh, I'm notorious for borrowing trouble, especially when it comes to Chloe. I think it's because I'm so scared of losing her.

I will never as long as I live forget those few weeks last year when I thought she had cancer. I'm surprised I didn't end up with an ulcer. Chloe ended up fine, but I think I took a few years off of my own life.

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

I would if I could!

I do have relatives in Murray, Kentucky. I always wanted a vet in the family. Maybe she's a long lost cousin or something. I know we both share the same great taste in dogs.

Hahaha! I'm a pretty good distance from Murray. You're right, we do have excellent taste in dogs!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I also need to find out what they treated Chloe with when she had that bacterial infection. It was a pretty bad infection. I'm wondering if the medicine could have damaged her kidneys, or if maybe the infection alone did.

All I ever found out, was that she had a "very aggressive bacterial infection".

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I finally got to talk to my vet. He pulled her blood work from last year and her BUN level was 39, her CREA was 1.5 and her PHOS was 4.1.

I'm bringing her back in on Wednesday for a urinalysis. He said he won't worry until he sees that her urine isn't concentrated (I'm not sure if that's what he said). He's also running another thyroid test on her.

Now, she's making a popping noise when she walks. To him, this indicates that it could be her meniscus, but he's still waiting for the radiologist to call him back. He said he's probably going to send me to the specialist now for her leg.

I'm going to make this man rich.

 

[Shanellewithboxer]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice.I have a 2yr old boxer with very bad spondylosis and is now even having multiple seizures a week due to the pressure on his spinal cord. I was wondering if the lady with the boxer with similar problems could tell me more about those injections. He's so young and I don't want to lose him yet or have him live in this kind of pain. Right now I give him supplements, Wobenzm N(natural made for people with bad athritis to lessen pain but has been proven safe in dogs) and Metacam. Thanks.

 

[geetey]

Funny this should be bumped up tonight. I was just wondering how Chloe is doing. Any updates? What about the new puppy? I have been thinking about you.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice.I have a 2yr old boxer with very bad spondylosis and is now even having multiple seizures a week due to the pressure on his spinal cord. I was wondering if the lady with the boxer with similar problems could tell me more about those injections. He's so young and I don't want to lose him yet or have him live in this kind of pain. Right now I give him supplements, Wobenzm N(natural made for people with bad athritis to lessen pain but has been proven safe in dogs) and Metacam. Thanks.

I'm so sorry. I hope the OP will be able to give you some advice. That must be really tough to see.

Funny this should be bumped up tonight. I was just wondering how Chloe is doing. Any updates? What about the new puppy? I have been thinking about you.

Ah... we've had a very eventful couple of weeks. She got so ill last Sunday, that I thought I was losing her. She got sick two more times after that, before I finally took her off of the Slentrol. Sure enough, that's what it was.

I did give her Rimadyl for about four days and she's not even limping anymore. She seems back to her old self and I'm SO happy about that! I know that medicine gets a bad rap, but it truly was a blessing for her. Of course, I didn't have to put her on it long-term, and I hope I never do.

As for the puppy, I'm expecting a fresh round of photos tomorrow and I bet I see some eyes for the first time! We're anxiously awaiting them! We pick the puppy up on April 5th!

 

[geetey]

Oh goodness, I am SO happy and relieved Chloe is doing better! YEAH!!!! The news does my dog-lovin' heart good.

We pick up our pup March 10! We went to see him again this past Sunday. He is a cutie. Of course, since we are in the midst of a terrible snowstorm, I admit to being happy about not having to do potty detail right now.

 

[Hixski]

Duncan is so happy to hear his sweety pie is doing better!!!! I can't wait to see the new puppy pictures.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Duncan is so happy to hear his sweety pie is doing better!!!! I can't wait to see the new puppy pictures.

I was expecting new pictures last night. She always send them on the birth week mark, but I didn't get them.

Hopefully today. I'm dying to see their eye color!

 

[TypsyGypsy]

Has anyone ever had their dogs diagnosed with this?

Chloe had been limping on her hind, right leg and was diagnosed with it Thursday. She has two of her vertebrae "bridged" together with it. My vet didn't give me much information about it, other that to say that it's usually an incidental finding and not much can be done.

Of course now I'm doing research on my own and seeing that it eventually leads to paralysis because it's a progressive disease. He gave me Rimadyl and Tramadol for pain. At first I was against the Rimadyl, but I'm seeing that it's very commonly used to treat Spondylosis.

I have to keep Chloe quiet (no running, jumping, etc.), so I'm really concerned about the puppy that we will be getting in April. She's due to be born today, as a matter of fact. Just seems to be rotten timing.

hi from Ireland. I have a German Shepherd JASMIN with spondylosis and she has started some MAGIC injections. one a week for 4 weeks then one a month forever. she is 11yrs old. i also have a Newfoundland WORF, he,s 10yrs old but still a baby. i was told to exercise Jasmin as this strengthens the muscles around the bones. I,m new to this online stuff so bear with me if you,ve heard my answer before. i hope Chloe is ok. I would be lost without my dogs. I,m just known as the woman with the dogs where I live x

 

[tonilea]

hi from Ireland. I have a German Shepherd JASMIN with spondylosis and she has started some MAGIC injections. one a week for 4 weeks then one a month forever.

Adequan injections?

 

[LeftCoastLady]

Hi.... I just came across this site doing a search on Spondylosis.
I was reading a dog's OFA report, & it said his hips & patellas were good, but it did state: Spine: Spondylosis.
Apparently it showed on the radiograph, but the dog doesn't have any symptoms.
Would this be a genetic problem that can be passed on to offspring?

Thanks for any help & insight!
Robin

 

[TashaRVT]

My Merina girl is 15 years old now (lab/shep) and we diagnosed her about 2 years ago with fairly severe spondylosis. Her bridging is moinly in the lumbo-sacral area (over the hips and the "small" of the back for lack of a better term!) Now, I have an advantage as I'm a registered veterinary technician so I've seen many, many of these pups.

Unfortunately, spondylosis doesn't often respond all that well with traditional pain medications or anti-inflammatories, but it responds AMAZINGLY well to chiropractic therapies. My girl has been able to be managed nutritionally for the past 18 months. There's a diet made by Hill's called j/d that has made me a true believer.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Would this be a genetic problem that can be passed on to offspring?

I'm not an expert but I believe it is, just like other types of musculo-skeletal problems.

My dogs who were brother and sister both had it. One passed away before it got to a stage that her brother's did.

 

[LeftCoastLady]

I'm not an expert but I believe it is, just like other types of musculo-skeletal problems.

I just discovered that the dog in my initial reference that was diagnosed with spondylosis had a bad jumping accident when he was a year old, so that apparently caused the degeneration (he is 6 now). I guess that in this case it isn't a genetic worry. Thank you for your input everyone!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I just discovered that the dog in my initial reference that was diagnosed with spondylosis had a bad jumping accident when he was a year old, so that apparently caused the degeneration (he is 6 now). I guess that in this case it isn't a genetic worry. Thank you for your input everyone!

I would seriously question this. Spondylosis is a degeneration of the spine over time. Spurs form on the top along the spine so bending of the spine becomes difficult, and arthritis causes abnormalities along the spine. I watched my dogs' spines degenerate (via XRay) over the course of many years. You could see the changes over time.

I did wonder (and feel guilty) about this myself as my dog was a frisbee and agility dog. But his sister had the same thing and she wasn't an athlete at all (in fact, she was a couch potato, LOL). FWIW.