A healthy back is critical to a dog’s ability to get around. All quadruped animals – those that walk on four legs – rely on their hind end for certain functions and their front end for others, but the back is where it all gets tied together. An injured back, then, affects a dog’s capacity for walking, playing, getting up, lying down and more.
Generally speaking, the best way to handle a canine back problem is to prevent one from occurring in the first place. That means maintaining a healthy diet and weight and an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise, says Whitney Phillips, an AVCA Certified Animal Chiropractor at Move Better Chiropractic in Portland, Oregon.
“Even if it is just going on walks, your dog’s body is meant to move,” Phillips says. “If it doesn’t, tissue will begin to deteriorate and lose flexibility. The saying, ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it’ – it’s true.”
But once an ailment develops, it must be treated in a more specific way. Continue reading for five of the most common back problems in dogs to learn if yours is at risk and what you can do to help relieve or prevent the pain.
- Osteoarthritis
- Subluxations
- Intervertebral Disc Disease
- Lumbosacral Syndrome
- Soft Tissue Trauma
Other Causes of Back Pain in Dogs
While these conditions are some of the most common causes of back problems in dogs, other disorders can be to blame as well such as spinal fractures or dislocations, tumors, infections, blocked blood vessels, and more. If you suspect that your dog is suffering from a back problem, make an appointment with your veterinarian. The sooner appropriate treatment is started the more likely it is that your dog will make a quick and full recovery. …Visit site for more
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