Intervertebral disks are the shock absorbers of the spine that sit between each bone or vertebrae in the spinal column. There are instances where these disks can rupture or bulge causing compression of the spinal cord.
Chondrodystrophoid breed dogs (Dachshund, Pekinese, Beagle, Lhasa Apso, etc.) account for the vast majority of all disc ruptures, with the Dachshund accounting for 45-70% of all cases. When this occurs the signs can be subtle such as mild back pain or it may progress to lack of coordination in the hind legs or even inability to move the legs. With extremely severe cases, pain sensation can be lost to the back legs.
Dogs that are losing or have lost the ability to move the legs due to intervertebral disk herniation are prime candidates for surgical intervention. This is one instance where time is of the essence to prevent further trauma to the spinal cord. To identify the area causing compression on the spinal cord, advanced imaging such as MRI or myelogram needs to be performed.
Based on these results a surgical plan can be made to address the issue. Dogs that still have pain sensation have a good chance of being able to walk again with surgical decompression of the spinal cord. Dogs with severe injury and inability to feel the back legs have a very poor prognosis for return to function, even with surgery.
Surgery usually involves a procedure called a hemilaminectomy. This is where a small high speed air drill is used to remove a small window of bone from the vertebrae over the affected area of the spine to gain access to the spinal canal. The extruded disk material is then carefully removed from the spinal canal to relieve the compression of the spinal cord.
This is a very delicate surgery that should be performed by a board certified surgeon or neurologist. If your dog ever loses the ability to move his/her back legs and walk, you should seek immediate veterinary care and should not wait until the next day to see what happens.
Hopefully, you will never find yourself in this position, but if you own a Dachshund knowing this information could be a lifesaver.
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