Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) or Slipped Disc in Dogs
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is a degenerative disease that can affect your dog’s spinal cord and causes a range of painful mobility issues. The intervertebral disc is a fibrous tissue that provides a jelly-like cushion between the bones of the spine. These discs provide your dog’s spine with the flexibility that helps them move, run, and jump easily. Intervertebral disks are the “cushions” in the space between spinal vertebrae. These disks are subject to a number of degenerative conditions and forces that predispose them to bulge or rupture over time. This rupture leads to damage to the spinal cord. Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) is the most common cause of spinal cord injury in dogs. With proper attention, many dogs with this painful and debilitating condition can recover to a comfortable and more active lifestyle. IVDD is most common in short-legged breeds (dachsunds, beagles, etc.) These dogs have been bred for their short stature, which makes them more prone to degeneration and hardening of the soft center material of the disk that normally serves as a shock absorber (Fig. 1). Without this cushioning, rupture of the disk and subsequent spinal cord trauma occur (Fig. 2). The two most common locations of IVDD are thoracolumbar (mid-spine) and cervical (neck). Dogs with spinal IVDD usually have neurological dysfunction (weakness, inability to walk, etc.) and pain. Dogs with cervical IVDD often have severe pain alone.
Intervertebral disc disease in dogs refers to a ruptured, displaced, or herniated disc in their back. When intervertebral discs experience any extreme force or condition, it causes them to swell. This can lead to severe damage to the spinal cord.
Minor spinal cord damage can cause your dog to feel pain while walking and experience limited mobility. Severe damage to the spinal cord can lead to the permanent loss of the ability to walk.
Because of these extreme consequences, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) requires immediate medical attention.
What is IVDD?
Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) in dogs can also be described as a ruptured, slipped, bulging or herniated disk. This condition is most commonly seen in beagles, dachshunds, Pekingese, Shih Tzus, basset hounds, or American cocker spaniels but may occur in dogs of any breed.
What causes IVDD in dogs?
Intervertebral Disc Disease is an age-related, gradual degenerative process that affects the spinal cord of the dog over a period of time, often undetected. Even with yearly wellness exams, your vet may not detect any signs of IVDD until your dog’s hardened disc or discs become ruptured and painful symptoms become evident. Something as every day as a jump up onto the sofa could damage a disc that has been weakened by IVDD, and trigger acute and painful symptoms of the disease.
IVDD occurs when the shock-absorbing discs between your dog’s vertebrae gradually begin to harden until they are unable to cushion the vertebrae properly. The hardened discs will typically go on to bulge and compress the spinal cord, often damaging the dog’s nerve impulses such as those that control bladder and bowel control. In other cases, a simple jump or poor landing can lead one or more of the hardened discs to burst and press into the nerves of the dog’s spinal cord causing pain, possible nerve damage or even paralysis.
What are the symptoms of IVDD in dogs?
Intervertebral Disc Disease can occur in any of the discs in your dog’s spine and symptoms of this condition will depend upon which part of the spine is affected, and how severe the damage is. Symptoms of IVDD may also appear suddenly or come on gradually. If your dog is displaying any of the following symptoms seek veterinary care as soon as possible. IVDD can be very painful for dogs and early treatment is essential for preventing the condition from becoming more severe or causing irreversible damage to your dog’s spine.
Types of Intervertebral Disc Disease
There are three types of IVDD you should know about:
Type 1
The middle portion of the disc (nucleus pulposus) can become ruptured due to tears in the outer part of the disc (annulus fibrosis). Also called a slipped disc, this type of disc disease can happen anywhere along the spine. Symptoms may include a sudden inability to walk.
When the nucleus pulposus loses normal water content, calcification can occur. The middle part of the back is especially prone to disc herniations, which is where most of these happen. Clinical symptoms can vary from pain to paralysis as the disc becomes strained to an intolerable level and compression occurs in the spinal cord.
Small-breed dogs two years and older — including toy or miniature poodles, Shih Tzus, Beagles, Basset Hounds, Dachshunds and others — most commonly experience Type 1 IVDD. Larger breeds including the Rottweiler and Labrador Retriever can also be impacted.
This type of IVDD is painful. Severe cases are classified as emergencies that should be immediately assessed by your veterinarian.
Type 2
Typically, this condition progresses more gradually and may or may not cause pain. Caused by a chronic bulging of the outer part of the disc (the annulus) on the spinal cord, this can become chronically compressed and lead to atrophy.
If the annulus becomes torn and fragmented, the fragmented piece may compress the spinal cord. With this type, symptoms may develop slowly and quietly but still progress.
We see this type of IVDD most often in middle-aged to older (5 to 12 years) medium and large-breed dogs. There may be symptoms similar to those with Type 1 IVDD.
Type 3
This type is typically caused by heavy exercise or trauma that results in a sudden tear in the annulus, which can bring on the disease suddenly. Though this type of IVDD does not lead to chronic compression of the spinal cord, it is a painful condition that can cause your dog to have difficulty walking and controlling his hind limbs.
Severe cases can turn fatal if the spinal cord softens and dies (which affects the nerves your dog uses to breathe), leading to respiratory arrest. Complete paralysis may occur. Patients that survive may attend physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and recover without surgery.
Symptoms of Neck Intervertebral Disc Disease (Cervical IVDD)
Cervical IVDD occurs in the discs of the dog’s neck. If you may notice one or more of the following symptoms, which can affect the whole body and range from mild to very severe contact your vet for immediate advice, or visit your closest animal emergency hospital for veterinary care:
- Head held low
- Arching back
- Shivering or crying
- Reluctance to move
- Unsteadiness in all 4 legs
- Inability to walk normally
- Knuckling of all 4 paws
- Inability to support own weight
- Inability to stand
- Inability to feel all 4 feet and legs
Symptoms of Back Intervertebral Disc Disease (Thoracolumbar IVDD)
Dogs with Thoracolumbar IVDD have a damaged disc causing issues in their back region and may display one or more of the following symptoms. Symptoms of Thoracolumbar IVDD mainly affect the mid to back portion of the dog’s body and can range from mild to very severe:
- Muscle spasms
- Tense belly
- Weakness in hind legs
- Crossing back legs when walking
- Inability to walk normally
- Knuckling of back paws, or dragging rear legs
- Inability to support their own weight
- Unable to move or feel back legs
Symptoms of Lower-Back Intervertebral Disc Disease (Lumbosacral IVDD)
If your dog is suffering from lumbosacral IVDD the problematic disc or discs are located in your dog’s lower back region. Symptoms of lumbosacral IVDD typically affect the very back of the dog’s body and may range from mild to very severe:
- Pain and/or difficulty jumping
- Limp tail
- Urinary or fecal incontinence
- Dilated anus
How is IVDD diagnosed in dogs?
If your dog begins showing any of the above symptoms immediate veterinary care is required. Tests for diagnosing Intervertebral Disc Disease typically include standard x-rays, a neurological exam, and/or MRI to help locate the disc or discs causing your dog’s symptoms.
The initial diagnosis of IVDD includes a health screening, along with an imaging test suggested by your veterinary surgeon, like:
- A complete blood count (CBC), a urinalysis, or serum chemistry
- X-rays of the spinal cord
- Myelogram, an X-ray series to identify any compression in the spinal cord
- CT scan
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- A lumbar puncture or spinal tap along with imaging
What is the treatment for IVDD?
The diagnosis and treatment for Intervertebral Disc Disease needs to begin as early as possible in order to achieve good treatment outcomes. That’s why we recommend taking your dog to the vet for a full examination if you spot signs of IVDD in your dog. Delays in treatment could lead to irreversible damage.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
If your dog is diagnosed with a mild to moderate IVDD injury, treatment may include steroid and anti-inflammatory medications to help reduce pain and swelling, combined with strictly reduced activity for approximately 4 -6 weeks
Surgery
Surgery is typically recommended for dogs suffering from more severe cases of Intervertebral Disc Disease where rest and medication are not sufficient to reduce pain and other symptoms. During surgery, your dog’s veterinary surgeon will remove the hardened disc material which is pressing on your dog’s spinal cord and causing the IVDD symptoms.
Surgery outcomes are most successful in dogs that have not lost their ability to walk. If your dog’s surgery is not successful in returning your pet to normal mobility, a dog wheelchair can help your pup to enjoy a happy and active life while living with Intervertebral Disc Disease.
Recovery from IVDD surgery requires 6 – 8 weeks of restricted activity. Running, climbing stairs, playing with other dogs, or jumping on furniture need to be prevented in order to avoid further damage as your dog’s spine heals.
Physical Therapy
Following surgery, your vet may also recommend physical therapy for your dog in order to work on muscle strengthening and to help get your pet moving comfortably again.
BY-DR ROHIT RAJ, PETS CONSULTANT, JAMSHEDPUR
