Symptoms and Prevention and Treatment Methods of Canine Intervertebral Disc Disease

Canine intervertebral disc disease is the sudden protrusion or extrusion of the intervertebral disc after disc degeneration. Pekingese and Shih Tzu dogs aged 3-6 years are very prone to it, and the thoracolumbar intervertebral discs are more commonly affected. Intervertebral disc protrusion causes paralysis in affected dogs due to spinal cord compression, and the onset is relatively acute, often occurring suddenly.

Causes: Due to genetic factors, calcium and phosphorus malnutrition during puppyhood, trauma, autoimmunity, chondrodystrophy, etc., the canine intervertebral disc undergoes degeneration. (1) When the intervertebral disc undergoes cartilaginous metaplasia, it can cause the disc to be extruded into the spinal canal (Hansen type I); the degenerated nucleus pulposus material can cause severe inflammatory reaction in the spinal epidural space, and hemorrhage can also occur in the epidural space. After remodeling and absorption, calcified or cartilaginous masses may remain. (2) If the intervertebral disc undergoes fibrous metaplasia, it often leads to disc protrusion (Hansen type II), and the protruding part of the disc compresses the spinal cord.

Clinical symptoms: Affected dogs may suddenly develop general paralysis, or paralysis of the hindquarters, or unsteady walking, or inability to move. They show sudden refusal to let people touch their lower back or body; when a person touches their body, the dog will howl, and its temperament becomes extremely violent; when walking, the gait is stiff or extremely cautious, and sometimes it even hides under the bed and howls miserably in places people cannot reach. This pain only occurs when a person touches a certain part of the affected dog. If the nerve compression involves the nerves controlling the intestines and bladder, this disease also causes incontinence of urine and feces in dogs.

1) Cervical intervertebral disc disease: neck pain, head lowered, neck extended, resistance to touching the neck. Neck muscle spasms. Forelimb lameness with a stiff gait and short strides. Varying degrees of tetraparesis and ataxia.

2) Thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease (most common): pain in the lower back, unwillingness to move, arched back. When touching the dog's spine, hyperesthesia is often felt. The lesion site is generally one or two segments anterior to the sensitive point. Varying degrees of hindlimb paresis and ataxia, and incontinence of urine and feces.

Treatment: The outcome of treatment and the prognosis of this disease are related to the degree to which the intervertebral disc between the vertebrae compresses the spinal cord horn or nerves. When the intervertebral disc protrudes, an acute inflammatory reaction also occurs around it at the same time, and the surrounding tissues bleed and swell, making the spinal cord compression more severe. In the early stage, giving affected dogs some medications to reduce inflammation and eliminate edema generally alleviates the symptoms within 3-5 days. General treatment requires timely pain relief and anti-inflammatory treatment, combined with appropriately limiting the affected dog's activity, and dogs with this disease must rest quietly for two weeks. For the treatment of the sequelae of this disease, the traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture therapy combined with Chinese herbal medicine treatment is relatively practical and effective.