Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD)
Dogs Don’t Follow Doctors’ Orders?
Just like with people, there are two treatments for a back problem: rest or surgery. The difference with dogs is their anatomy making a back problem a potential for serious spinal cord damage. Identifying the early signs of disc disease, reluctance to walk, use of stairs, trembling, nails scuffing the floor, or a yelp can protect the spinal cord and avoid paralysis. Immediate restriction to a crate and off to get vet help makes all the difference with this disease.
Learning your Dachshund has a back problem with a tongue twisting name, intervertebral disc disease, is overwhelming. Owners quickly get an infusion of disc disease knowledge with lots of help on good home care at the Dodgerslist.com website -- a support group with world-wide membership to bounce questions off of. Dodgerslist is recognized as the premier website on disc disease by many veterinary professionals.
Most of the time, people will follow the doctor's orders of rest to let a disc heal and recover without surgery. However, dogs never follow orders of taking it easy! A recovery suite is used for longer than a broken arm would be in a cast. The recovery suite is a must while medications give comfort from pain during the time the long-healing disc repairs itself.
A $3 bargain is inside the Dodgerslist DVD for group education and those who will take care of your Dachshund. A good overview of the disease and the good hope of living with this disease makes this DVD an excellent presentation resource for Dachshund and other IVDD-prone breed groups.
Dachshund Tips:
Vets and owners are unsuspecting until the first sign of this degenerative disease shows itself, typically around the ages of three to seven years old. These life-style tips may help prolong the time until the first disc problem appears or perhaps prevent one altogether.
- Eliminate stairs or jumping in your home.
- Teach your children and friends how to pick up a Dachshund to protect its back. Use both hands and support both ends of the dog and keep the back horizontal to the ground. Picking up a dog under the armpits like a baby supports only one end and causes stress on the spine.
- Wire crates are just one of many types of recovery suites used when a dog has a back problem. Get ahead of the game by making sure your dog feels like his "suite" is a good thing, his special place to go to take a nap or chew on a bone. Doing so will make crate rest go much more smoothly for them and YOU!
- Collars should only be used to hold dog tags.
(Dachshund Harness Photographer: Cris Lewis)
Use of leash with a harness helps to protect the spine. Collars should be thought of as necklaces to only hold dog tags. Get your custom-fitted harness here
Learn more about intervertebral disc disease at:
Web site:http://www.dodgerslist.com
Support Forum: http://dodgerslist.boards.net