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Post by Nikki & Lucy on May 4, 2017 9:39:32 GMT -7
Hi, my dog Lucy is a 7 yr old Pembroke Corgi. Her brother, Beau, was diagnosed a couple weeks ago with IVDD. He was in soo much pain and couldn't walk. After about a week the vet suggested there wasn't much more to do than to take him to U of I Vet or put him down. He was put down 😞. I was wondering if Lucy likely has IVDD? Since it can be hereditary?
My dog Lucy is a 7 yr old Pembroke Corgi. She has not been diagnosed with IVDD, but her brother Beau was shortly before he was put down. She weighs about 34lbs and is in good health.
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Post by Romy & Frankie on May 4, 2017 13:19:28 GMT -7
Hi, welcome to Dodgerslist. IVDD is thought to have a genetic component and is certainly more common in certain breeds including Corgi's. This does not mean that your Lucy will ever have IVDD. Even if she does develop IVDD at some point, IVDD is not a death sentence. When you have a chance, read some of the stories here to find out why that is true: www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htm Surgery is not the only treatment for IVDD. The Conservative treatment of 8 weeks of Strict crate rest, anti-inflammatories and pain relieving medication can also heal a damaged disk. Nerve healing can take time, but dogs do heal. Even dogs who do not recover the ability to walk can still enjoy life. I always think of this video when I think of a dog's quality of life. |
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,935
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Post by PaulaM on May 4, 2017 17:42:44 GMT -7
Nikki, I'm so sad to hear about Beau.. It would be good to get up to speed on IVDD since as Romy pointed out it may have a genetic component. Since we do not know any of the details about Beau's one week treatment I can only speak to some general things. Not all vets know IVDD. This is why we doxie owners have had to learn all we can about IVDD so we can make sure our dogs get the right treatment to a disease that is not fatal and that we can be committed to the 24/7 STRICT rest required. Conservative treatment often will only work when an truly aggressive use of pain meds is used so that the dog can continue in comfort from pain to let the disc heal over the course of 8 weeks. Often that means three pain meds to address each of the three kinds of pain. And given 3x/day to provide round the clock comfort. Nerve damage can take some time for the body to self repair and for some dogs the nerve damage can be too severe. So they just use a cart once 8 weeks of crate rest has been completed. I recommend to take a look and learn more about IVDD with this short 10min on-line course. Hopefully Lucy will never need your knowledge, but if she would, you'll best be prepared. Oh, please, will they know what to do if it is me? Will they take a moment today to refresh on IVDD?
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Post by Nikki & Lucy on May 5, 2017 13:44:54 GMT -7
My Corgi's brother was just put down for a severe case of IVDD:( He wasn't getting any better and in a lot of pain. He was 7yrs old. I was wondering since he had it if my Lucy most likely has it? I've read that it is hereditary. Hope someone can help answer my question. Thank you
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Post by Linda Stowe on May 5, 2017 13:53:07 GMT -7
Nikki I'm sorry to hear Lucy's brother was euthanized. Yes, we believe IVDD is thought to be hereditary. At this time, there is no test to determine which dogs will develop or carry the disease. If a dog in the immediate family has or had IVDD, there is a greater chance for relatives. Try not to worry. Take precautions such as jumping and enjoy life with Lucy. Normally, there is no reason to euthanize an IVDD dog.
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Post by Nikki & Lucy on May 8, 2017 8:28:26 GMT -7
Thank you for all the great info! This forum is amazing. It is relieving to know there are other options to help with this disease.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,935
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Post by PaulaM on Mar 20, 2022 7:38:06 GMT -7
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