Disc herniation and surgery

Hurley · 01-05-2011, 02:29 PM

Hello, I am brand new here, but our Basset Hurley, who is only three years old, herniated a disc on Sunday. We spent the afternoon/evening at the emergency vet and after three steroid shots and a dose of prednisone, no improvement. He had lost the ability to move either hind leg. It had started out on the left side on Sunday and by the time we got to the vet, both back legs were affected.

On Monday we went to the neurologist and he had an MRI and then surgery as the disc material was about 2/3 of the way into the spinal column. we visited yesterday, and he was moving the back left hind, today he has movement in both back legs and can stand with a little assistance. They are very hopeful for him to recover fully, although it will be a long one.

Anyone else have good outcomes to this surgery? When did your basset start to walk again? how far out of surgery until you got to take them home?

Thanks, K

Mikey T · 01-05-2011, 04:28 PM

Generally most opt for a more conservative approach but surgery has the best results when done early.

for more on the cause of IVD in dwarf breeds see Canine Intervertebral Disk Disease
Prepared for
The Dachshund Club of America, Inc.

y Patricia J. Luttgen, DVM, MS
Diplomate, American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine,
Specialty of Neurology
Denver, Colorado

Dachshund have a much higher incident of IVD than any other breed

Quote:

Aggressive medical therapy is recommended in any form of spinal cord trauma. It becomes especially important in acute trauma, such as type I disk herniation, to interrupt the destructive metabolic consequences described previously. Corticosteroids are the first line of attack in handling any acute spinal cord trauma. The currently preferred corticosteroid is methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-Medrol R; Upjohn). Compared to the previously favored corticosteroid dexamethasone (AziumR; Scherring), methylprednisolone sodium succinate seems to have far better sparing effects on the spinal cord while causing fewer side effects (gastrointestinal bleeding: excessive water consumption/urination)

...
Medical therapy combined with restricted activity and physiotherapy is a good approach as long as an affected dog is only displaying ataxia and/or discomfort. However, once the line is crossed to motor deficits, more aggressive therapy is usually needed. It is true that many dogs that become paretic, or even paralyzed, given enough time can regain "normal" clinical function without surgical intervention. However, the degree of permanent pathologic changes inside the spinal cord and the time to functional recovery will be far greater than for the dog that receives surgical decompressive therapy early in the course of disease. If additional trauma is sustained in the future, the dog that has "recovered" without surgery will probably "decompensate" more easily because of greater preexisting spinal cord pathology, resulting in a much greater degree of dysfunction than the dog with similar dysfunction that was operated early.

Hurley · 01-05-2011, 04:38 PM

He had the surgery early. And due to the material being so far up in the spinal column we wanted the best outcome. We talked about the more conservative approach. But we did not feel that it would be the best decision based on the quick degeneration of his ability to move. He weighs 66lbs and according to the vet. Has an ideal body condition. He is just a big big boy. He is very active for a Basset and that will be our biggest challenge in his recovery. My hubby has built him an enclosure in the living room so he won't feel left out. I am off to visit him and will hope to see some improvement

SophieB · 01-05-2011, 06:24 PM

Awww poor Hurley. I hope all goes well for him.
How did his problem happen please?

Soundtrack · 01-05-2011, 10:11 PM

That is a pretty fast recovery! When Myrtle had her surgery it was several weeks before she was able to walk unassisted. First she was able to run, then walk, then stand.

Sophie.12 · 01-06-2011, 01:24 AM

Here's hoping Hurley will continue to make progress. Please continue to upate us how he is doing. Great you acted so quickly. Best wishes and thoughts for his complete recovery.

Hurley · 01-06-2011, 10:41 AM

We saw Hurley again yesterday, and I brought him some of his babies. I spoke with the surgeon and he was very pleased with his progress so far. After we talked, the Doc decided they would keep him one more night. It is so sad, he will stand for just a minute and then have to sit down. He can correct his right leg in the back though and did use it while I was there. The vet said that he is doing a bit better than most at this point, but it is still all about baby steps. We are picking him up later this morning. This stuff always seems to happen at the most inconvenient times. We have an out of town wedding coming up and will be gone for over a week. One of the vet techs though has offered to pet sit him in her house while we are gone, and I think we are going to do that. She has been his nurse most nights he has been there and he Lurrrves her. Because he is adorable, they all give him mucho attention which is nice, and she said she would love to take care of him while we are gone.

We have three other pups at home so this will be interesting. Our oldest can handle the other dogs, but we just don't want Hurley having any issues while we are gone, so I think letting her fawn over him would be the best idea. We don't leave until later this month, so he should be doing much better and the staples will be out by then. Thanks for all your well wishes and I will keep you updated on how he is doing!

Update: Just spoke to the surgeon this morning... Hurley is NOT coming home today.. he has had a setback in moving his legs, so they may do another MRI this afternoon and may have to go back in. Keeping my fingers crossed that he is just being his lazy self.

Oh.. and how it happened?? We have no idea.. the vet said that Bassets discs dry out quicker than other breeds and something as simple as getting up from lying down can push the disc material up if the disc is dried out. They also told us that for these dogs, between 3 and 6 is the ages that they typically see it.

Sophie.12 · 01-06-2011, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the update. So sorry to hear of Hurley's setback. Will be thinking of him and hope things improve soon.

Hurley · 01-06-2011, 09:18 PM

Hurley is back in surgery tonight.. more compression on the other side.. Lord.. this is horrible!
Just waiting to hear from the surgeon. Hopefully he will be out of surgery by 7:30 tonight and we will hear something positive.
Poor baby. I just hate this.

Update: He is out of surgery, and will be in recovery all night tonight and most of the day tomorrow. The vet told us he had never seen anything like this before. Basically, it herniated on the other side as well. So they had to go in from the other side and below. Poor Poor Basset... this will put us at probably Sun/Monday before he can come home.

Soundtrack · 01-07-2011, 11:46 AM

Poor Hurley! I hope he has a full recovery.

01-05-2011, 02:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hurley Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 5	Disc herniation and surgery Hello, I am brand new here, but our Basset Hurley, who is only three years old, herniated a disc on Sunday. We spent the afternoon/evening at the emergency vet and after three steroid shots and a dose of prednisone, no improvement. He had lost the ability to move either hind leg. It had started out on the left side on Sunday and by the time we got to the vet, both back legs were affected. On Monday we went to the neurologist and he had an MRI and then surgery as the disc material was about 2/3 of the way into the spinal column. we visited yesterday, and he was moving the back left hind, today he has movement in both back legs and can stand with a little assistance. They are very hopeful for him to recover fully, although it will be a long one. Anyone else have good outcomes to this surgery? When did your basset start to walk again? how far out of surgery until you got to take them home? Thanks, K

01-05-2011, 10:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
Soundtrack Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,577	That is a pretty fast recovery! When Myrtle had her surgery it was several weeks before she was able to walk unassisted. First she was able to run, then walk, then stand. __________________ Rosie-Ch Soundtrack Cracklin' Rose CGN AGN RA Am RN TT Melody-Ch Soundtrack Unchained Melody TT Sailor-Ch Soundtrack Expedition Sailor RN TT Chili-Ch Soundtrack Spice Up Your Life Curry-Ch Soundtrack Canadian Brass Pepper-Ch Pennieslogon Living La Vida Loca CGN Vina-Ch Soundtrack Grand Illusion Leila-Ch Soundtrack Almost Paradise Deela-Ch Soundtrack Wink Of An Eye Hermione - Soundtrack Spellbound Eowyn - Soundtrack Rain Dance

01-06-2011, 10:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
Hurley Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 5	Update on Hurley We saw Hurley again yesterday, and I brought him some of his babies. I spoke with the surgeon and he was very pleased with his progress so far. After we talked, the Doc decided they would keep him one more night. It is so sad, he will stand for just a minute and then have to sit down. He can correct his right leg in the back though and did use it while I was there. The vet said that he is doing a bit better than most at this point, but it is still all about baby steps. We are picking him up later this morning. This stuff always seems to happen at the most inconvenient times. We have an out of town wedding coming up and will be gone for over a week. One of the vet techs though has offered to pet sit him in her house while we are gone, and I think we are going to do that. She has been his nurse most nights he has been there and he Lurrrves her. Because he is adorable, they all give him mucho attention which is nice, and she said she would love to take care of him while we are gone. We have three other pups at home so this will be interesting. Our oldest can handle the other dogs, but we just don't want Hurley having any issues while we are gone, so I think letting her fawn over him would be the best idea. We don't leave until later this month, so he should be doing much better and the staples will be out by then. Thanks for all your well wishes and I will keep you updated on how he is doing! Update: Just spoke to the surgeon this morning... Hurley is NOT coming home today.. he has had a setback in moving his legs, so they may do another MRI this afternoon and may have to go back in. Keeping my fingers crossed that he is just being his lazy self. Oh.. and how it happened?? We have no idea.. the vet said that Bassets discs dry out quicker than other breeds and something as simple as getting up from lying down can push the disc material up if the disc is dried out. They also told us that for these dogs, between 3 and 6 is the ages that they typically see it. Last edited by Hurley; 01-06-2011 at 11:30 AM. Reason: addition

01-06-2011, 09:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
Hurley Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 5	Hurley update Hurley is back in surgery tonight.. more compression on the other side.. Lord.. this is horrible! Just waiting to hear from the surgeon. Hopefully he will be out of surgery by 7:30 tonight and we will hear something positive. Poor baby. I just hate this. Update: He is out of surgery, and will be in recovery all night tonight and most of the day tomorrow. The vet told us he had never seen anything like this before. Basically, it herniated on the other side as well. So they had to go in from the other side and below. Poor Poor Basset... this will put us at probably Sun/Monday before he can come home. Last edited by Hurley; 01-06-2011 at 11:37 PM.

01-07-2011, 11:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
Soundtrack Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,577	Poor Hurley! I hope he has a full recovery. __________________ Rosie-Ch Soundtrack Cracklin' Rose CGN AGN RA Am RN TT Melody-Ch Soundtrack Unchained Melody TT Sailor-Ch Soundtrack Expedition Sailor RN TT Chili-Ch Soundtrack Spice Up Your Life Curry-Ch Soundtrack Canadian Brass Pepper-Ch Pennieslogon Living La Vida Loca CGN Vina-Ch Soundtrack Grand Illusion Leila-Ch Soundtrack Almost Paradise Deela-Ch Soundtrack Wink Of An Eye Hermione - Soundtrack Spellbound Eowyn - Soundtrack Rain Dance

01-05-2011, 04:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
Hurley Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 5	He had the surgery early. And due to the material being so far up in the spinal column we wanted the best outcome. We talked about the more conservative approach. But we did not feel that it would be the best decision based on the quick degeneration of his ability to move. He weighs 66lbs and according to the vet. Has an ideal body condition. He is just a big big boy. He is very active for a Basset and that will be our biggest challenge in his recovery. My hubby has built him an enclosure in the living room so he won't feel left out. I am off to visit him and will hope to see some improvement

01-05-2011, 06:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
SophieB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 838	Awww poor Hurley. I hope all goes well for him. How did his problem happen please?

01-06-2011, 01:24 AM	#6 (permalink)
Sophie.12 Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 73	Here's hoping Hurley will continue to make progress. Please continue to upate us how he is doing. Great you acted so quickly. Best wishes and thoughts for his complete recovery.

01-06-2011, 05:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sophie.12 Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 73	Thanks for the update. So sorry to hear of Hurley's setback. Will be thinking of him and hope things improve soon.

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