IVDD is a medical condition that affects animals and stands for Intervertebral Disc Disease. This disease causes cushioning discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column to rupture into the spinal cord and presses on nerves. This produces soreness, nerve damage, and even paralysis. Because of the pressure, IVDD induces premature aging resulting in a lower quality of life. There are many symptoms that can be overlooked but the outcome can lead to serious conditions.
The less serious symptoms of intervertebral disc disease include pain and weakness to jump and yelping unexpectedly when touched or moving. The more serious symptoms are tense neck muscles, loss of bladder or bowel control. It can also lower head stance, arch the back, or cause dragging of one or more legs when walking. Animals can also tremble, shake, or have paralysis multiple limbs. The most common symptoms are anxious behavior, and muscle Spasms over the back and neck.
In smaller breeds of dogs it is very common for the outer layer of the neck to harden. A major cause is a forceful impact such as jumping and landing can cause multiple discs to burst and the inner material to press on spinal cord. Another type of cause, called the type 2, is when the discs can harden and become fibrous over a long period of time and can eventually …show more content…
Neuralgic exams can be used to diagnose by helping to identify where the spinal cord injury is located. The second diagnosis is to have plain X-rays; those may show an abnormal area in the spine. A third way to diagnose intervertebral disc disease is to conduct a procedure called a Myelogram which they inject a special dye into the spine that surrounds the spinal cord and allows it to appear on x-rays. The fourth method of diagnoses is to complete lab work such as a serum chemistry, blood count, and urinalysis. Another way to do a diagnosis is to do a CT scan. The last way to do a diagnosis is to do a spinal
The less serious symptoms of intervertebral disc disease include pain and weakness to jump and yelping unexpectedly when touched or moving. The more serious symptoms are tense neck muscles, loss of bladder or bowel control. It can also lower head stance, arch the back, or cause dragging of one or more legs when walking. Animals can also tremble, shake, or have paralysis multiple limbs. The most common symptoms are anxious behavior, and muscle Spasms over the back and neck.
In smaller breeds of dogs it is very common for the outer layer of the neck to harden. A major cause is a forceful impact such as jumping and landing can cause multiple discs to burst and the inner material to press on spinal cord. Another type of cause, called the type 2, is when the discs can harden and become fibrous over a long period of time and can eventually …show more content…
Neuralgic exams can be used to diagnose by helping to identify where the spinal cord injury is located. The second diagnosis is to have plain X-rays; those may show an abnormal area in the spine. A third way to diagnose intervertebral disc disease is to conduct a procedure called a Myelogram which they inject a special dye into the spine that surrounds the spinal cord and allows it to appear on x-rays. The fourth method of diagnoses is to complete lab work such as a serum chemistry, blood count, and urinalysis. Another way to do a diagnosis is to do a CT scan. The last way to do a diagnosis is to do a spinal