Back-problems
If you're the owner of a dachshund, back-problems are always scary.
That figures; a slipped disc (hernia) is serious and very painful for the animal. Don't let anyone fool you! In many cases a slipped disc can be cured and it really is not a reason to just put the animal to sleep! Not even when they are paralyzed...!
Ofcourse, not every dog with symptoms of paralysis because of hernia will get back on their feet. Some will recover completely, others for 80 or 90%. These dogs keep walking a little bit 'strange', especially when they are tired.
And for a few, indeed, after everything has been tried, the only solution that remains is putting them to sleep. But at least give the animal the chance to cure!
In the past I have helped people put their dachshund back on its legs after he had been paralyzed for a month! In the case of Pedro it may have taken 6 weeks before he was able to go back home, but at least when he did, he walked on its leash! Now, 8 years later, he is still walking. He has gotten older, but still enjoys his daily walk in the parc.
My advice: 1) Lock the animal up. Absolute rest is really the most important thing. Only take it out for nature's call (preferrably in the yard) and directly after that, lock it up again, in a bench (crate) or something like that.
2) Give the dog Prednison tablets for 5 days and a painkiller. Some people are against painkillers, but I feel you should not have an animal suffer, when it's not necessary. A hernia is very painful!
3) At the same time you are treating the dog with Prednison and painkillers, give it 3x 25 drops of hernia-vetsem a day. (hernia vetsem is a homeopathic medicin) It is being said that homeopathic medicine can not be taken together with cortico's (prednison), but I have never had problems with this combination. Also, it takes a few days for homeopathic medicine to start working and by that time you will have stopped giving the prednison (since you only give these on the first 5 days).
4) If the dog shows signs of paralysis, start physiotherapy immediately.
I would like to emphasize a (very) important matter: make sure your dachshund does not get too fat! Because of its structure, a dachshund has a very sensitive back. All that overweight places a load on the back of the dachshund. A (average) guideline is: you should be able to feel the ribs of the dog, but you should not be able to see them.
There are different ways a dachshund can get a hernia. Ofcourse hereditariness plays a part, but also the environment. Do not allow your dachshund to walk up and down stairs and don't let it jump high, for instance at a ball or so. You can probably can not keep the dog from jumping on and off a chair or sofa (my dachsies also relax on my sofa at night), but it would be better for their backs if they didn't.
Especially the back of the older dachshund is more sensitive for these things. It seems more often that they land wrong, when they jump off a couch. The intervertebrals have become less supple and in fact, these should be seen as 'shock-absorbers'.
The symptoms of hernia can be displayed in different ways. When the hernia is acute, for instance the 'hind-quarters' including the tail, can be totally paralyzed or for instance just one leg. But it is also possible that the hernia is slowly creeping in. The symptoms you are able to notice then, are:
weakness in the backhand (hind-quarters),
the dog no longer jumps on the couch,
not longer jumps up at you,
he walks very carefully etc.
It is important that you recognize these symptoms, because the treatment of a hernia should be started within 24 hours.
Nowadays there are different ways to treat the hernia. They used to do surgery, but nowadays they usually choose for a so-called 'alternative treatment', with often astounding results.
The various methods of treatment are:
Laser therapy
Pysio therapy
Acupuncture
Ultra sound therapy
Surgery
An alternative treatment, is often a combination of treatments, e.g.: physio therapy & ultra sound treatments, together with homeopathic medicine.
Ofcourse you always consult the specialist first.
Clinics, (in Netherland) who are specialized in treating dogs with back-problems are:
Dierenkliniek 'Westerhuis' Dalwagen 29c in Dodewaard tel: 0488-410040 e-mail: info@uwdierenkliniek.nl website:
Dierenkliniek "Kortenoord" Rietveldlaan in Wageningen. Tel: 0317-412432 e-mail: info@kortenoord.com
note: Ook bij de Nederlandse Teckelclub kun je terecht voor adressen van herniaspecialisten en fysiotherapeuten.