Advice

Question
Hi Jennifer,

My dog was taken to the vet yesterday because she would suddenly screech when we pick her up or touch her on her neck, behind, etc...
The vet said that she MAY have a hernia that's pushing on her vertabrae disk. They basically said that she should not climb any stairs and she has to rest for a week. So what i have done for her own good is keep her locked up in the kitchen. I will have to for a week. It's killing me but I have no choice. There are stairs everywhere in the house. So when I bring her outside, I have to pick her up and walk her down the stairs. She screeches when I pick her up. I feel really bad. My question to you is: Can this go away completely? She is perfectly fine when nobody is touching her. As soon as she gets picked up, she is in pain. I am not sure where to pick her up from. I just want to know that if I do take the hit and lock her up for a week, she can recover 100%. I don't want her to get paralyzed. Can you help?

Chantal

Answer
A herniated or bulging disc.

With rest and anti-inflammatories she should recover just fine.  If she is still having problems, a muscle relaxant and additional pain medication should be prescribed.

I would, however, recommend starting her on a Glucosamine and MSM joint supplement to help prevent future problems.