L-S Disease & Unfused Sacrum

[lehughes]

Hi Laurie

Hope this email finds you well.
I wondered if I could ask you a question?

In a nutshell.. My 7year old very active collie has L/S disease with very frequent lancinating bilateral sciatic. She is not clinically lame although hard to tell when its bilateral. She has a very flexed pelvis tucked under her. MRI has shown L7 disc but no hard compression and unfused sacrum. Surgery is huge to correct this. Managing her with usual things pain relief / physio. But what do you think of trying a hip brace to help stabilise the area. Trying to
think outside the box in managing her pain.

Thanks in anticipation

SW

[lehughes]

Oh Sue! I’m so sorry! 7 is way too young to be having such issues!

Firstly, I don’t know of a brace that would really work. The hip braces out there… can’t actually do anything from a biomechanical perspective. (i.e. https://orthodog.com/index.cfm/products ... und-brace/). And the back braces prevent / minimize flexion, which is what your dog is doing to relieve the pain and pressure on the nerves (i.e. https://lilbackbracer.com/). But the concept of wrapping or holding the area might be beneficial. I did a video a while back on trying to create something for SIJ instability. To be honest, not sure it did or could work.

My course of treatment for L/S disease: Tail Pull Traction, Manual Traction, and Flexion mobilizations. Always check / mobilize the SIJ’s as they have a huge effect on the L-S area. Laser, Shockwave, Acupuncture. Home Exercise Program of flexion exercises (i.e. cookies under the chest).

So, if you were to try to do / find something else, it would likely be to create some kind of a flexion brace… which I know sounds crazy. Maybe you could mould one out of thermoplastic to fit over the lumber spine and rump, and harness it on with velcro. They do something similar in people apparently.

I wish I had something more magical to share!

Best of luck!

Laurie

[David Lane]

Attached (hopefully) are images from 2 lecture slides about the effectiveness of epidural depomedrol for LS disease. FWIW, I don't automatically give all 3 injections. If the 2nd doesn't work, then I don't try the 3rd. If either the 1st or 2nd do work, then I repeat prn rather than on a set schedule.

[lehughes]

Thank you for getting back to me.

Very hard area to treat.
she has had one epidural - did not do good.
they have offered surgery at Fitzpatricks, but its big surgery and her sciatica appears to be intermittent.
She will suddenly drop her head and lift both back legs of the floor and run on 2 legs with both back legs drawn right under her. Horrible to see but then its gone...

she is better with laser which I do most nights..
she is a wobbly collie so thought if I could stabilise L/S junction and sort of hold her together it might help.
I do worry about her she will not age well if I don't get this under control.

Hope you are well.

sue