German Shepherd showing minor neurological changes
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 10:29 am
Hi,
I hope you can help me with a patient of mine. German Shepherd male, 3 years. Pelvis and hind limb angles are not too bad for a german shepherd dog. Sorry about the long reading!
The dog was presented to me for the first time in February 2017. At the time he had been intermittent lame on the left hind leg for a couple of weeks , worse after resting. During gait assessment the dog didn`t show any lameness, however showed a reduced mobility of his caudal lumbars/lumbosacral junction. This was confirmed under clinical examination. There was moderate pain upon palpation of L6+L7. Lumbosacral junction showed normal extension, however no hyperextension. The dog showed no muscle atrophy, all joints of left hind limb were without remarks. No obvious neurological deficits but I didn`t proceed with a full neurological examination. Xrays showed narrowed intervertebral space to L6-L7 and L7-sacrum. It was hard to get a symmetrical positioning for the hip xrays but we concluded with a mild degree of hip dysplasia. The dog was prescribed rest and nsaids for two weeks. The owner was supposed to keep in touch but didn`t.
I then saw the dog again in the end of August 2017. The dog now showed lameness in his right hind leg. He sometimes had trouble jumping into the car and had had a couple of accidents with urinal incontinence. A bit exaggerated swing phase of the right hind limb. The dog tended to place his right hind limb in median direction, under his abdomen. The lumbar spinal pain upon palpation was worse and the grade of extention to the lumbosacral junction reduced. No neurological deficits.
The dog was sent to an MRI, which showed minimal lumbosacral degenerative disc disease without evidence of spinal cord or nerve root compression, mild sclerosis of the facet joints of L4-L6 as well as a questionable coxofemoral synovitis and minimal bilateral osteophyte formation to the acetabulae. The radiologist suggests the hip changes as the main reason for the symotoms. I more believe in changes to the spinal column, although the changes are quite small and don`t cause any neurological symptoms (yet). And the combination of it all, of course.
What do you think about the cause? Should I just start up standard rehabilitation treatment or am I missing something here?
I hope you can help me with a patient of mine. German Shepherd male, 3 years. Pelvis and hind limb angles are not too bad for a german shepherd dog. Sorry about the long reading!
The dog was presented to me for the first time in February 2017. At the time he had been intermittent lame on the left hind leg for a couple of weeks , worse after resting. During gait assessment the dog didn`t show any lameness, however showed a reduced mobility of his caudal lumbars/lumbosacral junction. This was confirmed under clinical examination. There was moderate pain upon palpation of L6+L7. Lumbosacral junction showed normal extension, however no hyperextension. The dog showed no muscle atrophy, all joints of left hind limb were without remarks. No obvious neurological deficits but I didn`t proceed with a full neurological examination. Xrays showed narrowed intervertebral space to L6-L7 and L7-sacrum. It was hard to get a symmetrical positioning for the hip xrays but we concluded with a mild degree of hip dysplasia. The dog was prescribed rest and nsaids for two weeks. The owner was supposed to keep in touch but didn`t.
I then saw the dog again in the end of August 2017. The dog now showed lameness in his right hind leg. He sometimes had trouble jumping into the car and had had a couple of accidents with urinal incontinence. A bit exaggerated swing phase of the right hind limb. The dog tended to place his right hind limb in median direction, under his abdomen. The lumbar spinal pain upon palpation was worse and the grade of extention to the lumbosacral junction reduced. No neurological deficits.
The dog was sent to an MRI, which showed minimal lumbosacral degenerative disc disease without evidence of spinal cord or nerve root compression, mild sclerosis of the facet joints of L4-L6 as well as a questionable coxofemoral synovitis and minimal bilateral osteophyte formation to the acetabulae. The radiologist suggests the hip changes as the main reason for the symotoms. I more believe in changes to the spinal column, although the changes are quite small and don`t cause any neurological symptoms (yet). And the combination of it all, of course.
What do you think about the cause? Should I just start up standard rehabilitation treatment or am I missing something here?