Rear end fasciculations IVDP cases

[lehughes]

Dear Laurie,

First of all, congratulations on the recent vet therapist of the year award, really well deserved.

I’m a veterinary physiotherapist in the UK and I hope you don’t mind but I had a question I thought I’d ask you.

I have had a couple of patients with IVDPs in the thoracolumbar spine and they commonly get some reactivity to being stroked or brushed along their lower back usually in the form of fasciculations and twitching of their back and pelvic limbs (often worse when the owner reports they’ve “done too much”). The owner’s often ask what the cause is and to be honest I’m not entirely sure exactly what is causing it! But I tend to work through the fascia in the area and it settles down. I wondered if you’d seen anything similar at all? I wondered if it was some form of allodynia? Although they don’t seem inherently painful...

I appreciate you are very busy so any response would be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes,
MS

[lehughes]

Hi M,

Without seeing the dog(s) and/or more information on your assessment, my initial thoughts would be that there is some misfiring or hypersensitivity (not allodynia per se) but more of an increased reaction to minimal stimuli because of the original disc issue. I’d think of it as ‘remnants of hyperreflexia’ from days gone by.
All in all spinal cord mediated. My best guess anyways!

Not sure if this helps or not, but it’s the best I can suggest. I hope it helps!!!

All the best!

Laurie