Dachshund in pain and will not go up or down steps

[Tammyjpo]

My 7 year old dachshund girl was fine yesterday, running and playing. Last night after I pottied her for the last time she came to the top of the dog stairs where there's about a 4 inch jump to get on the bed and started staring at me. I helped her on the bed and that was the end of it. This morning she wouldn't jump off the bed so I went to her and rolled her on her side to live on her and she whined. Now I am having to put her on and off the bed but she still whines. When we go outside she ace like she doesn't wanna go up the sidewalk step cause its gonna hurt. She is eating fine and pottying fine. When she finally lays down she doesn't move around like she usually does. You can tell she wants to move around to get comfy but she seems afraid to cause of the pain. Is it possible she could have pulled something playing? I know she needs to go to the get but I'm trying to avoid that if its something that will heal.

[diandpat]

Definitely go to the vet. Dachsunds are prone to disc disease which can be permanent and sometimes fatal. Google it and see if the signs/symptoms match but time can be of the essence. Don't spend too much time on the internet...call an e-vet asap.

My shih tzu/terrier had two episodes and got through both of them, thank goodness. Immediate attention is imperative.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Longblades]

She needs to see the Vet immediately. Invertebral disk disease and other spinal ailments are common in the long backed breeds. The sooner you go the more likely it IS something that will heal. Ie, you'll catch it early. Leaving it can allow problems to compound.

[Tammyjpo]

Thank you all for the input. I'm not sure if its her spine cause when I take her out she runs and likes to run around. It's just going up or down on steps or the bed. I will definitely google the signs.

[Tammyjpo]

I googled IVDD and I don't think that's it cause she eats and walks and the whining is about the only symptom. I'm just going to keep her still for awhile and see if she gets better. Thank you all

[Barkingdog]

That is a bad idea , you need to bring your dog to the vet right away, you could end doing more harm if you move her the wrong way.

[Loki Love]

It can deteriorate quickly - I'd get her to a vet sooner than later. I know of someone who went through a similar situation with their Dachshund - they waited a few days and by the time they got their dog to the vet, it had lost all use of its back legs. They ended up having to put it down within a week of the first symptoms appearing.

I'm not trying to scare you - but I do think you should really see a vet.

[Tammyjpo]

I totally understand but I don't have the funds right now. I am going to call the vet tomorrow and see what I can work out. If she won't work with me then I will have to wait until I get the money.

[MaxaLisa]

I would actually see a doggie chiropractor (AVCA certified): www.avcadoctors.com They will know what type of treatments.

I have a young dachshund mix now, and she sees a chiro about every 4 or 5 weeks, and there is always something that is misaligned that causes her discomfort. Those long backs are so prone to problems, and, yes, left unattended, can very quickly turn fatal.

[Longblades]

Poor little dog. Yes, it will likely be expensive. Many Vets will work out a payment plan for you. If you let it get worse it will be more expensive.

If it is IVDD you're already doing things wrong. She needs exercise to keep her back muscles strong. You need to know what kind of exercise she can do. You need to know Where in her back it is so you can help her properly. Meds will releive pain AND reduce inflamation.

That's what I learned when my Lab had an acute espisode of pain and was found to have both IVDD and significant spinal spondylosis. A wrong move by me could have moved her past the point of return to health by medicine to the point of needing surgery.

[Dog Dancer]

I have to agree that a vet trip is mandatory for your pup. They are so prone to back issues. That said, my lab wouldn't do the stairs a few years ago and it was a bladder infection. So you really do need to get some professional advice for this. Good luck.

[Tammyjpo]

Just wanted to update. She is fine. It was not IVDD. She must have pulled something cause the next day she was fine. Thank you all for the advice. She is back to her playful stubborn self.

[Longblades]

YAY! Good to hear, thanks for letting us know she is OK. Give her a little snuggle from me.

[Izzie]

Trixie, my mom's Dachshund, had this problem in a past. The vet was asking $5000. He told my mom to do it right then or the dog would die. At that time, my mom didn't have the resources.
A good friend of mine is a chriroprator and he examined Trixie. The only problem was that some vertebras were of position.

[patchdog]

This happened to one of our cats. He did all activities fine but would not hop off the bed and was just acting odd. We took him in for xrays and it was sprained. Time healed it for him.

[MaxaLisa]

Originally Posted by Tammyjpo

Just wanted to update. She is fine. It was not IVDD. She must have pulled something cause the next day she was fine. Thank you all for the advice. She is back to her playful stubborn self.

Actually, it could be the start of IVDD, as it starts slow, causes issues here and there, until it evolves into a more chronic form. Joint supplements and good joint care would be a good thing to practice in any dog, but particularly these long backed dogs!

[Tammyjpo]

Ok, she got better but then got bad again. I took her to the vet and $316 later found out her spine is fine. She has spondylosis, a bad form of arthritis. She was in a lot of pain last night but is doing good today. Just wanted to let people know in case it helps someone else.

[Longblades]

Crapola, that's too bad. But, the spondylosis is not in her spine? I didn't know it could be in places other than the spine. Though in hindsight I guess that's maybe why my Vet said my girl's was specifically spinal spondylosis. My Vet showed me the X-rays and how the bony growths were affecting my girl's back.

We could have opted for surgery for the IVDD and or the SSp but at age 12.5 that was not desirable. What we did was take down the inflammation and then she was on strong pain meds the rest of her life. We reduced exercise but kept it up. And I kept her away from other dogs, fearing one wrong bump would start problems up over again.

My girl became fecal incontinent. We don't know if there was neurological damage from the spine problems or if it was due to the pain meds masking her sensitivity to an oncoming poop as much as to pain. Maybe a bit of both. Just saying, so you can watch out. Fecal incontinence is not too hard to handle, just pick em and put them outside. Urinary incontinence is much harder to deal with.

[Tammyjpo]

Let me clarify. Her spine itself is fine. Spondylosis is in the spine. She is acting fine now.

[MaxaLisa]

Originally Posted by Tammyjpo

Let me clarify. Her spine itself is fine. Spondylosis is in the spine. She is acting fine now.

This doesn't make sense. If the spondylosis is in the spine, then it is not fine.

It will get worse. You can use joint supplements, and adequan/cartrophen (depending on where you live), and use other things to help keep it from progressing. It's painful, and can really cut short the lifespan of your dog

[Tammyjpo]

Let me quote the doctor. "Her spine is fine but she has spondylosis which is basically arthritis in the spine. There is no cure just relief with medicine. "

[MaxaLisa]

Right, and I disagree with the vet

[Longblades]

Originally Posted by MaxaLisa

Right, and I disagree with the vet

Me too. Maybe the Vet meant the spinal cord is OK? My girl had spinal spondylosis. I saw her X-rays, my VEt took pains to show me what was going on and her spine WAS NOT all right. I had to lift her certain ways to avoid breaking off a piece of bony growth that was where it shouldn't be. I avoided other dogs, fearing a bump in play, she was in pain. She was NOT all right.