Wobbler syndrome
If you have recently bought a puppy and are very indulged in its care, you must be happy and satisfied with its continuous growth. The funny acts of your dog are a great source of pleasure. It is mostly seen during the periods of growth that dogs are affected with skeletal system abnormalities. Skeletal system abnormalities, though, are not common but very severe.
What is wobbler syndrome?
It may happen due to trauma or abnormal bone growth in large breed dogs that suffer from cervical spondylomyelopathy. Cervical spondylomyelopathy is a disease of compression of the cervical spine. The compression affects the normal functioning of the spinal cord, and dogs start expressing abnormal signs. This condition is commonly seen in large breed dogs and is characterized by severe pain and characteristic wobbly gain.
The disease develops because of intervertebral disk slippage or may also develop because of the abnormal bony growth in the spinal cord. In both conditions, spinal compression occurs that affects the normal nerve transition. The Doberman pinscher is the most affected dog among the large breed dogs that commonly suffer from intervertebral disk slippage.
What are the signs and symptoms to diagnose wobbler syndrome?
The characteristic sign of wobbler syndrome is abnormal movement. The strange wobbly gait is considered the pathognomic symptom of wobbler syndrome. Along with the wobbly gait, dogs experience weakness and severe pain in the neck.
Dogs experience great difficulty in walking. The neck is involved in balancing the body; when the neck is unable to move on purpose, dogs become unable to walk properly. As a result, dogs show one-strided walking or spastic gait. Following are the signs and symptoms you may observe in a dog suffering from wobbler syndrome.
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Wobbly gait
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Difficulty in standing
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Difficulty in moving
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All the four limbs extended
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Muscle loss
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Uneven toenails because of abnormal walking
What is the treatment of wobbler syndrome?
The treatment of wobbler syndrome depends on the severity of the problem. Surgery is preferred in some cases. Whether the doctor prescribes surgery or deals with it in the outpatient, the dog is kept resting for a longer period. Dogs who can’t walk are kept on soft bedding. It is important to turn the sides after a few hours.
Post-operative Management
The post-operative care of the diseased dog is very important. We at quincydogs have designed harnesses to help your dog pass difficult times. We have designed two different harnesses to help you hold your dog. When it requires four people with a towel to exercise your dog, now it will take only one person and our specially designed harnesses. Following designs are very helpful for your dog suffering from wobbler syndrome
These harnesses give your dog a good relief to pass a difficult time. It would be better for you to take the opinion of your veterinarian to choose the best-suited harness for your dog.
written by:
Dr Saba Afzal, DVM, RVMP
M.phil in Microbiology.