My dog has a spinal fracture. What are recovery options & chances?

Hi and thank you for your post. While surgery may be possible, this should be done at a specialty or veterinary teaching hospital at a University for sure. It is highly likely Jordan will have multiple neurological deficits after surgery and make never be able to use his legs normally. He may have problems defecating and urinating. The road for recovery will be long and arduous for both you and Jordan. He will need lots of physical rehabilitative therapy and constant round the clock care for quite some time. How long will depend on his response to treatment, therapy and medication. Best to you and Jordan! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I am having a little trouble determine what is going on in the elbows. It looks like they are both fractured if these are pictures of different legs. The pelvis is also fractured. Treatment options would depend on the current condition of the pet and the cause for the injuries. Pelvic fractures often heal with strict cage rest for 1-2 months. The fracture of the elbow appears to have affected the joint, and it likely needs surgery to fix or amputation of the leg. If it is in both legs, surgery to fix the fractures is the best option.

They can definitely heal on their own and they heal especially well with puppies. However, it may heal at an angle, which can cause a life-long limp and issues with arthritis. This particular fracture involves the growth plate, which can increase the possibility that it won't heal correctly. The advantage of surgery is that the fracture can be aligned appropriately, which will shorten healing time and reduce chances of future complications. This would not be an easy surgery though and would likely require an orthopedic specialist to do it; which can get quite expensive. If you want to pursue surgery, then it's best to ask your veterinarian for a referral to an orthopedic specialist. Otherwise it's possible for it to heal fine with casting/splinting and time. I hope that helps and Ice gets better soon.

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Oh dear, I am sorry to hear about the slipped disc. Once a patient becomes non ambulatory (unable to move legs), surgery is recommended. However, the success of the surgery and overall prognosis depends on how quickly surgery is performed. Usually, most pets that are taken to surgery within the first 24 hours after becoming non ambulatory will regain the ability to walk and urinate normally again. Pets taken to surgery after that 24 hour period do not have quite the same outcome, unfortunately. If Luna is not able to walk and has lost all sensation to her legs, there is about a 10% chance of regaining normal bladder and motor function. Sometimes pain medications and additional therapies such as cold laser therapy, acupuncture, water therapy, etc can be tried but with varying success rates. I hope this helps and I wish you and Luna the best!

I am so sorry that this has happened to Tommy. Unfortunately I cannot not say for sure if there is any chance of recovery from just X-rays. An MRI or CT really needs to be done to get the best view of the spinal cord and his intervertebral disks. Also, you may want to see if there is a veterinary surgeon who is comfortable with back surgery as this could be an option for Tommy. If not, the only other suggestion would be high doses of steroids. None of these options are guaranteed to work but they might. I hope this helps and hope that Tommy is capable of healing. Hang in there and good luck.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Muneca is limping. Based off the radiograph, it looks like her fibula, the smaller bone in her lower leg, may be fractured. It is difficult to know for sure without an orthogonal view, but that may be the reason for her limping. I recommend restricting her activity to cage rest and leash walks only, do not let her run or play for at least 4 weeks to allow time for the bone to heal. I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian who can perform bloodwork and see if it is safe to prescribe her anti-inflammatory pain medications to help her feel more comfortable. NEVER give human pain medications to dogs as they can be markedly toxic. I hope this is helpful!

I'm so sorry to hear Hannu is having back issues. With dachshunds, a bulging disc in the spinal cord is a very likely possibility, and the best treatment option to give the best chance for a return to normal function is surgery to remove the protruding disc material. There is also the chance that there could be an inflammatory process or trauma going on. Ideally, he would be evaluated by a veterinary neurologist to determine the underlying cause and what treatment options are available to him. You can discuss with your regular veterinarian medical management such as cage rest and steroids/antiinflammatories, but time is critical in these cases and I would have a plan decided for him as soon as possible. Good luck!