Hi Folks,

I have not posted to this list in a long time.

It looks like Max has a herniated disc in the classic spot
between the last thoracic vertebrae and the first lumbar
vertebrae.

He is taking meds and is behaving quite
normally but because I have several
herniated discs myself, I wonder
how I can provide Max with exercise
without twisting his spine.

Long walks? This
will be fine once the weather clears.
For now it is cold and damp here in
Milwaukee. (Prior to this diagnosis,
I would have him, he is just 18 lbs,
play fetch at home, jumping over
pillows, etc.)

Another possibility is filling the
bathtub with water for some low
impact swimming. Problem, he
does not like water.

For now, I have him playing
"find the spot." I have trained
him to keep moving in a direction
when a tone is on and to
move in other directions when
the tone is off. This generates
plenty of walking around, and
food scraping, and only
an occasional jump up on
say, the couch, cuz he
thinks "this is the spot!"

Thanks for your ideas,

--Marshall

PS: For those who don't know: Max is an 8-year-old Havanese.