I am completely distraught. My 4 year old Rottweiler started off being
whiny when moving yesterday, and this morning he couldn't get up. We
wrestled him into the car and whisked him to the vet. The vet has just
called me and says she thinks he may have a herniated disc in his neck.
She has started him on high doses of steroids to see how he will
respond. She says he may need a myelogram, but I will have to
transport him somewhere else for that.

If there is any bright side to this, I suppose it would be that he
still has pain perception - if you can call that encouragement. So,
how would they term that? Sensory perception with loss of motor
function? And, in the big picture, just how encouraging is this
anyway?

This is an incredible boy, and probably the smartest dog I have ever
known. I am terrified to think what this might mean. He is huge, and
it would be terribly difficult for me to handle him if he can't
ambulate. And, what about his quality of life, anyway?

I don't know anything about his prognosis, and the vet was not
forthcoming. I live near Savannah, GA, and will need to find him a
good specialist. Can anyone recommend where I should go? I have
reason to be very scared, don't I?

"LKB" wrote in message
ups.com...
The vet has just
called me and says she thinks he may have a herniated disc in his neck.
She has started him on high doses of steroids to see how he will
respond. She says he may need a myelogram, but I will have to
transport him somewhere else for that.

If there is any bright side to this, I suppose it would be that he
still has pain perception - if you can call that encouragement. So,
how would they term that? Sensory perception with loss of motor
function? And, in the big picture, just how encouraging is this
anyway?

............I can't really answer any of your questions. Pain perception is
sort of important but not totally important. The important thing is to get
the swelling down as fast as possible so the nerves aren't permanently
affected. I'm assuming your vet told you who he would refer you to. This
dog would have to be taken on an emergency basis. You'll know tomorrow
morning after a night of injectible steroids whether or not the prognosis is
good or bad. I had a dog who came to me with an old back injury. She went
down a few months ago. I was told that if I was interested in back surgery
I would have to get her in the car and get her to a place that did it, like
immediately. I opted for the every 8 hr steroids and she's a little gimpier
and more fragile than she was, but with her history and at age 10 we can
live with that. I don't know about the neck, but the problem in the back is
that they don't really know what is going on until they open the dog up.
Discs don't show up on X-ray. You can infer what is going on from the X-ray
but there's no way to know for sure.

I don't know anything about his prognosis, and the vet was not
forthcoming. I live near Savannah, GA, and will need to find him a
good specialist. Can anyone recommend where I should go?

.........I'd be really surprised in your vet didn't have neurologists/orthos
they could refer you to. Probably only some work on an emergency basis,
which, IMHO is what you need. When you go in to see your dog tomorrow get
the vet to refer you and get an appt as soon as possible. Or you could get
on the phone and call the big vet school at the U. of G. and see if they'll
take you on an emergency basis. That might be Athens.

Good luck to you and your pup and try not to go nuts tonight. I feel for
you.
buglady
take out the dog before replying

"buglady" wrote in message
ink.net...

"LKB" wrote in message
ups.com...
The vet has just
called me and says she thinks he may have a herniated disc in his neck.
She has started him on high doses of steroids to see how he will
respond. She says he may need a myelogram, but I will have to
transport him somewhere else for that.

If there is any bright side to this, I suppose it would be that he
still has pain perception - if you can call that encouragement. So,
how would they term that? Sensory perception with loss of motor
function? And, in the big picture, just how encouraging is this
anyway?

...........I can't really answer any of your questions. Pain perception is
sort of important but not totally important. The important thing is to
get
the swelling down as fast as possible so the nerves aren't permanently
affected. I'm assuming your vet told you who he would refer you to. This
dog would have to be taken on an emergency basis. You'll know tomorrow
morning after a night of injectible steroids whether or not the prognosis
is
good or bad. I had a dog who came to me with an old back injury. She
went
down a few months ago. I was told that if I was interested in back
surgery
I would have to get her in the car and get her to a place that did it,
like
immediately. I opted for the every 8 hr steroids and she's a little
gimpier
and more fragile than she was, but with her history and at age 10 we can
live with that. I don't know about the neck, but the problem in the back
is
that they don't really know what is going on until they open the dog up.
Discs don't show up on X-ray. You can infer what is going on from the
X-ray
but there's no way to know for sure.

I don't know anything about his prognosis, and the vet was not
forthcoming. I live near Savannah, GA, and will need to find him a
good specialist. Can anyone recommend where I should go?

........I'd be really surprised in your vet didn't have
neurologists/orthos
they could refer you to. Probably only some work on an emergency basis,
which, IMHO is what you need. When you go in to see your dog tomorrow get
the vet to refer you and get an appt as soon as possible. Or you could
get
on the phone and call the big vet school at the U. of G. and see if
they'll
take you on an emergency basis. That might be Athens.

Good luck to you and your pup and try not to go nuts tonight. I feel for
you.
buglady
take out the dog before replying
===
Are there any veterinary schools near you; they might be able to help.

"LKB" wrote in message
ups.com...
I am completely distraught. My 4 year old Rottweiler started off being
whiny when moving yesterday, and this morning he couldn't get up. We
wrestled him into the car and whisked him to the vet. The vet has just
called me and says she thinks he may have a herniated disc in his neck.
She has started him on high doses of steroids to see how he will
respond. She says he may need a myelogram, but I will have to
transport him somewhere else for that.

If there is any bright side to this, I suppose it would be that he
still has pain perception - if you can call that encouragement. So,
how would they term that? Sensory perception with loss of motor
function? And, in the big picture, just how encouraging is this
anyway?

This is an incredible boy, and probably the smartest dog I have ever
known. I am terrified to think what this might mean. He is huge, and
it would be terribly difficult for me to handle him if he can't
ambulate. And, what about his quality of life, anyway?

I don't know anything about his prognosis, and the vet was not
forthcoming. I live near Savannah, GA, and will need to find him a
good specialist. Can anyone recommend where I should go? I have
reason to be very scared, don't I?
================
This link is to a Rottweiler forum that is very informative. One of the
forums there is called Vet's Corner. Try posting your question to that
forum at that site, to see if you can get some information pertaining to
your dog's problem.
http://www.rottweiler.net/
---------------