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“It was the worst start of the summer holiday we could imagine. It was all very sudden. She went for a walk and we saw her dragging her legs behind…” 

Our path crossed with Bee’s when she developed paraparesis (weakness of the limbs) and was referred to our Neurology + Neurosurgery team, who suspected her symptoms were caused by Intervertebral Disc Extrusion (IVDE)/a “slipped disc”.

“I have two human daughters and Bee is my furry daughter; she’s the best girl who loves being with us anywhere and everywhere. Anyone who has a pet would understand the important part they play in their family life. She loves our summer camping trips and walks in the woods. She loves her sun spots all over our house. Forever chasing sun spots.”

What is an extruded (“slipped”) disc?

Fibrous discs of connective tissue link together the spine’s vertebrae and help keep the spine aligned and flexible. When the outer layer of the disc ruptures (as a result of trauma or degeneration over time), some of its contents empty into the spinal canal and compress the spinal cord. This causes pain, ataxia (wobbliness) and weakness or paralysis.

What happened to Bee (short for Bumblebee!)?

An MRI scan confirmed that a disc was severely compressing the spinal cord in Bee’s back. Led by our Neurologist, Ricardo, a large amount of disc material was surgically removed. Bee made a great recovery from surgery and was discharged a few days later, only requiring mild support while walking.

But Bee’s treatment journey didn’t end there…

A couple of months later, Bee started showing signs of neck pain – including holding her head low – following some playtime in the garden. Her primary care vet tried pain relief, but her symptoms didn’t improve, so she was referred back to The Ralph for further investigations.

Bee had a few neurological deficits indicating another disc extrusion, this time affecting her neck. Neurology Specialist, Lorenzo, discussed these findings with Bee’s carers. Since her symptoms were mild at this point, it was decided to initially attempt conservative (non-surgical) management with rest and pain relief.

Unfortunately Bee’s symptoms worsened, and she became unable to walk. Another MRI scan confirmed that disc material was indeed compressing her spine in the neck area. 

Lorenzo proceeded with surgery to remove a significant amount of the disc material, relieving the pressure on the spinal cord once more. Bee recovered well again from surgery and was discharged back to her carers, regaining her ability to walk.

At Bee’s follow up, she was completely back to her usual self and her carers even say she is the “a tough dachshund lady who is the happiest she’s ever been with a renewed vigor for life” – we LOVE to hear it!

If you’d like to learn more about disc disease in dogs, check out our animation on IVDD here.