<h2>Lumbo-sacral Disease</h2> <h6>What is the lumbo-sacral joint?</h6> <p>The lumbo-sacral (LS) joint is a joint between two vertebral bones at the base of the spine where the spinal column meets the pelvis and back legs. At this junction, as between all vertebrae, is an intervertebral disc - a cushion of gel-like cartilage - which acts as a shock absorber during physical activity. A nerve root exits the spinal cord on each side of the joint to create the sciatic nerve, the main nerve to the back leg, while other nerves (the &ldquo;cauda equina&rdquo;) continue to run within the spinal canal, encased by the vertebral bones, toward the tail and the urinary bladder.</p> <h6>What is LS disease?</h6> <p>LS disease includes disease of any component of the LS joint. This can include:</p> <ul> <li>rupture (extrusion) of the intervertebral disc</li> <li>bulging (protrusion) of the intervertebral disc </li> <li>instability between the two vertebrae</li> <li>proliferations of bone or soft tissues around the joint</li> <li>abnormalities in the shape of the vertebrae as a congenital problem</li> </ul> <p><br />While some dogs might have only one of these types of disease, many dogs will have a combination of several of these problems. Lumbo-sacral disease commonly affects middle aged or older large breed dogs (e.g. German Shepherds, Labradors, Dalmatians)</p> <h6>What are the symptoms of LS disease?</h6> <p>Most of the problems we see in dogs affected by lumbo-sacral disease are due to compression of the nerves in this region by one of the disease processes listed above. When nerves are compressed, they become inflamed, painful and may not conduct electrical impulses properly. The nerves in this area supply the back legs, the tail, anus and genitals. Dogs with lumbo-sacral spinal disease therefore often have a long-term history of one or more of the following problems:</p> <ul> <li>lower back pain</li> <li>hind limb pain (much like sciatica in humans)</li> <li>hind limb lameness</li> <li>hind limb weakness</li> <li>hind limb incoordination</li> <li>urinary or faecal incontinence</li> <li>weakness of, or reluctance to wag their tail</li> </ul> <p>The precise nature of these problems depends on which nerves are compressed, and the severity and duration of compression. Occasionally we also see younger dogs (often Border Collies) with subtle signs such as poor performance during agility training.</p> <h6>How is LS disease diagnosed?</h6> <p>A detailed clinical examination by an experienced veterinary orthopaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon is central to diagnosis of lumbo-sacral disease, and should then be supported by x-rays and MRI or CT investigations. In some cases, we may also need to perform additional tests such as blood tests, measurement of electrical impulses in the muscles and nerves of the back legs, or analysis of samples of spinal fluid. An accurate diagnosis is essential as the symptoms can be very similar to those seen with other diseases including hip dysplasia, other lower back problems, or even medical problems.</p> 2009-08-27T14:50:50Z Just to say thank you. Cassie the Boxer is back running at top speed after her elbow operation. It's great to see her running around again. Thank you so much!... Elizabeth and Alec 32 Total hip replacement for canine hip dysplasia, total knee replacement, TPLO, TTA, slipped disc and bone fracture management are a few of the operations we perform on a daily basis. surgery, rehabilitation, Fitzpatrick, referrals, small animal, orthopaedic, neurology, veterinary specialist, vets, nurse, health, care, dog boarding, pet, veterinary emergency, referral service, dog veterinary, animal hospital, veterinary hospital, mri, scan, xray, ultrasonic, hydrotherapy, canine Veterinary Surgery | Knee and Hip Pathology 25 2,25 1 lumbosacral_disease 2009-08-27T15:43:18Z