ESPN Hunting

It is a problem common for the large breed sporting dogs. It is insidious in its onset. And it can often be very difficult to diagnoses and treat. It is know by different names but the results are the same — an out of action dog.

Known as Lumbosacral Disease, Lumbosacral stenosis, or Cauda Equina Syndrome, degeneration of the last lower back joint (found just in front of the pelvis) is a common problem for sporting dogs. Between each vertebra of the spine exists a joint. These joints allow the back to move as the dog runs, twists, and jumps. It is between the last lumbar vertebra (L7) and the first sacral vertebra (S1) that this problem occurs.

Lumbosacral stenosis (LS) can occur as a congenital/developmental defect or be acquired over time. The acquired form of LS disease is caused by stress to the unstable joint. Why some dogs suffer from this condition and others don't is unknown. Body conformation, levels of exercise, and other unknown factors likely contribute.

The result is that extra bone and scar tissue is lain down to try and prevent unnecessary movement and stabilize the joint, with the result being that this extra tissue begins to take up the normal space allowed for the nerves running through the spinal canal over the joint. This narrowing of the spinal canal eventually causes the nerves to be compressed, or pinched. The process is gradual, occurring very slowly over time, which is one reason that the disease is so hard to recognize early and accurately diagnose before its major clinical signs have occurred.

The clinical sings of LS disease relate to how much, how hard, and how often the nerves are being pinched. But the most consistent and outwardly visible feature of LS disease is pain of the area. In some cases, the first symptom may be subtle rear limb lameness because of pressure on the sciatic nerve, but for the true LS patient these symptoms will usually progresses to other pelvic limb problems such as, weakness, muscle wasting from disuse, and balance problems.

The rear limbs are not the only problematic areas for the LS dog. The nerves that control urinary and bowl function as well as the nerves of the tail run through the LS joint on way to their respective destinations. If these nerves are damaged, incontinence and weakness or paralysis of the tail can result.

The retriever with LS disease may be reluctant to make the aggressive water entry that you've come used to seeing or maybe a choice not to take such a direct line on a mark. In the bird dog, especially the Pointers, the first sign you may notice is the tail. Certainly a dog with pain when the tail is extended straight up will likely loose some tail carriage when on point. In fact, you might get a surprise snarl if you go to correct what you might deem as a lackadaisical tail on a dog with LS disease.

The LS dog can be difficult to distinguish from those with hip pain. Other problems that cause back pain are infections and tumors of the vetebra in the lumbosacral region. Clinical signs alone cannot differentiate these problems.

About Ben Character

Dr. Character is a freelance writer and private veterinary practitioner concentrating on sporting dog issues. He has practiced large and small animal medicine and surgery since graduating from Auburn University. Recently, he went on to complete post-doctoral studies at Mississippi State University. Dr. Character is a certified PennHIP member and writes for magazines such as Retriever Journal and Pointing Dog Journal. He is an avid outdoorsman who resides in Union, Alabama, south of Tuscaloosa, with his wife and two children.

The recommended treatment for LS disease is surgical removal of bone and fibrous tissues that are pinching the nerves. In some cases the joint will also need to be fused. Although fusion does not necessarily prevent your dog from ever competing again, neither does surgical treatment guarantee it. The most precise description of surgical LS correction is that is stops the progression of the disease and removes the source of pain. But this does leave the door open such that if there is already lameness or incontinence from nerve damage before surgery, some of the neurological deficits may remain.

In lieu of surgery, if you and your general practitioner feel confident that your dog is suffering from LS you may try a more conservative treatment. Confinement and restriction to leash walks alone or combined with steroid administration, frequently alleviate pain, but clinical signs often return with increasing levels of exercise, and can end up worse than before. In other words, you might start with a lame painful dog and end up with a paralyzed, incontinent, painful dog. On the other hand, you might get a few more years of hunting.

The prognosis for the LS dog varies with the degree of injury to the nerves. Take heart in the fact that some dogs have been able to fully recover from such a condition and even go on to win major championships, such as "Chicka" (Chickamauga Choo Choo) the 2003 National Amateur Retriever Championship winner. If you catch this problem early and are aggressive in its treatment or are lucky and your dog only has a mild case, then there is a good prognosis for recovery, but once fecal and urinary incontinence have begun the prognosis becomes guarded at best.