Ruptured disks in the lower back will cause severe back pain. The rear legs will often be weak, wobbly. Ruptured disks in the neck will cause the dog to hold its head down in a hunched, motionless position. The signs may appear suddenly, with a cry of pain when the dog is running, or may progress gradually. Compression on the spinal cord by disk material will cause pain and cord damage, ultimately resulting in paralysis.
Treatment depends on the severity and frequency of occurrence.
Restriction of activity will prevent further extrusion of the disk material. Dr. Averill does not recommend using anti-inflammatories or steroids, which may make the dog feel too good and encourage activity that worsens the problem. Most dogs that receive crate rest show some improvement within 3 days. Surgery to decompress the spinal cord is indicated if cage rest is not successful, if the dog suffers more than one incident of pain, or if the dog is very weak or paralyzed. The prognosis for full recovery following this surgery is very good.