Frequently Asked Questions

Q: WHAT IS “DISK DISEASE”?

A: Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), is a complex subject. Good understanding of “disk disease” is critical for good decision-making. The intervertebral disk is the connector and shock absorber between each of the back bones; the vertebrae. Age related and/or degenerative changes in the intervertebral disk predispose to disk herniation/prolapse/bulge/slip—interchangeable terms referring to the same condition where the soft center of the intervertebral disk moves, or gets squeezed out into a location where it does not belong. The consequence of this is inflammation, contusion and compression of spinal cord and/or nerves. When this happens, the result is pain, weakness or even paralysis. It is important to remember that signs of spinal pain, weakness, or paralysis are not limited to disk disease. Many different conditions of the spine can result in these same signs; disk disease just happens to be one of the more common causes of these signs in dogs.

Q: HOW IS DISK DISEASE DIAGNOSED?

A: The spinal cord, nerves and intervertebral disks CANNOT be seen on plain x-rays. Sometimes changes in x-rays suggest the possibility of disk related problems, but a definitive diagnosis cannot be made with x-rays alone. Advanced imaging like CT or MRI are used to definitively diagnose disk herniations (slipped, bulging, protruding disks) as these modalities allow us to visualize the intervertebral disks and spinal cord. They also provide more detail about the overall health of the spine (the vertebrae) than plain x-rays offer.

Q: CT or MRI?

A: MRI is the ‘gold standard’ imaging modality when looking at the spine or brain. It is a precision instrument that allows us to look inside specific regions of the body with exquisite detail.

-MRI is very good at differentiating different types of disease processes. CT is not as good at differentiating disease processes; many things can be missed or misinterpreted by CT, which MRI will detect accurately.

-CT is fast, and can be used to screen large areas of the body quickly; the cost is loss of detail in specific body parts. MRI is slow and is used to look at very specific regions in great detail. Both modalities require the patient to be completely motionless, so heavy sedation or full anesthesia is required.

-CT exposes the patient to relatively high doses of ionizing radiation. MRI uses no radiation at all.

Q: HOW IS DISK DISEASE TREATED?

A: Treatment options for disk related problems…or… the “BEST” treatment for disk related problems...varies. For some dogs the best treatment will clearly be surgery. For other dogs the best treatment will be a conservative course of time, rest and medications, or alternative options like acupuncture. Not all disk problems are alike. Variations in severity, location of the problem in the spine, type of dog effected, age, and concurrent medical conditions are all important considerations when prescribing the most appropriate treatment in an individual dog...or cat for that matter. Very often, milder signs associated with some disk-related problems will go away with nothing more than time and rest. In other cases, the signs may be severe, recurring, or just fail to improve. In those cases, surgery is often the best treatment. Certain types of disk problems can be addressed with surgery with greater than 90% success; this means getting your dog back to normal, or very near normal. Other disk-related problems may have lower rates of surgical success and higher rates of complication. The “best” treatment is often a careful titration of medication, time and surgery. What is most important is that the person advising you has experience and is aware of the many options, their success rates, recurrence rates, and complication rates. There is ALWAYS more than one option for treating disk disease in dogs. To borrow the words of a famous human neurosurgeon, “Sometimes the best neurosurgeons are the ones who know when NOT to do surgery”.

Q: IS MRI AVAILABLE FOR PETS?

A: YES.  MRI is available in our hospital and can often be done the same day as your consultation. A consultation with Dr. Maguire is necessary BEFORE MRI can be arranged. This is to make sure that MRI is the most appropriate, efficient, cost effective and SAFEST test for your pet. You will always be given a complete and accurate estimate of costs BEFORE MRI is scheduled.

Q: IS MRI SAFE FOR PETS?

A: YES. There is no ionizing radiation with MRI. We use full gas anesthesia and MRI compatible anesthesia monitoring equipment. A certified veterinary technician stays in the MRI room with your pet monitoring their anesthesia during the entirety of the MRI. Dr. Maguire can discuss preliminary MRI results right away. Your pet can go home immediately following MRI.

Q: IS SPINAL SURGERY FOR DOGS A REALLY BIG DEAL?  WILL THE RECOVERY PERIOD BE AWFUL?

A: NO AND NO.  Spinal surgery for uncomplicated disk problems can be a breeze . Surgical success rates for uncomplicated disk problems is greater than 90%. Not all disk problems are uncomplicated, but most are. Most dogs go home the mornning after their surgery. Some can go home the same day of their surgery. The total recovery time varies…the more severely effected a dog is before surgery, the longer it will take to recover. That said, even in paralyzed dogs, most are up on their feet again around two weeks after surgery. Being able to accurately predict surgical outcomes and recovery times comes with experience. Dr. Maguire has been doing spinal surgery in dogs since 1997.

Q: DO I NEED A REFERRAL FROM MY FAMILY VETERINARIAN?

A:  While a direct referral from your family veterinarian is not required, it is recommended. Its best to see your veterinarian first to make sure they agree that your dog has signs consistent with disk disease and that referral is recommended.

Q:  HOW DO I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT? HOW DOES MY FAMILY VET INITIATE A REFERRAL TO DR. MAGUIRE?

A: SIMPLE. CALL BLUEPEARL ENGLEWOOD VETERINARY HOSPITAL 303-874-2081