QUESTION
I have just been told my dog has disk calcification. He is now on metacam for the pain but he still seems to be in a lot of pain. What would you give him for the pain? Will he be ok long term? What else can i do for him. Thanks for your help.
Jodie
ANSWER
Dear Jodie,
Spinal arthritis-spondylosis is a very common condition in dogs. In the UK, we do not tend to operate on them, unless ther is an associated disc lesion-fused or prolapsed disc in the spine. I have found that although you may feel there is no pain, very often the use of anti-inflammatories can give surprisingly good results. We do not have a large number of MRI units in the uk, so I/we tend to go more from history/xrays and therapies, relying on mri less so, as yet. I would suggest going back to your vet and asking to try the dog on medication for a bit, before making any further descisions on imaging or surgery.
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