Another type of back brace for IVDD

[Patt]

This popped up on FB, it looks pretty good.

http://www.lilbackbracer.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LilBackBracer

[Lisa]

LOL, giving how non-impressed the model looks with the tail tucked makes me leery.

I think these braces are a good concept. I have a couple of general concerns.

1) When a dachshund goes down with IVDD there is usually an extreme amount of pain. For the first 3 weeks, Pixel was never in any harness. The area was so swollen and bulging I personally would not want to put anything near the area, unless my vet told me otherwise.

2) I would hate for people to put this brace on the dog and think it is a substitute for 8 weeks of crate rest. Again,the concept is awesome, because they affect mobility, but the dog needs time to heal, and that only happens when they are restricted. Be it crate, stroller, crate on cart, etc.

That being said for dogs that are nearing the end of their crate rest period, or coming off of the 8 weeks, the brace may work wonders for keeping them straight and preventing additional injury.

But again, in my opinion (for what it is worth - which isn't much). Vet care, which includes drugs, 8 weeks of crate rest, ear plugs (for the hoomans) are all key. The bonuses include acupuncture, laser, adequan, Chinese herbs, re-hab, then potentially a harness when healed etc etc. Time and drugs are crucial for conservative care treatment.

BTW, when did you join Facebook???

[Yolanda]

For what it is worth, the people on Dodgerslist do not like it either.

[Ivan]

1) When a dachshund goes down with IVDD there is usually an extreme amount of pain. For the first 3 weeks, Pixel was never in any harness. The area was so swollen and bulging I personally would not want to put anything near the area, unless my vet told me otherwise.

I agree. I'm not a vet, and I don't play one on TV, but...

I know from my own personal IVDD experience that I couldn't tolerate any pressure on that spinal area. Anything pressing, even lightly, on that spot hurt me WAY too much. Including a memory foam mattress. Imagine a brace? Ouch! No thanks.

[areese]

Braces in general don't work well for dogs. They end up losing MORE muscle and anything tight enough to actually do any good is uncomfortable and hurts or rubs...

[Patt]

Just passing on an idea. I'll be more careful.

[oceangirls]

Well, personally, I hope that science continues to pursue this idea. To me it doesn't make sense that we have to lock a dog in a crate for 6-8 weeks. Those of you who have gone through it have shown that it's pure misery for both the dog and the human(s) involved!! There has to be a better treatment method. Maybe these early prototypes aren't quite right, but I'm glad people are thinking in this direction. Thanks for posting it, Patt!!

[areese]

nothing wront with passing it on..I saw it awhile back...I'd like to see neurologist's or physical therapist's opinions on it, actually.

[Lisa]

Just passing on an idea. I'll be more careful.

Careful about what?!?!? It is awesome that you passed it on. If you didn't there would be no discussion.

I agree with Amy, I too would like to see a neurologist's thought on it.

The biggest problem I have with IVDD treatment is the answer seems to be surgery. Oh, you can't afford surgery? Okay then, here are some pills, leave the dog in the crate for TWO weeks and keep in touch.

Money is made doing surgery and it doesn't seem like too many want to look into real alternatives. The only reason I push crate rest so hard, is because I have stuck to it twice and it worked. That being said, I did do controlled exercise with Pixel too, but I don't push that because it is really hard to explain and there is no science to back it up. I have looked, I have consulted vets and neuros, and again, because there is no money in it the answers seems to be "what ever"

I truly don't know, that brace could be the best thing to happen to IVDD. My point was I know how much pain Pixel was in. It was horrible, and I had him drugged to the max.

I know they are starting to do some treatments on completely down dogs (that have been paralyzed for over a year) where they grow cells from their nose and inject it into them and it is showing a high success rate.

My personal experience, which is all that I can offer, is the disease is by and large like the common cold. It has to run it course. Some dogs are very lucky and it doesn't hit them as hard and only slightly affects motor skills, other dogs do go down where it affects one or both legs and other dogs go down to where bladder and bowel function is affected. Most dogs are able to make a full or partial recovery, but like the common cold there are those that it turns into pneumonia and can cause permanent damage to the lungs, with IVDD there are cases where the damage is permanent.

Patt, truly, I am thankful you posted it. I think discussion and sharing of experience is the way we learn. I previously thought was the only real solution when Pogo went down was surgery, not doing it was failing your dog. I have changed my opinions drastically over the past 3 years to included conservative treatment. Like Kim, I really hope that science can come up with something to faster heal the disease. Cause 8 weeks is brutal.

If a 17 year old cure can come up with a cure for cancerous tumor treatment, I am hopeful that nano / nanopartical technology will eventually be used to treat the discs as well. And healing time will be days instead of months.

[oceangirls]

Great info, Lisa! I agree this specific product is not going to be very useful for a dog with an acute disc problem (obviously they can cite no well-designed clinical trials... just "testimonials" ). But there has to be some way to help owners prevent further injury during the healing phase. When a dog is in agonizing pain, he doesn't want to run and jump, but once the steroids or NSAIDs start to have an effect, I suspect most dachshund owners are not as vigilant as our DLC members are about sticking to the crate rest.

I love that a lot of you are using a stroller, since the dog is still confined but gets to be with you (which is usually what most of them want anyway). Maybe we need to design a little motorized stroller with a button they can push with their noses to move around the house .

Love to hear about the new research - please continue to share what you find!