calliecritturs
Posted : 4/29/2006 4:42:45 PM
My guess is you mean scoliosis or curvature of the spine? (Merriam Webster's online dictionary: "a lateral curvature of the spine")
I would find a vet that does chiropractic -- you can diminish scoliosis in both people and dogs with chiropractic. Would definitely be helpful -- when you have a spinal curve, it means other parts of the spine take a beating to compensate for what isn't in line as it should be. Brings a lot of relief.
This is a dog you will want to make sure stays lean (don't let this dog get overweight -- or it will be like a snow-laden bridge that will break at the weakest point!). But doing things like teaching this dog to use a ramp, making sure when you pick this dog up you do so CAREFULLY so you support both the front and back end -- don't just pick the dog up around the middle) -- these things will help minimize problems. Don't let this dog jump on and off furniture -- I repeat "RAMPS"!!!! Even building 'steps' out of pillows or making steps to go up onto the bed or sofa out of foam blocks (there are actually 'pet steps' for sale on the internet for exactly this purpose) or out of pillows -- anything to reduce the day to day stress. But keeping this dog in shape with good exercise and good food will help.
Don't underestimate chiro tho -- I have one leg shorter than the other and have had since I was a child. As an adult chiropractic, is a weekly thing with me but that helps keep pain away so much!!