Spondylosis in dogs is a common condition that may or may not be an “expected” byproduct of aging. On the blog this week, Dr. Julie Buzby, integrative veterinarian and founder of Dr. Buzby’s ToeGrips®, shares the nitty-gritty on spondylosis in dogs. By the end of this article, you’ll have the answers your senior dog wants you to know.
As a veterinarian with more than 20 years of experience caring for senior dogs, I’ve seen a lot of dog spines with spondylosis. The X-rays can be dramatic and scary, but the story is often rather mundane. In this article, we’ll explore what spondylosis is, its causes, symptoms, and risk factors, plus take a look at how vets diagnose this condition. Lastly, I’ll share treatment options that have the potential to make a big difference in your dog’s quality of life.
What is spondylosis in dogs?
First, let’s answer the question, “What is spondylosis in dogs?” Spondylosis deformans, as it is formally called, is a degenerative condition that affects a dog’s vertebrae—the bones that make up the spinal column and protect the spinal cord. In many cases, spondylosis is considered a normal part of aging for older dogs.
Dogs with spondylosis deformans often do not show any outward symptoms at all. Perhaps it’s because of my training and certification through the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, but I also believe that dogs can display signs of pain and “restriction” of movement related to spondylosis.
What causes spondylosis?
In order to better understand spondylosis in dogs, it helps to know a little bit about the anatomy of a dog’s spine.
Similar to humans, your dog’s spinal cord is a large bundle of nerves that connects to the base of the brain and runs down the neck and back. Nerve roots from different parts of the spinal cord send signals from the brain to the rest of the body. Without this part of the nervous system, dogs can’t walk or perform their everyday tasks.
To protect this nerve highway, individual bones (vertebrae) encase the spinal cord. Spaces between the vertebrae are the joints that help maintain the back’s flexibility. The spinal cord is further protected by intervertebral discs—small, soft pads that act as cushions or shock-absorbers.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can care for your dog’s spine, please read: Don’t Just Sit There: Know the Health of Your Dog’s Spine.
For the most part, the cause of spondylosis in dogs is simply the normal wear and tear on the fibers of the ligaments that connect the intervertebral discs to the ends of the vertebral bodies. As stress and strain cause microtears in these fibers, and subsequently instability, the body tries to compensate by laying down new bone (bone spurs) on the ends of the vertebrae and eventually “bridge the gap.”
What do I mean by this? Bone spurs can grow large enough that they touch neighboring spurs and form a bridge. This is known as “bridging spondylosis.” These bridges typically form along the vertebrae in the middle of the back – the thoracolumbar spine – and most commonly form along the lumbar spine in the lower back.
What are the risk factors for spondylosis?
Spondylosis affects large breed senior dogs and some middle-aged smaller breed dogs. As explained in an abstract from the National Library of Medicine (NIH), it is commonly seen in Boxers, which suggests there may be a genetic predisposition.
Conditions that cause disruption to the joints of the spine increase the risk of developing spondylosis. For example, if a dog suffers a traumatic injury that causes compression of the intervertebral disc spaces, the resulting joint instability increases the risk of bone spurs developing in this area.
Similarly, a dog with intervertebral disc disease may go on to develop spondylosis in the affected area since the diseased discs have resulted in instability for those joints.
Essentially, spondylosis is the body’s attempt to stabilize instability in the joints of the spine by laying down extra bone to guard them.
What are the symptoms of spondylosis in senior dogs?
As I said above, in most cases, dogs with spondylosis don’t show any outward symptoms. The classic changes in the backbone that we see with spondylosis are not usually responsible for pain and lameness. Rather, the condition is most often found incidentally while diagnosing another health condition.
The unique X-ray (radiograph) below perfectly illustrates how spondylosis in dogs is often diagnosed. My colleague, Dr. Jaime Wright Carroll, saw this patient not for back problems, but for gastrointestinal distress. After a physical exam and X-rays, Dr. Carroll diagnosed the 13-year-old hound dog with gastric dilatation and volvulus—commonly known as bloat in dogs. Take a look at this X-ray. Do you see anything odd?
Photo credit: Dr. Jaime Wright Carroll
Yep! You guessed it. There is a “foreign body” in that huge stomach. At some point prior, this poor dog had swallowed a yellow rubber ducky! The X-rays show a large, twisted, gas-filled stomach—a serious veterinary emergency.
Photo credit: Dr. Jaime Wright Carroll
Dr. Carroll was unsure if the rubber toy was a red herring unrelated to the bloat or if it had acted like a roadblock to the normal flow of digestion, leading to bloat. But along with bloat, Dr. Carroll found spondylosis in the dog’s spine. If you look close on the X-ray, you’ll see the telltale bone spur “bridges.”
3 signs of spondylosis
Your dog may or may not display symptoms from this “reshaping” of the vertebrae. Here are a few things to watch for on behalf of your senior dog:
- Changes in walk: Instead of smoothly swaying from side to side, you may see your dog’s back stiffen and fail to move freely.
- Change in movement: Your dog’s back may seem rigid, and he may avoid ambitious movements like jumping up or rolling over.
- Change in comfort level: If your dog’s bone spurs begin to pinch the delicate nerve roots along the spinal cord, he may show signs he is in pain and be very sensitive to touch along his back.
How does a vet diagnose spondylosis in senior dogs?
Your vet will use X-rays to diagnose spondylosis since the distinctive bone spurs show up easily on X-rays. If your vet suspects damage to the spinal cord or inflammation of the nerves, he or she may also recommend advanced imaging. An MRI or CT scan can rule out other issues and ensure appropriate treatment.
Photo credit: Rebecca Whisnant, DVM
How do you treat spondylosis in dogs?
If your dog has spondylosis but isn’t experiencing pain or discomfort, he may not need treatment right away…or ever. But if your veterinarian shares my thinking, he or she may recommend joint supplements because they have a protective effect on joints.
Ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin help keep joints flexible and healthy. Therefore, supplements may be helpful in slowing the development of spondylosis. And although I believe that the best supplement for joint pain in dogs is not just about joints, my go-to product recommendation for protecting the health of the joints between the vertebrae is Encore Mobility™ with Green Lipped Mussel and New Zealand Deer Velvet.
In very rare cases, surgery may be necessary to remove spurs that are pressing upon the spinal cord, but I’ve never seen this scenario in my entire career.
If your senior dog is experiencing back pain, it’s most likely not coming from spondylosis. Anything’s possible, but there’s a laundry list of conditions that I’d be concerned about before pinning the pain on spondylosis.
But whatever the root cause, your dog may benefit from anti-inflammatory medications and/or medications for nerve pain. These are often able to provide relief for back pain. Also, veterinary acupuncture, animal chiropractic, and physical therapy are highly effective methods for mitigating pain and improving mobility for these dogs.
If your dog is overweight, this is the #1 thing you must address to protect your dog’s spine. Your veterinarian can help you formulate a personalized diet plan. Lower calorie foods and controlled exercise can facilitate weight loss. If you’re unsure whether your dog is overweight, you’ll want to “find your dog’s number” on our canine body condition score chart.
Since present-day pups live longer than their predecessors, they’re more susceptible to joint damage and inflammation over time. Joint inflammation is commonly known as canine arthritis. Spondylosis has been likened to arthritis in the spine. However, unlike arthritis, there is not an inflammatory component with the bony changes. This is a blessing because inflammation means hurting.
A common disease in senior dogs
Often diagnosed as an incidental finding, spondylosis deformans is a common disease in senior dogs. Though veterinarians debate this, I believe spondylosis can be painful. We know spondylosis in humans can be painful. Knowing what to watch for can help prevent your dog from experiencing unchecked discomfort. Your veterinarian will have your dog’s back on this one (pun fully intended!) But as veterinarians, we’re trained to treat the dog, not the X-rays. Sometimes a dog can have horrific radiographs and no apparent pain…or have very mild changes on radiographs and tremendous stiffness and soreness.
Even if your dog’s spondylosis diagnosis is believed to be an incidental finding not associated with problems, ask your vet how you can be more intentional and proactive in maintaining mobility. Your dog (and his spine) will thank you for it!
Has spondylosis affected your senior dog?
Share the subtle signs you first noticed that led you to seek help from your veterinarian. How is your four-legged friend doing today?
Hello Dr. Julie,
My 13 yrs old rescued female dog is currently suffering from spondylosis, but why is even more serious is that she suffers from pancreatitis too.. the things that wouldn’t allow me to give her many medications; supplements or pain killers…
I tried canydril and she was in Swedish pain in the stomach that I couldn’t go on with it…
She is currently receiving two doses of gaptin 300 per day .. at the beginning it stopped the pain, but seems by time things get worse and that was why I tried canydril but it gave her horrible pain (though is is a non steroid medicine)
I am currently so confused and feeing awe full I can’t help her with her pain…
Any suggestions please for some medicine who would help with spondylosis and still be easily digested with a dog with pancreatitis?
Appreciate your reply…
Many thanks,
Nermine.
Hi Nermine,
I am sorry your dog is suffering and painful. I can hear the concern and worry in your words you typed. I recommend you contact a holistic or integrative veterinarian in your area, as they have access to many herbal supplements that could benefit your girl. Also, a vet that practices rehabilitation and physical therapy has many options to help reduce pain and inflammation without medications such as: laser therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, massage, etc. I hope you can find a treatment that will give your dog back her quality of life. My thoughts are with you as you navigate this difficult journey.
Thank you Doctor for your warm reply… I just contacted a place where they offer physiotherapy for dogs and will be in touch with the vet soon… there are not too many places here that offer such services.. but hopefully that place can help.. I just lost 2 seniors last July with similar cases but with no pancreatitis so I was able to give proper medication… but my girl’s case is a bit more complicated as you see.. spondylosis is even causing her urinary incontinence…… I will try to find a holistic place who can help though I am in doubt I ll be able to find that..
anyways, many thanks again for your prompt reply and concern.. ❤️
My 12 year old corgi, Atlas first started showing signs around April/May of this year 2021), mostly having a more drunken walk. Got her x-rayed and it showed she has 4 bony spurs along her lower vertebrae that are close to fusing. We got her started on Gallaprant, giving her massages and at home PT in hopes to help keep muscle retention in her rear legs as well as acupuncture. Over the next several months it slowly got worse, she now drags her right hind quarter and is slowly starting to lose strength in her left hind quarter. She is still such a happy dog, and doesn’t seem to notice her disabilities which is good. See what the future hold. We may end up getting an MRI to see if there is anything else that might be contributing to all of this.
Hi Cassidy,
Thank you for reaching out to me about Atlas. I feel like you are correct in thinking there may be something else going on. It is rare for spondylosis to cause symptoms, and when it does, it is usually a stiff back instead of a drunken gait. I am suspicious there may be something neurological happening with Atlas. Here is a link to another article that may provide some insight: Are Your Dear Old Dog’s Back Legs Collapsing? 6 Reasons Why Since I have not examined her myself, I can’t make any specific recommendations. It would be a good idea to update your vet on these new symptoms. You may also want to seek out the services of a local veterinary neurologist. I hope you can get some answers to what is causing your sweet girl to struggle so much. Best wishes to you both and keep us updated!
I adopted a mixed breed dog that I learned through DNA testing was half pomeranian and half Jack Russell who was the love of my life that was always a very healthy dog with a weight issue as he loved to eat but hated to move. None of my other dogs had a weight issue. He was diagnosed with a heart murmur at around age 8 and started daily medication for it at around age 12 where I was warned it would extend his life “another 14 months” beyond his normal lifespan. I was so focused on his heart health that I didnt focus on fact he was walking with much stiffer gait over a period of just a few weeks and was arching his back and having difficulty defecating. It still looked like just the aches and pains of old age that my other senior dogs were already experiencing so I just took him on shorter walks and changed his diet. Then everything came crashing down after less than two weeks in this condition he coudlnt walk at all but wasnt paralyzed so I rushed him to vet and he was diagnosed with this condition and I was sent home with morphine and told to keep giving him his regular meds. The first two days on morphine worked great but on third day he was still paralyzed from back down and thrashing about I put him to bed next to me that night and he died in his sleep.
I realize now that he was SIXTEEN years old so I think he didnt want to fight this and was just ready to let himself go. And more importantly he didnt want to be in pain. So I have come to terms with it but wanted to warn everyone if your dog shows any signs of this disease move quickly to see a vet and act on it otherwise it can escalate very quickly.
I also realized as proud dog parent that for a dog it is quality of life that matters most not quantity so while it would have been nice for me to have him around at least a little longer that wouldnt have been fair to him. And it had to be all about him and not me.
Hi Tony,
So sorry for the loss of your dear dog. It is always difficult to lose a beloved companion. Thanks for sharing his story, both to remember him and to help other dog parents in a similar situation. It sounds like you took great care of him and I agree completely that quality, not quantity, of life should be the focus. I hope that the wonderful memories you made together over the years can help bring some comfort in this difficult time. ❤
Our 13 year old GSD started having issues with her forelegs in winter about 3 years ago. (limping when walking outdoors, then licking when inside). We changed her food to healthy mobility, and added a glucosamine supplement. This seemed to clear that up. About 2 years ago, we noticed a limp on the right rear. At one point, she refused to stand. The vet diagnosed hip dysplasia, and prescribed meloxicam. The effects were almost miraculous. This spring, March 2021, we noticed that she was stumbling in the back legs, with a wild swing in her hips. The toenails on her back feet were almost worn completely off. The vet took one of her hind feet and set it down upside down, and Gracie didn’t correct it. This indicated to the vet that there were spinal issues. Gabapentin was prescribed. This seems to really help the stumbling, and the hip sway went away. We also worked on her weight, taking off about 5 lbs – to what her vet says is a perfect weight. Last week, she started passing blood in her urine, and the stumbling became worse (even weak on the front legs), so we became concerned that possibly there may be a cancer at work. We also wanted to KNOW if there was anything we could do, treatment-wise – maybe spinal fusion. So, a urine test and several x-rays later we know she has a UTI, and bridging spondylosis – on every vertebra in her spine. The hip dysplasia is not bad at all in the right side, and there is none on the left. Now we know. We will treat the UTI and see if that was causing the weakness, She still eats well, is playful, sometimes runs, loves hanging around with us. The next, and possibly final, step will be prednisone.
Hi Janet,
Thanks for sharing your pup’s story. Sorry to hear that she has been facing so many mobility issues over the past few years and has recently been diagnosed with a UTI and bridging spondylosis. Hopefully the UTI clears up soon and was the culprit for the increased weakness. And if not, I hope you are able to find a combination of medications and therapies that will help her maintain as much mobility as possible. She would also be a good candidate for ToeGrips because they could help her get a better grip on slippery surfaces and also protect her nails from wearing down quite so much. If she is dragging her feet, you would want to apply the ToeGrips with superglue to keep them from getting tugged off. The instructions are in this video: How to apply ToeGrips with glue. Best of luck to you and your sweet pup!
Help!!! On Saturday I left my 12 y/o pit bull here in the house for 1 1/2 he was fine. When I returned he was “broke down in his back end.” He can’t put weight on his back legs. I have Tramadol for my back pain and started him on it 3 times a day. On Monday he was seen by our vet who diagnosed him with Spondylosis, gave him Carprofen 1xdaily & said there is nothing else she can do. Today, Thursday he is worse….dragging his back legs like he has no control of them. Sunday he seemed better with the Tramadol. He was able to bare some weight and walk, wanting to go outside and play with his ball. This morning it is heartbreaking to watch him falling down and drag his back legs. Is there anything else we can do? Will he ever be able to walk somewhat normal? The thought of putting him down is unbearable to me. Is there any hope?
Hi Cathy,
So sorry to hear about your pup’s sudden issues with his back legs. It is so heartbreaking to watch a beloved dog struggle like that. Without being able to examine him and see the X-rays, I can’t say for sure what the outlook will be for him or what the best therapies would be. However, I can tell you that there are a multitude of different management options that could potentially be helpful such as laser therapy, acupuncture, rehabilitation therapy, or some medication modifications. Since it seems like he is worse this morning, I would recommend trying to get a second opinion, either from a different general practice vet or a specialty (neuro, ortho or rehab) vet. This isn’t in any way to say that your current vet didn’t do a good job or was wrong. It is just a matter of different vets having access to different tools in their treatment toolbox. I hope you are able to find some answers and solutions for your sweet boy!
My 6 year old female pug all of a sudden couldn’t stand up and could barely walk . I thought she had a stroke . I took her to my vet and they kept her over night for observation. They said she had an arthritic bulge on her lower spine that was causing the issue. They put her on Gabapentin carprophen and a once a day chewable for healthy joint repair . They had also gave her a lazer treatment and recommended 5 more treatments . I take her out every 2 to 3 hours during the day to go potty she is able to stumble around and pee and poo on her own but she is carried everywhere else Sje sleeps solid thru out the night She has never acted like she was on any pain and has never cried when picking her up she just acts confused and looks sad Which is heartbreaking because she is normally a happy and loving girl to everyone Its been 2 weeks now and I don’t see any improvement Is there anything else that I can do for her?
Hi Carina,
So sorry to hear about your pug’s difficulty walking and standing. That would be quite heartbreaking to watch. It sounds like your vet did a great job coming up with the initial plan but your dog unfortunately hasn’t responded to it as well as expected. Since it has been two weeks with no improvement, I would recommend either making an appointment with your vet for a recheck or considering an appointment with a veterinary neurologist. Sometimes it can be beneficial to enlist the help of a specialist such as a veterinary neurologist in the cases that aren’t progressing as expected since they have the ability to do advanced diagnostics (MRI, CT, etc) that a general practice vet doesn’t have access too and also have the benefit of seeing a huge number of cases like your dog’s. Best of luck to you and your pup!
Help, my 10 yr old OES has spondylosis, living on carprophen, cant control her BM, or walk stairs is there any hope. Vet suggested stem cell therapy.
Hi Judy,
So sorry to hear that your OES is struggling with spondylosis. I don’t have any personal experience with stem cell therapy for any of my patients and overall it tends to be one of those therapies that sometimes but not always has good results and requires careful patient selection. It is possible that your pup might benefit from the addition of a second pain medication such as gabapentin or tramadol, so this is something you could ask your vet about. I would also recommend starting her on a joint supplement such as Encore Mobility and looking into rehabilitation therapy (doggie PT), acupuncture, chiropractic, or laser therapy as additional ways to reduce pain, maintain mobility and support her overall health. I hope you are able to find a combination of things that can help your sweet pup feel and move a bit better.❤
My dog golden retriever 8 years ,2 weeks ago she can’t walk on her 2 back leg i went to the vet and told that she has spondylosis and gave her medicine but till now i didn’t see any progress
The therapy can help her ????
Hi Sylvie,
Sorry to hear that your golden is having difficulty walking on her rear legs. Since you haven’t seen her make any progress so far I would recommend doing a recheck with your vet and/or asking your vet if he or she thinks it might be beneficial for your dog to have an appointment with a specialist (rehab, orthopedics, or maybe neurology). There are a wide array of different therapies that can be beneficial, but there isn’t necessarily a “one size fits all” plan. Some dogs respond better to certain things than others (acupuncture, chiropractic, laser therapy, different pain meds, joint supplements, physical therapy, surgery, etc). I hope you are able to find a combination of things that will help your pup!