Interesting article

[Barry]

http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/09/acupuncture-and-the-pain-of-long-backed-dogs/

What are your thoughts about the last paragraph talking about "Dogs being caged for inactivity when injured"?

[Leslie]

Well, I think it's misleading "off pain meds and inactive" has never been the protocol for any vet I have met -- or indeed any reading I have done -- on IVDD. Pain management has always been the front line, COUPLED with crate rest.  Was the author exaggerating to make her point about alternative therapies more solid?

[Roberta]

When Amy's back injury occured the surgeon (American) Charles Krunz had a slightly diffrent view. Surgery, medication  for pain, but she was in physio two days post surgery walking in water  every day for 10 days with exercises at home to be done at set times, she was crated between times but encouraged to go wees herself, we had then to take her weekly then fortnightly for a while for the therapy pool. His view was if you put a human in bed for a month muscles would atrophy, so the same with dogs. Amy recovered very fast, we would still have taken her to swim but there is no dog  pool up here, but I tried Bowen therapy and that seems to suit her, as she gets tense if she overdoes it, and the best is its non invasive and you can usually get a dual appointment her and me.
Maybe we were lucky, I don't know, we also cater for Amy, ramps to all doors, anti skid runners etc, a crate in both cars and pram on walks, so if she is tired she gets pushed.............but she also gets walks and has special foam beds everywhere so she will be happy on the floor.
Roberta