Can degenerative disc disease cause death in dogs?

My friend's 6year old dog had this illness, she is very worried if her dog might die from it. She didnt even know what caused it. Although She said she went to the vet and gave her dog prescription meds (Meloxicam) which helped her dog to be in less…

    Can degenerative disc disease cause death in dogs?

    My friend's 6year old dog had this illness, she is very worried if her dog might die from it. She didnt even know what caused it. Although She said she went to the vet and gave her dog prescription meds (Meloxicam) which helped her dog to be in less…...
    General Dog Discussions : Can degenerative disc disease cause death in dogs?...

    • Can degenerative disc disease cause death in dogs?

      Can degenerative disc disease cause death in dogs? General Dog Discussions
      My friend's 6year old dog had this illness, she is very worried if her dog might die from it. She didnt even know what caused it. Although She said she went to the vet and gave her dog prescription meds (Meloxicam) which helped her dog to be in less pain. I even saw her dog walking normally and playing after 2 days. I told her she should rest her rest so it wont occur. I just wanna know if someone here knows how to deal with this kind of disease for dogs? And if its deadly when time pass by? Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

      Can degenerative disc disease cause death in dogs?

      Can degenerative disc disease cause death in dogs? General Dog Discussions
    • If your friend is worried she should ASK THE VET! She should also go with whatever the vet advises re-exercise, not what her (however well-intentioned) friends think. People here will not know the answer, the vet who is treating the dog will.

    • Im not a professional on this at all, but I believe the dog will be fine and could live its life for as long as it normally could. The discs are mostly from being worn and the medicine is to relieve inflammation and pain reliever. There may be surgery that can be done to eliminate the problem but Im sure it is very costly which is why most would prolly let them live on just the medicine. Only downfall I see is not being able to do nearly as many activities as other dogs and needing lots of rest so swelling or pain doesn't come from being over worked.Hope your friend's dog lives the rest of it's life to the fullest :)

    • It will eventually cause paralysis rather than death. It's also very painful.Basically, the name of the condition explains clearly what's going on. The disks in the dog's spine are degenerating and will continue to degenerate.

    • The disease itself will not kill the dog however it can become extremely painful. In the end she may loose her dog due to the fact she may put it down from the dog being in so much pain. If it is just starting it can be managed with steroids and pain meds. She can also opt for physical therapy or acupuncture to manage it. Moderate exercise is good for her dog. The more the dog lays around the stiffer she will get. She should keep her dog off cold damp floors. Never allow the dog to lay on tile floors. She should not allow the dog to jump and never stand on the back legs. Swimming is really good for the dog. Have her research it a bit more if she wants to help the dog from being in pain.