Great Danes, like most giant dogs, have a fairly slow metabolism. This results in less energy and less food consumption per pound of dog than in small breeds.Great Danes have some health problems that are common to large breeds. Bloat (a painful distending and twisting of the stomach) is a critical condition that affects Great Danes and results rapidly in death if not quickly addressed. It is a commonly recommended practice for Great Danes to have their stomachs tacked (Gaxtroplexy) to the interior rib lining during routine surgery such asspaying and neutering if the dog or its relatives have a history of bloat. Another problem common to the breed is in the hips (Hip displasia). Typically an x-ray of the parents can certify whether their hips are healthy and can serve as a guideline for whether the animals should be bred and are likely to have healthy pups.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and many congential heart diseases are also commonly found in the Great Dane.
Also, some Danes may develop yeast infections, when not fed all needed nutritional requirements. The yeast infection may also lead to minor recurring staph infection(s).
Great Danes also suffer from several genetic disorders that are specific to the breed. For example, if a Great Dane lacks color (not white) near its eyes or ears then that organ does not develop and usually, the dog will be either blind or deaf.

Wikipeda: Verifiability, 2007

Bloat, Torsion. Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Call it what you will, this is a serious, life-threatening condition of large breed dogs. While the diagnosis is simple, the pathological changes in the dog's body make treatment complicated, expensive, and not always successful.

A typical scenario starts with a large, deep-chested dog, usually fed once daily. Typical breeds affected are Akita, Great Dane, German Shepherd, St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, and Irish Setter. Sighthounds, Doberman Pinschers, Weimaraners, Bloodhounds, other similar breeds, and large, deep-chested mixed breeds are also affected.

Factor in the habit of bolting food, gulping air, or drinking large amounts of water immediately after eating to this feeding schedule and body type. Then add vigorous exercise after a full meal, and you have the recipe for bloat.

Of course, the fact that not all bloats happen in just the same way and the thought that some bloodlines are more at risk than others further complicates the issue.

Simple gastric distention can occur in any breed or age of dog and is common in young puppies who overeat. This is sometimes referred to as pre-bloat by laymen. Belching of gas or vomiting food usually relieves the problem.

If this condition occurs more than once in a predisposed breed, the veterinarian might discuss methods to prevent bloat, such as feeding smaller meals or giving Reglan (metoclopramide) to encourage stomach emptying. Some veterinarians recommend, and some owners request, prophylactic surgery to anchor the stomach in place before the torsion occurs in dogs who have experienced one or more bouts of distention or in dogs whose close relatives have had GDV.

Torsion or volvulus are terms to describe the twisting of the stomach after gastric distention occurs. The different terms are used to define the twisting whether it occurs on the longitudinal axis (torsion) or the mesenteric axis (volvulus). Most people use the terms interchangeably, and the type of twist has no bearing on the prognosis or treatment. When torsion occurs, the esophagus is closed off, limiting the dog's ability to relieve distention by vomiting or belching. Often the spleen becomes entrapped as well, and its blood supply is cut off.

Now a complex chain of physiologic events begins. The blood return to the heart decreases, cardiac output decreases, and cardiac arrythmias may follow. Toxins build up in the dying stomach lining. The liver, pancreas, and upper small bowel may also be compromised. Shock from low blood pressure and endotoxins rapidly develops. Sometimes the stomach ruptures, leading to peritonitis.

Abdominal distention, salivating, and retching are the hallmark signs of GDV. Other signs may include restlessness, depression, lethargy, anorexia, weakness, or a rapid heart rate.

GDV is a true emergency. If you know or even suspect your dog has bloat, immediately call your veterinarian or emergency service. Do not attempt home treatment.

Do take the time to call ahead.; while you are transporting the dog, the hospital staff can prepare for your arrival. Do not insist on accompanying your dog to the treatment area. Well-meaning owners are an impediment to efficient care. Someone will be out to answer your questions as soon as possible, but for now, have faith in you veterinarian and wait.

Initial diagnosis may include x-rays, an ECG, and blood tests, but treatment will probably be started before the test results are in.

The first step is to treat shock with IV fluids and steroids. Antibiotics and anti-arrythmics may also be started now. Then the veterinarian will attempt to decompress the stomach by passing a stomach tube. If this is successful, a gastric levage may be instituted to wash out accumulated food, gastric juices, or other stomach contents. In some cases, decompression is accomplished by placing large-bore needles or a trochar through the skin and muscle and directly into the stomach.

In some cases, this medical therapy is sufficient. However, in many cases, surgery is required to save the dog. Once the dog's condition is stabilized, surgery to correct the stomach twist, remove any unhealthy tissue, and anchor the stomach in place is performed. The gastroplexy, or anchoring surgery, is an important procedure to prevent recurrence, and many variations exist. Your veterinarian will do the procedure he feels comfortable with and which has the best success rate

Recovery is prolonged, sometimes requiring hospital stays of a week or more. Post-operative care depends on the severity of the disease and the treatment methods employed and may include a special diet, drugs to promote gastric emptying, and routine wound management. Costs may run $500-1000 or more in complicated cases.

Clearly, prevention of GDV is preferable to treatment. In susceptible breeds, feed two or three meals daily and discourage rapid eating. Do not allow exercise for two hours after a meal. As previously mentioned, some owners feel that certain bloodlines are at greater risk and choose to have gastroplexy performed as a prophylactic measure.

While the genetics of GDV are not completely worked out, most breeders and veterinarians feel there is some degree of heritability. Therefore, while prophylactic gastroplexy will probably help an individual dog, it makes sense not to breed dogs who are affected or who are close relatives of those suffering from GDV.

Dog Owner's Guide: Bloat (www.canismajor.com/dog/bloat.html)] is a part of the Dog Owner's Guide internet website and is copyright by Canis Major Publications. You may print or download this material for non-commercial personal or school educational use.

 Cardiomyopathy and Congenital Disease.A variety of heart diseases are reported in the Great Dane. Among them are dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)--a progressive, life-threatening disease unfortunately not uncommon in the Dane, and then a variety of congenital heart defects, to include: mitral valve defects, typically stenosis--which is another serious and potentially fatal disorder, triscuspid valve dysplasia--another potentially fatal valvular defect, subaortic stenosis (SAS)--another potentially fatal defect of structure, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)--a common congenital defect in dogs that is usually correctable, and persistent right aortic arch (PRAA or VRA)--another congenital, correctable defect.

Congenital heart defects, as Patterson (JSAP; 1989: Hereditary congenital heart defects in dogs) noted "comprise probably the most common class of malformations found in dogs, occurring with a frequency approaching 1% in animals presented to veterinary clinics. The frequency is significantly higher among purebred dogs than in dogs of mixed breeding and specific anatomical malformations occur with highest frequency in certain breeds. Genetic studies of patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonic stenosis, subaortic stenosis, ventricular septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot and persistent aortic arch have confirmed that these are specific heritable defects, the genes for which are concentrated in a number of different breeds. Each of these defects is inherited in a complex manner consistent with a polygenic basis."

The last two congenital defects listed above (PRAA & PDA) are reported sporadically in the dog, with PDA being the most common canine congenital heart defect. Both are the result of fetal structures which persist after birth, resulting in problems for the growing pup, so both are thought to be "timing gene" defects. Both are correctable by surgery as noted. PDA shows a female predominance in some breeds; in PRAA the persistent fetal structure essentially "strangles" the esophagus, causing constriction of the esophagus with regurgitation, aspiration pneumonia and dysphagia (poor eating ability), so can be confused with non-heart diseases such as megaesophagus. Congenital valve defects result in reduced heart efficiency, and if severe are typically fatal in the first year of life with the puppy likely demonstrating lethargy, poor appetite, even syncope (fainting) and sudden death. SAS is a narrowing of a major area of blood flow, and although mild cases may go undetected, a diagnosis of SAS often requires careful treatment & death may occur regardless. All these congenital heart conditions can be the cause of "unthrifty" puppies and/or sudden inexplicable death. All can have a "graded expression," meaning the defects of structure can be mild, moderate, or severe, resulting in more or less obvious symptoms of disease. All are considered to be inherited diseases. Generally all are associated with heart murmurs (of various sorts), and an expert auscultation (exam with a stethoscope by a cardiologist or internist) can often offer a preliminary diagnosis of congenital heart disease. The OFA Cardiac clearance exam and registry is a suitable screening method for congenital heart disease.

HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) is exceeding rare in dogs & typically not a primary disease (i.e. it results from other disease). DCM and ACM (arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy) are primary heart diseases that are heritable in nature and involve the heart muscle. For a precise discussion of DCM and it's relationship to ACM, another form of "cardio" that does occur in dogs and may occur in the Great Dane

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is in a different category. This is typically an adult-onset disease and is progressive in nature, so signs of disease are not obvious for months and even years. In an earlier paper in the JAVMA (Meurs, et al, Mar2001) concerning DCM, Dr. Meurs outlined the clinical features of DCM and offered some comments on potential inheritance of the disease. In our breed the preliminary data has suggested that DCM is typically inherited in an X-linked recessive fashion. This means that usually unaffected, but carrier, dams pass on the defective X chromosome to statistically 50% of their offspring. When this is a bitch pup, she will also be an unaffected carrier like her dam. When this is a dog pup, he will suffer from DCM as an adult dog. This is because male dogs only have one X chromosome; the other sex chromosome being the Y chromosome inherited from their sire (which made them male). Affected males will produce 100% carrier daughters, as they give this defective X chromosome to all their female offspring. Then these carrier daughters produce again affected sons. However, when a disease is X-linked, the sons of an affected sire are NOT at risk, as they do not inherit an X chromosome from their sires. Females can also be affected (i.e. develop DCM), although this is more rare. With an X-linked recessive disease females have TWO defective X-chromosomes. If used in a breeding program, such a bitch would produce 100% affected sons and 100% carrier daughters bred to a clear dog. If an affected dog was used on a carrier bitch, then 50% of the male pups would be affected, 25% of the female pups would also have DCM, with the other 25% would be DCM carriers. So to summarize, X-linked recessive disorders are: seen with much more frequency in males than in females, are a trait never transferred directly from father to son, and have the appearance of skipping a generation because it's transmitted through carrier females typically. DCM is obviously a serious enough disease that it's wise for breeders to learn about the method of inheritance and they should track its progression through various generations, thereby attempting to predict carrier status and thus reducing the number of potentially affected dogs.

K9HD: HIP DYSPLASIA - is an inherited disease with multi-factorial expression. Clinically the disease may be seen as simply poor rear end conformation or lessened athleticism to such malformation of the hip joint that the dog becomes crippled. It is recommend that breeding stock be Xrayed as normal. OFA and PennHIP both offer certification programs.

A Great Dane could possibly suffer a disease called hypothyroidism. Aside from Great Danes, this disease is suffered by most mid-size to large breeds such as Boxers, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers and German Shepherds.

Just like the human body, a dog, has various endocrine glands that secrete chemical substances called hormones. The thyroid gland, the two small butterfly-shaped lobes located in the neck is the master gland. This gland has a number of functions but is well known for regulating the dog's metabolic rate. If the thyroid gland is malfunctioning, every cell in the body is affected.

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland malfunctions and unable to produce not enough hormone called thyroxin. As stated, this gland is important in regulating the dog's metabolic rate. It controls the growth and development and maintains normal protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The disease usually occurs to dogs two to six years of age. While it has been said that thyroid disorders are inherited, diet and environmental factors such as pollutants and allergies are also culprits for the occurrence of this disease.

One of the most common signs of hypothyroidism in your Great Dane is weight gain without an apparent gain in appetite. Pretty ironic, isn't it? Lethargic behaviors, slow heart rate, chronic ear infections, depression and behavioral changes can also be seen in a dog with hypothyroidism. He may also suffer from skin problems such as dry skin, bacterial infection of the skin as well as hair loss and discoloration or thickening of the skin where hair loss has occurred.

Hypothyroidism is diagnosed through physical examination wherein the veterinarian will be looking for clinical signs of the disease. The vet will also be asking questions about your dog's health, behavior and even history. If hypothyroidism is suspected, blood test such as T4, T3 and TSH test should be done. T4 test is the most common in which blood sample is drawn and then tested. Low level of T4 indicates problem in the thyroid. T3 is similar to T4 but is less accurate when used during the early stage of the disease. To ensure accuracy, T3 test should be used together with T4 test or TSH test. TSH is used when the results of T3 and T4 tests seem inaccurate.

The disease is treated with synthetic thyroid hormone called thyroxine. Dosage varies depending on the severity of the condition, the dog's weight, blood samples and the dog's response to the drug. Once a dog is placed on thyroxine medication, it should be given throughout the dog's life. Tests should be done periodically to assess the efficacy and make any adjustments if needed.

Acne

Dogs can get acne, too. Typically it shows up as bumps on a dog's chin that resemble those seen with acne in people. In some cases, this can be the result of allergic reactions. Plastic food bowels may be a source of these reactions in some dogs. Demodectic mange, immunosuppressive disease, drug reactions and trauma are other possible underlying causes.

Canine acne usually occurs on the chin of affected dogs. It resembles acne in humans and it tends to occur in a similar pattern, showing up in adolescence and continuing into adulthood in a small percentage of dogs. Short coated dogs, such as boxers, bulldog and Doberman pinschers are most commonly affected. Usually this is a minor problem but some dogs can develop significant infections.

It is necessary to appropriately treat any underlying disease in order to succeed in eliminating the acne long term. Most cases of canine acne can be controlled.

Mild forms of acne may just appear as reddened bumps on the skin. More severe cases may have larger hard lumps, sometimes associated with a draining tract.

It is not always necessary to treat acne. When it becomes a problem, it will often respond to treatment with a shampoo containing benzoyl peroxide. Dogs may be sensitive to gels or shampoos containing greater than 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. In really severe cases, antibiotic treatment lasting several weeks or even short term treatment with corticosteroids may be necessary.

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia is the term for an elbow joint that is malformed on X-rays. The mechanism of the malformation is unclear but it may be due to differences in the growth rates of the three bones that make up the elbow joint, particularly the humerus and ulna. In mildly affected dogs the only consequence may be arthritis. In more severely affected dogs, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), fragmented medial coronoid processes and united anconeal processes can result from the stress in the joint. Some vets think that these problems may not be secondary but may actually be the primary problems and that the bone changes occur as a result of them. It is difficult to be sure but there does appear to be measurable differences in bone growth in dogs that have elbow dysplasia. There are a number of changes visible on X-rays and the OFA does evaluate X-rays for evidence of elbow dysplasia.

Due to the number of possible complications, it is hard to make predictions about how elbow dysplasia will affect a dog. If it can be identified at a young age before changes are severe, surgical correction has a reasonably good success rate. Once severe changes set in, it is much harder to prevent subsequent arthritic changes. Most dogs with this condition eventually become lame and the lameness can be very severe in some dogs, even to the point of disuse of one leg or severe difficult getting up and walking even short distances.

Treatment consists of surgical correction of whatever complications are present, if possible. Medical management using aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medications is helpful. Weight control is very important over the long term for success of either surgical or medical management of this condition.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia literally means an abnormality in the development of the hip joint. It is characterized by a shallow acetabulum (the "cup" of the hip joint) and changes in the shape of the femoral head (the "ball" of the hip joint). These changes may occur due to excessive laxity in the hip joint. Hip dysplasia can exist with or without clinical signs. When dogs exhibit clinical signs of this problem they usually are lame on one or both rear limbs. Severe arthritis can develop as a result of the malformation of the hip joint and this results in pain as the disease progresses. Many young dogs exhibit pain during or shortly after the growth period, often before arthritic changes appear to be present. It is not unusual for this pain to appear to disappear for several years and then to return when arthritic changes become obvious.

Dogs with hip dysplasia appear to be born with normal hips and then to develop the disease later. This has led to a lot of speculation as to the contributing factors which may be involved with this disease. This is an inherited condition, but not all dogs with the genetic tendency will develop clinical signs and the degree of hip dysplasia which develops does not always seem to correlate well with expectations based on the parent's condition. Multiple genetic factors are involved and environmental factors also play a role in determining the degree of hip dysplasia. Dogs with no genetic predisposition do not develop hip dysplasia.

At present, the strongest link to contributing factors other than genetic predisposition appears to be to rapid growth and weight gain. In a recent study done in Labrador retrievers a significant reduction in the development of clinical hip dysplasia occurred in a group of puppies fed 25% less than a control group which was allowed to eat free choice. It is likely that the laxity in the hip joints is aggravated by the rapid weight gain.

If feeding practices are altered to reduce hip dysplasia in a litter of puppies, it is probably best to use a puppy food and feed smaller quantities than to switch to an adult dog food. The calcium/phosphorous to calorie ratios in adult dog food are such that the puppy will usually end up with higher than desired total calcium or phosphorous intake by eating an adult food. This occurs because more of these foods are necessary to meet the caloric needs of puppies, even when feeding to keep the puppy thin.

If clinical signs of hip dysplasia occur in young dogs, such as lameness, difficulty standing or walking after getting up, decreased activity or a bunny-hop gait, it is often possible to help them medically or surgically. X-ray confirmation of the presence of hip dysplasia prior to treatment is necessary. There are two techniques currently used to detect hip dysplasia, the standard view used in Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) testing and X-rays (radiographs) utilizing a device to exaggerate joint laxity developed by the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP). The Penn Hip radiographs appear to be a better method for judging hip dysplasia early in puppies, with one study showing good predictability for hip dysplasia in puppies exhibiting joint laxity at 4 months of age, based on PennHIP radiographs.

Once a determination is made that hip dysplasia is present, a treatment plan is necessary. For dogs that exhibit clinical signs at less than a year of age, aggressive treatment may help alleviate later suffering. In the past a surgery known as a pectineal myotomy was advocated but more recent evidence suggests that it is an ineffective surgical procedure. However, administration of glycosaminoglycans (Adequan Rx) may help to decrease the severity of arthritis that develops later in life. Surgical reconstruction of the hip joint (triple pelvic osteotomy) is helpful if done during the growth stages. For puppies with clinical signs at a young age, this surgery should be strongly considered. It has a high success rate when done at the proper time.

Dogs that exhibit clinical signs after the growth phase require a different approach to treatment. It is necessary to determine if the disorder can be managed by medical treatment enough to keep the dog comfortable. If so, aspirin is probably the best choice for initial medical treatment. Aspirin/codeine combinations, phenylbutazone, glycosaminoglycosans and corticosteroids may be more beneficial or necessary for some dogs. It is important to use appropriate dosages and to monitor the progress of any dog on non-steroidal or steroidal anti-inflammatory medications due to the increased risk of side effects to these medications in dogs. If medical treatment is insufficient then surgical repair is possible.

The best surgical treatment for hip dypslasia is total hip replacement. By removing the damaged acetabulum and femoral head and replacing them with artificial joint components, pain is nearly eliminated. This procedure is expensive but it is very effective and should be the first choice for treatment of severe hip dyplasia whenever possible. In some cases, this surgery may be beyond a pet owner's financial resources. An alternative surgery is femoral head ostectomy. In this procedure, the femoral head (ball part of the hip joint) is simply removed. This eliminates most of the bone to bone contact and can reduce the pain substantially. Not all dogs do well following FHO surgery and it should be considered a clear "second choice".

Hip dysplasia may not ever be eliminated by programs designed to detect it early unless some effort is made to publish the results of diagnostic tests such as the OFA evaluation or PennHIP evaluations, openly. This is the only way that breeders will be able to tell for certain what the problems have been with hip dysplasia in a dog's ancestry.

When an older dog is exhibiting signs of pain associated with this condition it is often possible to help them dramatically through medication and simple steps like providing a warm bed or warm spot to rest during the day. There is no advantage to pain and steps should be taken to ensure that the older dog is not in pain. Regular exercise can be very helpful and weight loss can have dramatic effects on the amount of discomfort a dog experiences.

Working with your vet to come to the best solution for your dog and your situation will enable you and your dog to enjoy life to its fullest, despite the presence of hip dysplasia

Wobbler Syndrome
(Cervical Vertebral Instability)

Wobbler syndrome (cervical (neck) vertebral instability) is caused by compression of the cervical spinal cord as a result of cervical vertebral malformation-malarticulation or instability. Spinal cord compression injures the portion of the spinal cord necessary for an animal to stand and move normally.

In Doberman Pinscher and Great Dane dogs, the skeletal abnormality occurs predominantly in the last three cervical vertebrae (the fifth, sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae). The cause of the skeletal malformation or malarticulation is unknown. Clinical studies suggest both genetics and nutrition may play a role in the development of the defects. Research has shown that, in some young dogs, excessive intake of a diet high in protein, energy, calcium, and phosphorus accelerates growth. This may induce skeletal changes such as those seen in some of these "wobbler" dogs.

The most common cervical vertebral abnormality is a narrowed spinal canal through which the spinal cord must pass. The canal is reduced in height and mildly compresses the spinal cord, especially during extension of the neck. Other abnormalities in the cervical vertebrae include overgrowth of the body of the vertebrae into the spinal canal, abnormal shape of the vertebral body or the joints between the vertebrae, or excessive mobility of the cervical vertebrae. These abnormalities eventually place so much stress on the intervertebral discs that they degenerate, rupture, and then generate additional pressure on the already compressed spinal cord. The result is an acute problem secondary to chronic abnormalities in the last three cervical vertebrae.

There is no evidence published to date that the disease can be predicted by radiographic (x-ray) study of clinically normal dogs. Severe vertebral malformation might indicate that a dog would be likely to experience spinal cord compression. However, dogs with minimal radiographic changes may remain free of clinical signs of spinal cord compression.

Wobbler syndrome is more commonly seen in younger Great Danes and older Doberman Pinschers but may be seen in other breeds as well. Radiographs should be taken in the normal position and with the neck extended and flexed. A myelogram (contrast dye study of the spine) is necessary because the extent of spinal cord compression cannot be determined with survey radiographs.

Symptoms

Initial signs of weakness and incoordination occur rapidly and are most apparent in the hindlimbs. The clinical signs worsen slowly over succeeding weeks. The hindlimbs often are spread wider apart than normal, causing the hindquarters to sway from side to side. The hindlimbs may not fully extend, causing a crouched posture with the toes scuffing on the ground with each step. The degree of forelimb involvement varies from no observable abnormality to an obvious stiffness and awkward use of the forelimbs. In mild cases, or early in the disease, these signs may be most obvious as the dog turns corners, and may be less apparent when the dog walks or runs along a straight path. An abrupt change in speed or direction may exacerbate the neurological signs.

Because the nervous system involvement is limited to a small section of the cervical spinal cord, these dogs remain alert and responsive. Dogs usually do not exhibit pain on manipulation of the neck.

The reason some dogs do not show clinical signs until they are older is likely due to mild initial vertebral abnormalities. With time, however, continued movement of abnormal vertebral articulations causes secondary changes in the intervertebral discs which result in disc degeneration and rupture. When observing dogs move as part of the neurological examination, it must be determined if any gait abnormality is because the dog cannot function normally or because the dog does not want to function normally. The latter occurs from pain associated with skeletal disease in the limbs, including hip dysplasia, osteochondrosis dissecans of the cervical vertebrae in young, giant breed dogs, and hypertrophic osteodystrophy. In dogs with these skeletal diseases, the stride is usually shorter than normal, often creating a choppy gait. However, these patients always know the position of their limbs, which are kept directly under the body. Joint pain may be determined by palpation.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of wobbler syndrome requires a more extensive evaluation than plain survey radiographs (x-rays) can provide. A myelogram is used to confirm not only the location of a compression but also the amount of spinal cord swelling. Myelograms are common and safe diagnostic procedures when performed with care and under the proper conditions. Laboratory tests on blood and cerebrospinal fluid usually are within normal limits.

Treatment

With the first clinical episode, treatment is directed primarily at the spinal cord injury and consists of corticosteroid administration to reduce edema (swelling) that may be present in the compressed segment of the spinal cord. However, medical therapy usually provides only temporary improvement at best. Surgery provides spinal cord decompression and an opportunity to directly repair some of the vertebral abnormalities. Although many techniques are described, the most common surgical procedure is to remove any ruptured disc material and then stabilize the vertebrae.

Prognosis

Prognosis depends on the severity of clinical signs and the degree of skeletal disease present. If the dog was paralyzed and unable to stand before surgery, the prognosis for recovery after surgery will be guarded. The dog that was able to ambulate freely (but with incoordination) before surgery will have a better prognosis. Although it is anticipated that surgery will stop progression of clinical signs and result in improved function, it is the degree of permanent spinal cord damage that determines the final outcome.