An Introduction of Nina, a french bulldog with IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disorder) by Dr. Tina Aiken of Kilshannagh Veterinary Clinic
I have seen Nina, a French Bulldog since the summer of 2005. In 2004, before I met her she had back surgery for IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). She had on and off problems with her back. Since the owner lives over 2 hours away I did not see her all the time and on several occasions, he took her to local neurologists instead. The neurologist treated her with rest, Corticosteroids and painkillers. I supported her treatment with supplements. In the spring of 2013, she started to deteriorate fast and significantly. She got very ataxic (wobbly) and incontinent. Acupuncture treatments done by a local veterinarian did not seem to improve her ability to walk. The neurologist suggested an MRI and considered a second back surgery. Euthanasia was also discussed. Her days seemed numbered. We opted to treat her with Prolotherapy instead. She was treated twice, in June and July 2013. The Prolotherapy helped her to some extent. At the second Prolo appointment, I also recommended the Assisi Loop. Within a month of using the Loop twice daily Steve, the owner, saw dramatic improvement. She could walk much better again, was much less ataxic and her fecal incontinence stopped. He continued to treat her until recently when she was euthanized due to a brain tumor she had developed. The Assisi loop certainly extended the quality and the quantity of Nina’s life.
Nina’s Story (in her own words)
Hi everyone, my name is Nina and I am writing this posthumously after a wonderful but difficult (due to various health issues) twelve and a half year life as I wanted to share my experience with the Assisi Loop.
Among the various health issues, I experienced while growing up was Intervertebral Disc Disease which required surgery in 2004. I recovered quite nicely from that major surgery and was able to enjoy all of the things French Bulldogs enjoy for many years, especially long walks on the beach with my Daddy where I accepted the challenge of chasing and “catching” each wave as it broke on the shoreline.
This was truly my favorite activity in life and I participated in this every summer until the summer of 2013 when I was physically unable to do so. You see, early in 2013 out of nowhere, my back right leg starting failing me and it became difficult to walk. MRIs and surgery were out of the question for a dog of my age/breed so my Dad took me for weekly acupuncture appointments in February, March, and April with some minor improvement. Unfortunately, the initial positive results seemed to wane. My veterinarian described my condition as a “functional” issue but for me, it was just a bummer!
In June and July 2013, my vet performed procedures on me called Prolotherapy which also seemed to help my condition but I continued to struggle with walking and controlling my sphincter muscle which, as you might guess, led to some #2 accidents in the house.
We left the vet’s office in late July 2013 with something called the Assisi Loop and starting in August, my Dad gave me treatments twice a day, every day as I slept. At first, it didn’t seem to be helping but by the end of August, my Dad (and I) noticed a remarkable transformation. Not only did much of my strength return and I could walk much better, but I could once again scratch myself using that back right leg – oh what a relief!
Throughout the fall and early winter, I continued to receive 2 daily treatments with the Assisi Loop and while I did not return to 100% mobility, I’d say I was at about 75% mobility which is quite something considering where I came from (about 25% mobility).
If you have a pet suffering from a degenerative physical condition as I had, I hope you will give the Assisi Loop a try and get the good results that I did.
Pet owners who have dogs with IVDD know how very challenging this disease can be for all involved. We recommend an excellent website created by people dedicated to offering education for owners and dogs suffering from back problems due to disc disease (ruptured, herniated, slipped disc, IVDD). Check out Dodgers List to learn more. We often get reports from customers telling us about the positive results they’re seeing by treating cases of IVDD with the Assisi Loop. If you know of an animal who has been successfully treated for IVDD with the Assisi Loop, please tell us about it. It’s important for us to continue to collect this information so we can share it with the Assisi family.