Lumbosacral stenosis causes compression of spinal nerves at the base of the spine in dogs, producing chronic pain, weakness, and urinary problems that significantly impair quality of life if untreated.
Lumbosacral stenosis causes chronic pain that is easily missed because dogs do not always vocalise pain and owners may interpret reluctance to exercise as normal aging. Affected dogs may lick at their hindquarters, stumble on stairs, and resist being touched near the lower back — all signs of persistent discomfort. Incontinence, when it develops, causes significant distress for the dog and affects the human-animal relationship. Early recognition and appropriate treatment — whether conservative or surgical — can restore quality of life dramatically. Dogs whose symptoms are attributed to age rather than treatable disease may suffer for months or years unnecessarily.