Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a common and potentially devastating cause of spinal cord compression in dogs, particularly in chondrodystrophic breeds, with significant welfare implications from pain to paralysis.
Acute IVDD causes extreme pain — affected dogs may scream when moved, refuse to walk, and show intense spinal hypersensitivity. The onset of paralysis is terrifying for the dog, which may be ambulatory in the morning and unable to walk by the afternoon. Chronic IVDD causes persistent pain that affects daily functioning and quality of life in ways that are easily under-recognised. Surgery, when performed promptly in acute cases, is remarkably effective at restoring function. The welfare priority is rapid veterinary assessment — every hour of delay in surgical decompression of a paralysed dog risks irreversible spinal cord damage. Post-surgical rehabilitation is a positive welfare experience for most dogs, restoring mobility and the activities that make life rewarding.