Intervertebral disc disease is one of the most common and painful spinal conditions in dogs, causing significant suffering but often responding well to timely treatment.
IVDD causes acute and chronic pain that profoundly affects quality of life. Dogs with spinal pain may cry out, refuse to move, or develop depression from immobility. Paralysed dogs lose not only mobility but bladder and bowel control, creating distress and the risk of urine scalding and pressure sores. Even with successful surgery, extended confinement during recovery is stressful for active dogs. Responsible breeding choices that select against extreme body proportions can reduce the prevalence of this condition across generations.