Dogs with spinal cord injuries from disc disease or trauma can achieve remarkable functional recovery through dedicated rehabilitation programs that are increasingly accessible through veterinary physiotherapy.
Spinal cord injury rehabilitation transforms outcomes for dogs that would previously have been euthanized as hopeless. The key welfare insight is that neurological recovery takes time - dogs that appear permanently paralyzed in week one often walk in week eight with consistent rehabilitation. The investment required is significant: daily exercise, twice-daily bladder expression if incontinent, equipment, and veterinary physiotherapy visits. Owners who make this commitment demonstrate that the welfare benefit to their dogs justifies the effort. Canine physiotherapy as a specialty has expanded the welfare toolkit for neurological patients enormously.