Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) causes severe spinal pain and paralysis in affected dogs, with early surgical intervention being critical to welfare outcomes in severe cases.
IVDD causes acute and often severe pain that can progress rapidly to paralysis. Severely affected dogs may be completely unable to move their hindlimbs, lose bladder and bowel control, and experience significant distress from the sudden loss of function. The pain component of IVDD, even without paralysis, can be extreme and is often underestimated. Emergency surgical decompression for severe cases is one of the most time-critical welfare decisions in veterinary medicine - delays of even 24-48 hours dramatically worsen outcomes. Dogs that receive prompt surgery often make remarkable recoveries, while those treated conservatively with severe disease frequently remain permanently disabled.