IVDD is a leading cause of spinal pain and paralysis in dogs, particularly in chondrodystrophic breeds, with welfare implications around acute pain, surgical decision-making, and rehabilitation.
Acute IVDD causes severe spinal pain — often described as the most painful condition in veterinary medicine — and in severe cases complete hindlimb paralysis within hours. Dogs in acute IVDD crises are often in extreme distress, unable to move without vocalisation. Surgical decisions must balance welfare costs of anaesthesia and surgery against the welfare gain of neurological recovery. Dogs that remain paraplegic require attentive bladder management, physiotherapy, and mobility cart provision — welfare outcomes depend entirely on owner commitment and resources.