If your dog is a Dachshund (or any breed with a long back), you may have heard of IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). This spine condition can cause severe pain, mobility problems and even paralysis.
While it’s more common in breeds like sausage dogs, any dog can develop IVDD. Early recognition and treatment can make all the difference in helping your dog lead a comfortable life.
So, how can you tell if your furry friend is showing the early signs of IVDD? In this article, we’ll guide you through the signs, stages and treatment options for IVDD, plus how you can support your dog during recovery.
What is IVDD?
Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), sometimes called a slipped disc, is a degenerative disease that affects a dog’s spine, occurring when a disc between parts of the spine bulges and causes compression against the spinal cord.
Dr Harvey Saunders, a small animal surgery specialist at Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre (BVSC), explains the anatomy of the spine:
“The disc is shaped almost like a jam donut – there’s a central portion called the nucleus, which is a gel-like consistency,” he says. “This is surrounded by a fibrous capsule or ring, called the annulus. In some breeds, the central nucleus is prone to premature degeneration. So, rather than maintaining that gel-like consistency over time, we find that it becomes a calcified, almost toothpaste-type consistency and is not able to absorb shock well anymore.”
This disc degeneration, he says, leads to the disc herniating into the spinal cord, which is what causes pain and mobility problems for the dog.
Breeds prone to IVDD
IVDD is commonly associated with dachshunds, but it can also affect other chondrodystrophic breeds like French bulldogs, Corgis, Beagles, Poodles, Shih Tzus, Pekingese and Basset Hounds. These breeds are characterised by their long backs and short legs. Some larger dogs such as German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers and Doberman Pinchers are prone to developing a more gradual version of the disease.
IVDD typically occurs in middle-aged dogs (4–9 years), although it can appear at any age.
Signs of IVDD
Dogs with IVDD may show symptoms ranging from mild pain to severe mobility issues. Key signs include:
- Reluctance to jump or use stairs
- Crying out in pain
- A hunched back or tense belly
- Wobbly walking or uncoordinated movements
- Paralysis in the back legs
IVDD can manifest as severe back pain, with some dogs also having difficulty walking or a loss of mobility.
Serious signs can involve paralysis in the back legs or having an unsteady walking pattern. Mild signs related to back pain can be quite vague and can include a change in behaviour. These may include not wanting to jump up on furniture or use the stairs, sudden cries of pain, walking with a hunched back, or having a very tense belly and muscle tremors.
Any dog (particularly dachshunds) displaying signs of IVDD should be properly assessed by a vet.
The five stages of IVDD
Veterinarians use a clinical grading scale when diagnosing and treating IVDD. This system ranges from 1 to 5, with grade 1 dogs being mildly affected, and grade 5 dogs most severely affected.
This scale can be useful in working out how likely it is for the dog to recover and the most suitable treatment and can also make it easier to record any improvement or deterioration in the dog’s condition. The grades are:
Stage 1: Spinal pain alone
Stage 2: Spinal pain along with an ability to walk, but with wobbliness and neurologic deficits
Stage 3: Persistence of some movement in the limbs, but unable to support weight unassisted
Stage 4: Paralysis with some sensation
Stage 5: Complete paralysis with no sensation
Diagnosis usually involves imaging, and Dr Saunders says that whenever he scans dachshunds in particular, it’s not uncommon to see multiple areas of herniated discs.
“It can be quite a debilitating condition, especially if they get to the point where they become paralysed,” he says.
Treatment options for dogs with IVDD
Dr Saunders says that decisions about treatment come down to how severely affected the dog is.
“The grading system gives us an objective way of knowing how well these dogs are going to go with either form of treatment and whether it’s surgery or conservative management,” he says.
“If a dog is assessed at being either grade 1 or 2, non-surgical treatment is often a sensible first choice, though surgery may be indicated if the dog does not improve. In grades 3-5, surgical treatment gives a better chance of a successful outcome.”
“Generally speaking, if we find a dog has an inability to walk by themselves, if they’re paralysed or if they have severe, unremitting pain, we recommend going down the surgical route,” says Dr Saunders.
“If the patient only has spinal pain, doesn’t have any severe neurologic deficits, and is responding well to pain relief and rest, then a lot of those patients can be managed conservatively.”
Rehabilitation and recovery
Dr Saunders says that both surgery and conservative treatment need a strong rehabilitation plan as well as ensuring that there’s a good level of pain relief available.
“The big things for managing these cases are the patient’s mobility and comfort levels,” he says.
He adds that physiotherapy and hydrotherapy are crucial.
“Either with the conservative approach or with surgery, we tend to find that physio vastly improves the rate and speed of recovery, and it is something that we recommend for our patients that have this condition,” he says.
Dr Saunders says that while mobility carts are an option for dogs affected by this disease, he would only use them as a last resort.
“A lot of the time, those dogs adapt to just function in the carts rather than potentially adapt to being able to get around by themselves. We have used carts in the past, but it’s primarily been dogs that have had an extended time for recovery but haven’t completely recovered.”
Caring for a dog with limited mobility
Dogs with severe IVDD may face lifelong challenges, including:
- Residual mobility deficits (for example, wobbly walking)
- Incontinence or bladder management needs
- Ongoing physiotherapy and care
If a dog is graded at level 5, the chance of a full recovery is less likely, says Dr Saunders. “If we have complete paralysis and no pain sensation in that setting, even with surgery, there’s only about a 50 per cent chance of recovery,” he explains. “The way we class a recovery is basically a dog that’s able to function. A lot of these dogs don’t go back to being completely normal.
“These patients still have residual movement deficits. They might be a bit wobbly when getting around. They might be a little bit incontinent and so on. It is something that can have lifelong implications.”
Toileting can also be a challenge for these patients. Some may need a catheter, while others require their owners to learn how to express the bladder, says Dr Saunders. However, most dogs can get around fairly well within a few weeks of treatment.
