pet-advice

Owner’s Guide to Intervertebral Disc Herniation (IVDH) in Dogs

1 in 4 Dachshunds will suffer some degree of back disease during their lifetime.

Kofta IVDD Patient at SASH enjoying a picnic

What is IVDH?

Intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) is a spinal condition where the discs between the vertebrae degenerate, and in time may bulge or rupture (herniate). Herniated disc material pressing on the spinal cord and/or spinal nerves can lead to pain, weakness, incoordination, loss of bladder or bowel control, and in some cases, paralysis.

What is IVDD?

IVDH is most common in chondrodystrophic (short-legged) breeds such as Dachshunds, French Bulldogs, and Cocker Spaniels, but it can affect dogs of any breed or size—and occasionally older cats.

Signs of IVDH

We encourage all owners to familiarise themselves with the early signs of IVDH. Early detection can dramatically improve treatment outcomes.

Signs to watch for include:

Reluctance to jump, run, or climb stairs
Crying out in pain when touched around the back or neck
Change of posture (arching of the back or a stiff neck)
Dragging legs or knuckling of paws
Weakness or wobbliness when walking
Loss of bladder or bowel control
Paralysis

What To Do If You Suspect IVDH

Restrict your dog’s activity immediately. Confine them to a small area, such as a crate or pen, to minimise further spinal injury.
Carefully support both front and hindquarters when lifting your dog, avoiding any bending or twisting of their spine.
If your dog seems painful around their neck, do not continue using a collar and lead, use a harness instead.
Seek veterinary care urgently, especially if your pet is suddenly having trouble walking. A delay in treatment may affect the prognosis and result in unnecessary pain.
Some of these signs may also be seen with other conditions that require assessment by a veterinarian for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

SASH is one of the few networks in Australia to offer 24/7 emergency services with advanced and specialist capabilities in diagnostic imaging, spinal/neurosurgery, pain management and rehabilitation, to rapidly diagnose and treat IVDH.

A Multidisciplinary Approach at SASH

Our multidisciplinary model means your pet benefits from collaborative expertise across several specialist departments:

SURGERY OR “CONSERVATIVE” THERAPY
Choosing the Right Treatment

Optimal treatment of IVDH depends on several factors: the severity of neurological dysfunction; how rapidly these signs have progressed; the degree of spinal cord or spinal nerve compression; the amount of pain it is causing and how responsive this is to medications; whether this is the first episode or the patient has had repeated episodes; and what activity the pet would ideally be able to perform when recovered.

At SASH, we work together with you to create recommendations and plans based on the clinical examination, any necessary imaging (such as CT or MRI scans), and the individual needs of both you and your dog.

Treatments we offer at SASH fall into two broad categories:

Surgery (Decompression procedures such as hemilaminectomy)

Surgery involves removing disc material compressing the spinal cord or spinal nerves, restoring function and relieving pain.
Recommended at any point for dogs with moderate or progressive neurological deficits, or when there is no improvement or recurrent episodes of weakness or pain, despite attempting more conservative treatments.
Prognosis depends on the severity of neurological signs. Even completely paralysed dogs with a normal pain response have a >90% chance of recovery to walking again after surgery.
Likelihood of recovery to walking again decreases if patients lose the ability to feel their feet (nociception – testing this should only be performed by a veterinarian). Seeking urgent specialist veterinary care is critical for the best chance of a good outcome in dogs who are becoming or have become paralysed.
Post-operative care includes individualised rehabilitation, pain management, and hospitalisation for several days.

“Conservative” Management

“Conservative” management means using treatments that do not involve performing surgery.
Best suited for dogs experiencing mild to moderate pain only, or only mild neurological signs (e.g. mild incoordination or weakness, but still able to walk).
Requires strict activity restriction by confinement for at least 6 weeks to limit further disc displacement and avoid further spinal cord injury. Anti-inflammatory and other analgesic medications may help with the pain.
Dogs must be monitored closely for any worsening of signs. Worsening despite conservative treatment usually indicates that a better outcome will be achieved by performing surgery.
Recurrence of signs is common (up to ~40% of conservatively treated patients). Recurrence is more likely in patients where instructions for activity restriction have not been strictly followed.
Patients with more severe neurological signs, even those that are paralysed, may eventually improve if treated conservatively (without surgery). However, for these patients, the likelihood of recovery, and by how much they will recover, is less predictable than for those patients treated surgically. The time to recovery is usually longer than for similarly affected, surgically treated patients. Worsening or recurrence of signs within a few months is more likely in conservatively managed patients. This is why for more severely affected patients, we usually recommend surgical treatment if possible.

Activity Restrictions

Regardless of whether your dog is being treated conservatively or has had surgery, they will need to have their activity restricted for at least 6 weeks.

In most cases, your dog will feel better soon after starting treatment, and being the enthusiastic creatures dogs often are, they are likely to do too much too soon, and risk injuring themselves again.

The best way to prevent this is to confine them to an area (such as a crate or pen – no larger than about 1m x 1m for small dogs, or 2m x 2m for larger dogs) for the full 6 weeks. They can be taken for several short walks (~10 minutes) on lead each day.

They must not be allowed to run, jump, or play roughly, or have any off-lead activity until their spine has healed, and their strength and coordination returns to a level where they are unlikely to fall over.

They may do any physiotherapy exercises we have prescribed specific to their needs at this stage of their recovery.

Our team of specialists will discuss all available options with you in detail, ensuring your pet receives the safest and most appropriate care.

Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation at SASH

Recovery does not stop at diagnosis or surgery.
Post-operative rehabilitation will significantly improve outcomes and complement crate rest. Examples include:
Hydrotherapy (underwater treadmill)
Therapeutic laser and manual therapy
Tailored exercise programs
Pain management and wellness planning

How to Reduce the Risk of IVDH

Maintain a healthy weight – feed an appropriate balanced diet
Use ramps, where possible
Avoid jumping on and off furniture
Support your dog properly when lifting
Balanced on- and off-lead exercise

What if My Dog is Healthy? How to Prepare

Learn safe lifting techniques
Avoid unnecessary spinal strain by learning the correct way to lift your Dachshund or other at-risk breed.
Introducing crate training early
Crate training using positive reinforcement helps reduce stress if your dog ever needs crate rest for IVDH or recovery from another condition.
Consider pet insurance
With 1 in 4 Dachshunds estimated to experience back issues, pet insurance can help you plan for unexpected care. Choose an illness-inclusive policy and review exclusions carefully.
Know your closest SASH hospital
All SASH hospitals are fully integrated specialist and 24/7 emergency hospitals. This means they are fully equipped to handle any urgent spinal emergency without the need to transfer the case elsewhere.