Emergency action
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The clock is ticking!
Time is the spinal cord's enemy.
Crate immediately. Limit the vertebrae and spine from moving. Movement causes the disc to leak and push more disc material onto the spinal cord. The result can be pain and paralysis. With haste get to a vet knowledgeable in IVDD. Immediately transport your dog carefully in a crate padded to keep the spine quiet. Your vet will rule out other things that mimic IVDD with x-rays or maybe blood tests. In addition, a neurological exam will help the vet pinpoint the likelyhood of a disc herniation. Board certified surgeons don't only treat surgically, if a dog is not ready for surgery or doesn't require surgery they are still the very best resource for medical treatment of IVDD as they see many cases of it daily. ACVIM neuro specialists/surgeons ACVS's list of ortho surgeons |
Immediately restrict movements of the dog to prevent further damage to the spinal cord
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