Home Rehabilitation for Dogs with IVDD: A Step-by-Step Approach to Handle your Dogs IVDD Home Care
- lunasabrina
- Sep 14, 2023
- 7 min read
How to Handle your Dogs IVDD Home Care
As a dog owner I was completely blindsided by Intervertabral Disc Disease (IVDD). My tiny toy poodle, who at the time was 6-years-old, took a turn for the worse at a speed I did not see coming. If you recently have had a pet diagnosed with IVDD I hope that me and Luna’s story can help manage your dogs IVDD home care. IVDD is a disease of the spinal cords discs, usually resulting in a bulge or herniated disc, it can take over your pet’s entire well being. It is important to understand the disease to be able to cope with it. My experience may not be yours but maybe my research can provide some comfort and reassurance by providing you with some tools that may help the healing process.
Week 1 - Diagnosis & Home Rehabilitation
The most important thing is to be aware of the early signs of IVDD, as the disease progresses from stage 1 to stage 4 the outcomes are very different and the symptoms more severe. For Luna, I had no clue that she could suffer from this and the night before her episode she climbed up her stairs to get onto our bed, once she reached the top, she let out a grunt. I thought nothing of it at the time and gave her the treat ball she was excited for, however that excitement was muted. Off to bed we went, her in her cage and me in my bed. The next morning, I opened her cage to let her out and no sign of her, I went to get her out of her cage and she was shaking, a sign of pain. I rushed her to the emergency vet, and she was diagnosed with stage 2 IVDD. She had lameness in her back legs, refused to walk, go to the bathroom, or move at all. Her prognosis was possible recovery without surgery or surgery to amend the herniated disc. I had a choice to make and decided not to go with surgery and heal her at home, it was a big undertaking but for my situation it worked out. However, this does not change that the recommended treatment is surgery and although I decided different does not mean you should based on this story, if you have decided against it on your own, then this story may help you on your journey.
The most important thing is to restrict movement, the animal must stay in a resting state to avoid further damage and to allow the healing process to begin. For Luna, this meant being crated at all times. This leads me to one of my first purchases, orthopedic crate beds by American Kennel Club. I needed a surface that would help with healing and keep her as comfortable as possible. Of course, she was prescribed pain and anti-inflammatory medication by the vet. She was only allowed out of the crate for bathroom breaks. It is mandatory you don’t waiver from this, it will be hard, you will want them with you or around you, but you can do much more harm than good. Stay strong! I also purchased a dog stroller off of Amazon.com, this was a life saver. I cut an orthopedic bed to fit in it and would stroll Luna around the home with me. The stroller allowed me to take her all around the home without moving her. It was crate rest on wheels and she loved it because she was able to go wherever I went.
Week 2 - Consistency is key
At the second week mark I called a physiotherapist, they were amazing and said she should start physio treatments after 3 weeks of healing, and that we did! If you live in the Montreal area and are going through a similar experience, I highly recommend their services. Luna hated it, she's always been nervous at the vets, since it was for her own good we put trust in physio-therapy and continued. Luna would have a combination of laser therapy, muscle stimulation and exercise like walking on an underwater treadmill. They also massaged her and gave me some home massage techniques. It was very comforting to have them, they helped me understand the process and kept a close eye on her, since any signs of deterioration would have meant surgery. She went to physio twice a week for 2 months as she healed.
I started supplementing her food with a Nutri-vet hip and joint supplement and started using CALYX Nurture CBD Pet Tinture to promote healing. At this point you want the disc to begin scarring and heal, that way the nerves and spinal cord can become protected again. The only problem with this route is there will now be scar tissue which can be a site of re-injury in the future. However, with some lifestyle changes you can also prevent that from happening. For example, Luna no longer climbs stairs, and her couch stairs were replaced with scalloped stairs to alleviate pressure on her spine. She can’t play with other dogs and she can’t jump up and down. She also can’t go on long walks, so I purchased a Outward Hound Front Carrier to carry her. which places her in the front of my body vs the back. This way I can take her out on adventures while not straining her spine. The support on the bottom the back pack is spacious and she can sit or lay down in it which is important to relieve pressure. She is 7lbs and I ordered the medium sized backpack to give her extra space. I had first purchased Outward Hound Sling Carrier, but beware! The slings place a lot of pressure on the dog’s spine since they are stuck in one position. They have recently redesigned the sling which appears to have a firmer surface for our furry friend to sit or stand, where as, the older model would cradle the legs and bod in a fixed position.
Lastly, I found Dr. Buzby's toe grips which helped Luna stay stable and avoided slipping. Since she was injured I was unable to groom her and her slipper paws were going to be an issue. Luckily these toe grips helped her and I continued using them for 2 years post injury to avoid any re-injury. She has been doing OK lately however I do recommend these for any senior dogs or dogs with mobility issues.
Monitoring Progress: Tracking Your Pet's Weekly Recovery
Week 1:
She was only going to the bathroom every 24h, she was in a crate and had no movement. She was given pain killers every 8 hours. The painkillers will constipate so I started little doses of pumpkin mixed with peanut butter.
Week 2:
She went to the bathroom every 15 hours and remained on painkillers every 8 hours. She was more awake and adapted to the pain killers better.
Week 3:
She went to the bathroom every 5 hours and started physio. She was able to walk underwater, but I was told she was still in a lot of pain. Crate rest continued at home. She began regaining energy and needed some stimulation in the cage. I would put peanut butter in a Kong , or I would get her chew sticks.
Week 4:
I was able to take her off the noninflammatory medication and administered pain killers every 12 hours. Her pain had begun to subside. She continued physio.
Week 5:
I was able to cut the painkiller dose in half every 12 hours. She was still in physio and was more active and alert at home.
Week 6:
Half of week 6 she was on pain killers every 12 hours and the second half she was administered pain killers every 24 hours. She continued physio, and was able to come out of her crate to sit on the couch with me.
Week 7:
No more painkillers, she was just on CBD and supplements. She was slowly walking around the house more and spent more time out of her crate. I had her walk at my side while directing her with the words "slow, slow" if she started walking too fast.
Week 8!!
The last week of this ordeal, she was on CBD and her supplements which she is taking to this day (4 years later). She was out of her cage and doing exercises at home, she was monitored for movement restrictions.
The vet projected a 4-week regime was needed however the physiotherapists suggested 8 weeks minimum and they were right! Do not undercut the healing time, give the 8 weeks minimum and take it from there.
My last words are to be patient, take it slow and obey crate rest! Understand you will be tired, but you can do it. Working with your vet for medication and finding a physiotherapist that can help.
Lifestyle Adjustments: Preventing Future IVDD Episodes
No stairs
No jumping, no jumping on and off of furniture
No racing
No long walks
No games with other dogs
No bending to eat - Home made little tables to elevate her dish (photo below)
Supplements everyday
Essential Products and Tools for Managing IVDD at Home
Orthopedic beds and IVDD
Dog Carrier and Strollers
Cage / Crates (Day time and bed time)
Supplements and IVDD
Scalloped pet stairs
Physiotherapy
Dr. Buzby's toe grips
Orthopedic dog beds and IVDD
In order of preference, the Milliard dog bed is the best quality and is her mattress for her nighttime crate. The Bedsure was bought for her everyday beds around the home. They have high wall sides but not too high that she will injure herself going in and out. The AKC mat is good for her daytime crate while she was healing, however it is not used unless she needs rehabilitation for an injury.
Milliard Orthopedic Pet Bed - Her favorite and is the mattress in her nighttime crate
Bedsure Comfy Pet - Foam Orthopedic Dog Bed with Removable Washable Cover
American Kennel Club AKC - Scalloped Orthopedic Dog Crate Mat
Dog Carrier and Stroller: Bringing Your Dog with IVDD Along with You
The Outward hand Puppak backpack style is the carrier of choice, avoid the sling types. The VIVO stroller is also a low price, good quality, (4.5+ stars) which will help you if your dog is small enough.
Outward Hound - PupPak Dog Front Carrier
Outward Hound - PupPak Dog Sling Carrier, Grey
VIVO - Black 4 Wheel Pet Stroller for Cat, Dog and More, Foldable Carrier Strolling Cart (STROLR-V001K)
Supplements and CBD: Supporting Your Pet's IVDD Healing Journey
Integricare - TRI-ACTA H.A. for Pets - Joint Health and Mobility
The TRI-ACTA joint supplement works wonders and should be administered to most aging dogs anyway to help with mobility. It was given to Luna middle of her treatment plan and to this date.
Calyx - nurture CBD pet tincture chicken flavour
Nutri-Vet - Hip & Joint Dog Regular Strength Chewable Tablets
It was given during the early stages of the injury and for a short period of time. It served a purpose and a need.
Others
Physiotherapy - ANIFORME Montreal/Quebec area highly recommended https://aniforme.com/ Elise and Jonathan are exceptional and they will take care of your loved one as though it was theirs! Thank you again. | |
Dr. Buzby's Toe Grips. People always ask if I've painted her nails, proof they are not only stylish but they are VERY useful. Dr. Buzby's toe grips provided the support Luna needed for her recovery. you can find them at: https://toegrips.com. |  |
Snoozer Scalloped Pet Ramp Comes in a variety of sizes reliable brand quality construction https://snoozerpetproducts.com/product/snoozer-scalloped-pet-ramp-p-249/ |  |
Disclaimer: This is not to replace advice given by a veterinarian, this is just my experience and my story. Please discuss all treatment plans with a professional.
The products listed here are simply suggestions, I am not endorsed by these companies and I am not claiming they will help, heal or have the same impact they did for me. Use these products at your own discretion.
