My dog has IVDD, can't move. Is she paralyzed? Surgery is costly.

I'm so sorry that you and your Bella are going through this. I recommend speaking to your veterinarian about financing options such as CareCredit that may allow you to have the surgery performed, as the surgery would give her the best chance at walking again. Also contact your local Humane Society/shelters to see if they know of other companies that provide financing options. If surgery is not an option for you, I recommend you look into pain management and crate rest through your veterinarian, and contact a veterinary acupuncturist immediately. In some cases acupuncture and rehabilitation/physiotherapy can help restore at least some function in dogs with IVDD. Time is of the essence in IVDD cases, so please look into treatment right away, preferably via immediate surgery. Best of luck to you both. See the links below for more information. http://www.tcvm.com/Resources/FindaTCVMPractitioner.aspx https://www.carecredit.com/

Hello. I am sorry for the IVDD diagnosis. Was a surgical option presented to you? Many dogs go through surgery very well & have outstanding results. Bella should be placed on restricted activity. This usually means complete cage rest, only being allowed out to relieve herself. There is no need to give melatonin nor change her food. I would avoid bathing unless she is soiling herself ( urinating or defecating )in which case you might want to put a doggie diaper on her. The surface of the crate should be flat & non-slip & should be well padded to prevent sores. If the carprofen & neurotin is not keeping her comfortable, you may be able to increase the dose of neurotin, or she may need a stronger pain reliever like fentanyl. Lack of appetite can be from the pain, so increasing/changing pain meds may help. You can also speak with your vet about using an appetite stimulant like mirtazapine or Entyce to improve her appetite. I hope Bella is feeling better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. I am sorry that this happened to Gina. The most recent recommendations for IVDD do not include steroid use and do include surgical decompression (a surgery to remove the herniated bit). If surgery is not possible due to finances (usually at least $4000, but talk to vets in your area), then strict cage rest for 6 weeks is recommended. These are the latest recommendations. The best thing to do would be to get a consultation with a neurologist or a surgeon, and have surgery if you can. I would look into these options ASAP as prognosis and return of function decreases the longer the compression is in place, so surgery now isn't as successful as surgery when it first happened, however surgery does have very good outcomes, often getting 80-95% of normal function back. I would recommend a consultation with a surgical specialist or a neurologist if you can. Good luck with Gina!

Oh my! How scary! I don't blame you for being worried about her going back under anesthesia. I would definitely have a cardiologist look at her. Of course surgery is the best option for her back, but it may not be worth it if she can't tolerate anesthesia. I would talk to the surgeon or neurologist about other options like high doses of steroids to see if this would help. Also, acupuncture and chiropractics have helps in some cases along with steroids. Unfortunately, this is a difficult decision because neither option is guaranteed to cure her paralysis. It is all about this risks versus benefit. I think you first have to see what the cardiologist says and see if a certified anesthesiologist would be present for surgery and whether they all feel the risk of Mia going back under anesthesia is worth the possible benefits of surgery. I hope this helps!

Hi Alice! I can understand being worried about Pixie. It could be that she has injured herself while you were gone or has a spinal problem, and I recommend resting her for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a lead only, and bring her right back in when she's done. If she still appears painful after this time, then I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. She may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. As for affording a vet, I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/

Unfortunately there is not much you can do, first of all all dogs pain killers require prescription, secondly it could be a sign of a very severe and urgent condition- you need to take her to the vet ASAP. If money is an issue please contact a cat charity in your area of living, they can help with costs of treatment in many cases. Many vets also have payment plans, and there is also a credit company that will land you money toward vet bills ( https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/) .

I'm so sorry Drew is going through this at the moment, and I'm sorry for you as well! This is a very hard situation. Unfortunately, the statistics with recovery are very poor with stage V IVDD. With medical and conservative treatment, the prognosis is less than 5% of recovery. With surgery, there is a 50% chance of recovery if the surgery is done less than 24 hours after symptoms appear, and less than 5% if it's done more than 48 hours after symptoms appear. As you can see, these numbers are quite poor, and if your vet has ruled out surgery, your only option is the medical treatment. I guess you need to weigh whether or not you want to see if Drew will be part of the less than 5% who can recover, but the fact that she doesn't have deep pain is not a good prognosis. You can have her monitored with the vet for another 24-48 hours, but if things still look poor after that time, euthanizing her may be the best option. Again, I'm so sorry you are going through this, and I hope my answer helps you somewhat.