Acupuncture-Laser Therapies

Acupuncture and laser therapy are an aid to kick-start nerves to self-heal. With more severe neurological damage, these therapies work best together rather than separately.

Chiropractic risk with IVDD dogs

IVDD dogs are not the same as a person with a bad disc. Risks with chiro to an IVDD dog is adjustment could cause more disc damage including potential for permanent spinal cord damage.

Swelling Inflammation

Disc episode inflammation can take 7-30 days to resolve. In the meantime pain medications are a must while the anti-inflammatory is at work.

Dodgerslist and veterinary professionals team up to teach

Veteriarians and scientists comment on Dodgerslist

Steroids vs. Non-steroidals

Know the valuable benefits of anti-inflammatory drugs during an IVDD disc episode. However, what you do not know about these two classes of drugs could harm your dog.

Hope and Quality of Life for All

Not Sure What To Expect About Quality Of Life?

YES, Your Dog CAN Have a Great Quality of Life!

True success with IVDD is measured by the most important goal of returning your dog to a pain free, happy and full-of-love quality of life after a surgery or from conservative treatment. Should paralysis occur, please know that dogs do not view the lack of ability to walk as a minus as humans do. Dogs adjust to what is and then get on with the business of fully enjoying all that life has to offer until nerves repair! Learn how to rethink things if you are struggling the quality of life question:

Wheelchairs are for living life while waiting on nerve function to return! You never know where life will take you. What is important to dogs is not how to get from point A to B, but that they can!

Clark runs like the wind.

Wheelchair dogs’ first visit to a beach!

Which dog is not like the others?

“The three dogs on the right are all IVDD Survivors! Jake in the cart went down 3.5 years ago. Reggie to his right recovered from his latest bout only a month before this photo was taken last summer. Angel, my darling grand-puppy, was the first to be born with IVDD. I don’t know what I would have done without the knowledge we gained here at Dodgerslist” ~Anne

Cart dog runs with his friends.

More Success Stories written by Dodgerslist members

Devices & Supplements

Supplements, back braces, CDB oil, stem cell, at home laser

Buyer be aware. Look further into supplements, back braces, CDB oil, and other things to find out if a product is actually safe for your IVDD dog’s very particular needs.

Supplements

Should you decide

Should you decide to supplement, you should be aware that not all supplements are created equal. Quality varies greatly. Purity is a big concern. There is no regulation of supplements. The amount of the herb in the product can vary. Many people think because herbs are “natural,” they have no bad side effects. This is NOT true.

Research

Fully research any drug or herb. Herbs and natural remedies can have side effects like prescription drugs do. Every substance in the wrong dosage amount is dangerous, even something as common as water.

Don't fall for hype

Pet supplementation has become a lucrative money draw for many companies. Don’t fall for the marketing hype surrounding so many pet supplements today. There is a lot to know. You really have to do the research yourself to learn as much as you can when considering the use of supplements.

Side effects

Try to get independent information rather than rely on claims made by the company making or selling the products. They have an vested interest in making products sound good to encourage you to buy. Remember, nothing you give, whether prescription medications or nutritional supplements, is without side effects.

Your dog's health history

Being aware of all of your pet’s health problems is crucial to knowing if you should or should not supplement with a particular product. Doing your research with an eye to negative side effects will alert you to possible contraindications. This would include research on how drugs your dog is taking could be affected by herbs and the supplement you are considering. Homeopathic remedies/herbs are also a possibility, but should be used under the treatment of a skilled homeopath. Please consult with your regular or holistic vet before beginning any type of supplement.

When to start supplementing

Timing

It is recommended to not add supplements while a dog is on prescription medication or recovering on crate rest. It could be difficult to determine which medication or supplement caused a dog to have an adverse reaction and complicate treatment options.

GI tract problems

Supplements can cause the same side effects as gastrointestinal problems and prescription medications do. These symptoms include vomiting, loose stools, diarrhea, or gas. Those signs can be life threatening if caused by a prescription medication. It is important to quickly and correctly narrow down the cause to take the right action when treating problem.

Research before using

There isn’t much scientific evidence as to what is effective and what isn’t concerning intervertebral discs and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). Supplements are something you’ll need to research in depth before making decisions.

Back Braces for the IVDD dog

Orthotics, such as a back brace, should require a prescription from a board certified neurologist (ACVIM) who is well educated in disc disease. An ill-fitting product that is not custom made can do more harm, and the prescription would be for a specific reason. Dodgerslist has consulted with several neuro and rehab specialists. The overriding concern is that owners may buy a brace on their own, thinking it will substitute for strict crate rest or that it will prevent a future disc problem.

Dr. Wong, DVM, Neurology (ACVIM): IVDD is the most common spinal cord condition in dogs. There is nothing that can 100% prevent intervertebral disk disease in dogs. Dr. Wong gives his opinion on back braces in video clip below:

During a disc episode these are the concerns:

Putting a brace on without causing more pain or damage to the spine is number one. Too much movement to get the brace on is not good for a dog when trying to limit movement of the back.
Additional muscle atrophy in the spine is another big concern, as muscle strength is very important to maintaining spinal health.
Unnecessary discomfort, pain, and anxiety can be caused by having to wear this device tight enough to limit movement. Adequate limited movement is supplied with owner commitment to safe and effective 100% STRICT crate rest 24/7.
Braces would require monitoring for pressure (rub) sores. If not properly fitted (not covering from thoracic down to tail) there is the potential to create a fulcrum. It is hard to immobilize the entire back and not end up creating a fulcrum that stresses out adjacent discs. A brace would not be a preventative measure.
Disc disease is the cause of prematurely aging discs. A disc problem happens at the point the disc has hardened too much. Any activity such as turning to lick a paw or putting on and off a brace could be the last straw for a disc that is no longer flexible.
At this time, there isn’t enough research on braces for Dodgerslist to support their use with an IVDD dog. What we do know is that strict crate rest is what works to heal a disc. Crate rest is proven and safe.

CDB oil

Dodgerslist doesn’t have enough information about CBD oil to recommend it for an IVDD disc episode or as a supplement for your dog. There is not enough scientific research to determine how effective CBD oil would be for pain/inflammation or use as a sedative in IVDD dogs. What is proven to work is pain meds, anti-inflammatory drugs, and Pepcid AC. Make sure your vet is aware of all medications and supplements you are giving. Herbs, supplements, potions can adversely interact with the necessary big gun medications your vet has prescribed for a disc episode.

Herbs, supplements, potions could adversely interact with the necessary big gun medications your vet has prescribed for a disc episode

Read about medications humans should take with CDB oil. Research for dogs is on-going and may in the future line up with the meds for humans that are contraindicated with CDB oil. http://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-and-drug-interactions-what-you-need-to-know

Stem Cell Therapy

Dodgerslist has been asked several times about Stem Cell Therapy for IVDD. Currently, there has not been enough published research for us to support it. As with any new treatment, therapies, or supplements, Dodgerslist advises you to research thoroughly

At home Laser Therapy

Not all at-home laser products are created equal so be sure to do your research. If you choose home laser therapy for your IVDD dog, work with an IVDD knowledgeable vet or therapist who is qualified in the use of lasers. Mobile vets who can come to your home are an option. In addition, some lasers come with an app for the vet to monitor the treatments and give the owner feedback.

Presentations

Dodgerslist Presentations On Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

Choose your style of learning.

Foreign language material in Spanish, French, Italian and Polish materials.
6 Video series on disc disease A to Z.
Illustrated strips, good for helping children understand their pet’s disease
Shortcut thru IVDD is a read along with the narrator with lots of photos and illustrations.

Shortcut Thru IVDD (listening and reading)

Shortcut through IVDD presentation topics:

IVDD is about time
There is hope for all!
Signs of a back problem
What is disc disease?
Emergency action
Treatment options
Rehabilitation/PT
Wheelchairs (carts)
Precautions about anesthesia for dental, etc.
Spinal Walking

Shortcut Thru IVDD

Watch all 6 of the Dodgerslist Video series

Individual videos in the series:

Why there is hope for all
Living with IVDD
Dr. Lawson, DVM, on the 2 IVDD treatments
How to set up the recovery suite
Tips of expressing the bladder
How to express for poop

6 Illustrated IVDD Primer Strips. Perfect for helping children understand their pet's disease

Intro: What is IVDD?
What does a herniation (slipped disc, torn disc) look like-symptoms?
Treatment options
Crate rest (aka: recovery suite with room service).
Bladder care
Living with IVDD

Foreign Language Materials

French (Français)

General Brochure –
Maladie du Disque Intervertébral, MDI

Italian - (italiano)

General Brochure –
Malattia Degenerativa Del Disco Intervertebrale & terapie (Conservativa e post-operazione)

Polish (Polski)

Crate rest recovery process –
Rekonwalescencja w klatce PDF
General brochure-
Choroba Dyskowa (CD) PDF

Spanish (Español)

General-Bro-Spanish –
Enfermedad Discal Intervertebral, EDI PDF
Shortcut through IVDD (Basic Concepts) presentation
Enfermedad discal intervertebral conceptos basicos de la enfermedad PDF

Emergency FAQ

What to know and do with first signs of disc pain: Get To Vet ASAP. Quick summary of essential things to know.

Find a Specialist

Quick locators to directories for board certified surgeons: Ortho (ACVS) and Neuro (ACVIM). Plus directories to European and UK specialists.