My seven year old, 27lb beagle Olivia had her first run in with IVDD in December of 2024. It was very mild and was mostly pain with little mobility issues. An X-ray at that time showed some possible compression in the rear third of her back but nothing significant. She was treated very conservatively with Rimadyl and the pain resolved within two weeks without crate rest. She led a fairly normal life since then.

Last Monday evening here in Northeast Ohio, it was about -8 degrees outside. I let her out to urinate and she was walking normally. She crouched down, used the bathroom, and came back in dragging her legs behind her with an arched back. She had trouble urinating and defacating due to the pain in her legs and back. She could put some weight on them but would lose footing very quickly.

Her doctor has placed her on strict crate rest (which she hates! She has worn a sore into her snout from barking and running her nose across the top of the crate when I am not home). This is even on 200mg of Gabapentin 3x/day and Prednisone 2x/day. The doctor has advised he wants a full week of Prednisone in her before we refer to a neurologist. I pick her up to potty and only let her stand as long as necessary to relieve herself. Within two doses of Prednisone she was able to squat almost normally (with jelly legs) to relieve herself. Now that her pain is seemingly better, she has been moving quite a bit around her crate despite my efforts to restrict her.

I don’t know what I should do…Should I insist on a visit to a neurologist? It hurts me so very much to see her like this and I feel absolutely hopeless thinking that I’ll have to crate rest her for months on end. Your videos helped ease my mind a little bit, but the doubt and worry are consuming me about my poor girl. I have a second beagle, Rex (he is five), and now I’m afraid to let him use the stairs in my split level house, or act like a beagle in general!

I never thought my life could be so overturned by such a horrible canine disease. My dogs are my family. Anything that one could offer so far as assistance would be so very much appreciated.

My 10 week beagle pup Kiwi was diagnosed with strangles. She was put on Clavamox and prednisone. I saw a lot of improvement fairly quickly with the swelling and now she is drinking again and is playful and no longer lethargic. My question is regarding the length of the prednisone treatment. She is on 5mg twice a day for 3 days and then 2.5 twice a day for 3 days and then 2.5 once a day for 4 days. I had never heard of this before she became sick and so I have been doing a lot of reading. Everything I have seen so far suggests a much longer course of steroid therapy. I am somewhat uncomfortable about beginning the taper so soon as she still has some swelling on the face and lymph nodes. Should the dosage remain the same until symptoms resolve and then begin to taper?

What are signs of IVDD recovery in dogs?

My 13yr female beagle is 6wks from her injury and can now walk with rear sling support, but is still very wobbly with her rear right leg. What I don’t know is how to tell if there’s reason to believe she will walk on her own again or if this is the best she’ll be.