My 8 yr English Bulldog started dragging his front foot a few weeks ago.(what I now know was knuckling) It started after we dremeled his nails and thought maybe we just did one too short. A few days later, he was running in the yard and face planted repeatedly. We took him in and the vet said she thought it was neurological. They did X-rays and showed us that he has no space between some of the discs. She said they could refer us to a neurologist and we could do an MRI and surgery but that would cost ballpark $15k which is not feasible for us. She also said that considering he is 8, he has lived a long life for a bulldog. We were given a steroid, muscle relaxer and something for pain. She said if he showed no improvement in a week, that we need to look at quality of life and consider euthanasia. I have since done my own research and believe it’s IVDD. It seems to be affecting his left side so he can’t balance himself. I immediately set up a large crate and he has been in it for a week now. He is eating and drinking. He is urinating and defecating. He has feeling in the limbs because he responds to me tickling his feet. I’ve also seen him use both limbs to push himself around in the crate. He seems to be his normal self except his ability to stand/walk. He’s getting annoyed now being in the crate and barking a lot to get out. At what point do I try to get him to stand & walk? I know this could take weeks/months of crate rest. I found a vet 1.5hrs from me that does acupuncture for IVDD and am considering that also. Appreciate any advice. Maybe naive, but I refuse to believe this is an automatic death sentence for an otherwise healthy but chunky happy dog.
Thanks so much.

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.

Hello and thank you. I have a 12-year-old Pitbull mix named flower who had heartworm and she was treated with the three shot series back in June of 2025 and then 3 weeks ago she had a mammary gland tumor removed. Three days after surgery she started honking heaving and coughing. I’m afraid her heartworm has come back. She still eats and drinks and gets up but doesn’t look comfortable All she does is walk around and cough, spit up . I don’t have the strength to put her down but I’ve also spent thousands and I’m at a loss of what to do. Any advice would be helpful Thank you

Our female German Shepherd dog is 5 years old and has had chronic liquid diarrhea for 5 months. Other symptoms are weight loss, sporadic inappetence and vomiting. Her energy is normal and bright. History of Pika, but no obvious ingestion of foreign objects during this interval. Three fecal studies mostly negative, two blood panels not conclusive (some levels low-normal). Two courses of Metronidazole (no effect), Three courses Amoxi/Clav (effective until finished), Panacur, probiotics, Cobalequin, special diets. Now on Hills GI Biome diet. Negative for EPI. Low B12. Vet has advised that this is antibiotic responsive diarrhea.

Went to an internal medicine specialist today upon referral. Ultrasound shows a tumour and intestinal thickening, lymph node activity. We are being steered toward open surgery to resect the intestine for possible, but unknown, malignancy and removal. Vet cannot explain why the diarrhea is antibiotic responsive, if malignant tumour. We are doing yet another expanded fecal study and Pancreatitis test to determine if coincident. We are already $3,800 into diagnostics with no real answers or help as to the root cause. Dog improves significantly with normal stools while on the Amoxi/Clav, but regresses immediately to liquid diarrhea when treatment stops.

Surgery recommended that may or may not be curative ($6,500). Of course, we hate to put our dog through this if futile, but understand that cancer cannot be diagnosed through imaging. Can anyone offer insights to either affirm our path or offer alternative ideas? Why the improved response to the antibiotics if a tumour is the cause? Thank you kindly.

My four year old male Doberman (Oskar) seen at emergency vet Sunday 1/4 for excessive vomiting (10 times right after breakfast) . X-rays /labs/fluids. Suspected hiatal hernia. Vomiting has stopped. They felt he was critical. They transferred us to a larger ER as they were not equipped to handle this. Ultrasound and another xray performed. Dog is stable. First two vets at this location felt wait and watch. Third vet says we need to repair with surgery. Sending us to internal med for barium swallow. We are at about $ 6000 so far. Thank god we have insurance.
History of intermittent regurgitation while eating. No other symptoms. No reflux. No drooling. No weight loss. Only happens in the mornings after breakfast every few months. Nothing as severe as Sunday. Only once or twice then done. Happy energetic dog. History of allergies. Testing done. Tried immunotherapy Itchy skin , runny eyes. Managing on raw diet last three years. Cleared his skin for the most part. Avoided apoquel and cytopoint. Used Zyrtec. Previously tried hydrolyzed protein foods at around a year old. This is when regurgitation started ( coincidence? )he would also refuse to eat it. Bottom line do you think we should we consider surgery ? We do yearly echos and own our own holter monitor. We pinch penny’s to give them good care as these dogs mean so much to us. Feel we are being pushed into a very expensive and possibly risky surgery and I HATE putting my dogs under anesthesia. My own vet left the practice and I’m trying to find another that might be a good fit. I’m in NH and it’s not easy. Thank you !

Four year old mn Doberman seen at emergency vet for excessive vomiting (10 times right after breakfast) . X-rays /labs/fluids. Suspected hiatal hernia. Vomiting has stopped. They felt he was critical. They transferred us to a larger ER as they were not equipped to handle this. Ultrasound and another xray performed. Dog is stable. First two vets at this location felt wait and watch. Third vet says we need to repair with surgery. Sending us to internal med for barium swallow. We are at about $ 6000 so far. Thank god we have insurance.
History of intermittent regurgitation while eating. No other symptoms. No reflux. No drooling. No weight loss. Only happens in the mornings after breakfast every few months. Nothing as severe as Sunday. Only once or twice then done. Happy energetic dog. History of allergies. Testing done. Tried immunotherapy Itchy skin , runny eyes. Managing on raw diet last three years. Previously tried hydrolyzed protein foods at around a year old. This is when regurgitation started ( coincidence? ). Bottom line should we consider surgery ? We do yearly echos and own our own holter monitor. We pinch penny’s to give them good care as these dogs mean so much to us. Feel we are being pushed into a very expensive and possibly risky surgery and I HATE putting my dogs under anesthesia.

Four year old mn Doberman seen at emergency vet for excessive vomiting (10 times right after breakfast) . X-rays /labs/fluids. Suspected hiatal hernia. Vomiting has stopped. They felt he was critical. They transferred us to a larger ER as they were not equipped to handle this. Ultrasound and another xray performed. Dog is stable. First two vets at this location felt wait and watch. Third vet says we need to repair with surgery. Sending us to internal med for barium swallow. We are at about $ 6000 so far. Thank god we have insurance.
History of intermittent regurgitation while eating. No other symptoms. No reflux. No drooling. No weight loss. Only happens in the mornings after breakfast every few months. Nothing as severe as Sunday. Only once or twice then done. Happy energetic dog. History of allergies. Testing done. Tried immunotherapy Itchy skin , runny eyes. Managing on raw diet last three years. Previously tried hydrolyzed protein foods at around a year old. This is when regurgitation started ( coincidence? ). Bottom line should we consider surgery ? We do yearly echos and own our own holter monitor. We pinch penny’s to give them good care as these dogs mean so much to us. Feel we are being pushed into a very expensive and possibly risky surgery and I HATE putting my dogs under anesthesia.

My 14 year old dachshund is post op day 7 from cervical spine surgery. He has a very similar presentation to Hank, and I’m seeing some signs of progress (peeing and pooping, grooming, sitting sternal, pain seems more controlled), but he really has very little use of his right front and back leg. I saw that you encouraged a lot of movement with Hank in the second week and he made a quick recovery; however the paperwork from our vet says strict rest and only ambulation to eliminate. What is your take on this?

I have a pitbull puppy (10 week) that I am trying to get to the root of some behavior issues with. The biggest issue is that she is resistant to any tension on the leash. I don’t expect her to heel or tap-dance, but any time she feels any tension on the leash she braces her legs and body and resists going anywhere. She is becoming more and more resistant. I don’t want to train her to train me to pick her up every time she braces up and refuses to move, but so far we would never get done with going to the bathroom outside if that happened; she does it every time I take up the slack on the leash. I have found a lot of suggestions on the internet: get her checked for pain/issues by a vet (vet gave her the all clear), use a harness over a collar (only ever used a harness), positive reinforcement before she freezes (doesn’t work, still freezes), get her used to the leash (she’ll drage that thing around, nap and sleep with it on), try luring her with a treat (has become minimally responsive to treats, won’t respond to toys outside on the leash, even ones she previously enjoyed). Any suggestions on what else I can try to get her to come with a leash?

My border collie ate empty shrimp tails off a plate on christmas day. I just found out about it today 12/30 since I was asking if anyone seen her get into anything.

For the past 3 days she’s been eating little and when she does she vomits…90% of the time within 20 mins to 7 or 8 hours later. Shes still having bowel movements and drinking but im concerned.

Im a single mom that literally escaped a domestic-violence situation very recently and im struggling to get by otherwise I would have been in the vet office immediately.

She has been laying in her bed more then usual. But still otherwise acts normal. The food aversion and vomitting is scaring me.