My 5-year-old Boxer is in pain, vet suspects IVDD. What should I do?

I'm sorry that Sugar Food is having this issue and that she is in pain. It is most likely a recurrence of the IVDD. I strongly recommend you get her to a vet for an exam. At the very least she can get some pain medications, anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers. You can't let her stay in pain and there is nothing we can recommend you give her without knowing for sure what her underlying problem is. I found this low cost vet clinic within 20 minutes of the zip code you provided. If you have financial constraints I suggest you take her there.

Yes, it is possible that the meds are not strong enough, personally those medications would not be my first choice for IVDD as this is usually a very painful condition and these medications are not strong enough to treat this type of pain. i would recommend contacting you vet in order to switch the Codein with Tramadol and add either Metacam or Rymadil to the treatment as well.

Hello, sorry to hear about Sasha. She does indeed have some changes in her spin consistent with spondylosis deformans. However, another potential cause of her back pain could include a herniated disk also known as Intervertebral Disk Disease. This can be a very painful condition and cause patients to have nerve deficits, back pain, and become unable to walk. Rest and pain medication will help in about 30-40% of the cases of dogs whom are not able to walk. In. dogs who still are able to walk, they may recover with strict rest and medical management. Strict rest should be instituted for at minimum of 4 weeks with no running, jumping, or rough housing to be allowed. If Sasha does not improve, her pain seems worse or if she is unable to walk, then she needs to be evaluated by your veterinarian or even a neurologist. Please contact your veterinarian to have her evaluated. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Poor Bella! Unfortunately IVDD can progress to paralysis. I'm going to give you some resources that may help you afford surgery for her. 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/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Best of luck.

Poor Chester! Hopefully by tomorrow, you will start to see some improvement. Rest him. Don't move him unless he has to out to potty, and you can bring food and water to him so he doesn't have to move much. Keep a close eye on him, and if you feel you aren't seeing any improvement, bring him back into the vet.

Since Lola is in obviously in pain I suggest you take her to a veterinarian right away for an exam. Suspecting back problems the vet will want to take x-rays in order to inspect the discs in Lola's spine. A prolapsed disc would be very painful and she would need pain medicine and rest in order to improve.

First off, I'm very sorry Dobby has been diagnosed with IVDD. I can understand how hard this may be for you. First thing to do is stop doing the pinch test. All you are going to do is worry and upset yourself. It's not beneficial to him or you. There are dogs that have lost deep pain and become paralyzed from the IVDD but still live full lives. Their owners are very dedicated to their care, and these dogs have wheelchairs to help them get around. Their owners also express their bladder. It's very full on, but it can be done. There may be options for you with treating him to prevent him losing deep pain sensation such as surgery, but your vet is the best to discuss those options. It's hard not to be upset, but working yourself into a state isn't good for you or him. Talk with your vet, see what treatment options are available for him. Hang in there, I hope this helped!