What Is The Recovery Time For IVDD Surgery For My Dog?

There’s no one-size-fits-all recovery time for IVDD surgery. It’s very dependent on the individual dog, and how they’ve responded to the surgery. The average time is over several weeks but it depends on several factors - including age of the dog, quality of their mobility before surgery, and the severity of the dog IVDD being treated. Some dogs can bounce back quickly; sadly, others may not improve or even significantly deteriorate.

Suture removal is usually two weeks after surgery.

When surgery for intervertebral disc disease in dogs has been successful, on average, dogs start walking again between 1 and 3 weeks. Crate rest is normally recommended for between 4 and 6 weeks, only being taken out for toilet breaks and using a lead.

Full recovery takes either weeks or months, depending on the dog and the severity of their dog IVDD. “Significant improvements are usually seen within two months after surgery, with most dogs able to walk unaided and back to their old selves” (The Ralph)

A small number of dogs may experience a relapse after IVDD surgery, whereby other discs in their spine may herniate.

Further reading

Read further about Non-Surgical and Conservative Management IVDD treatments here: https://zoomadog.co.uk/collections/conservative-management-ivdd

Read more about IVDD Causes, Prevention, Early Signs of IVDD in Dogs, and Help at Home: https://zoomadog.co.uk/collections/dog-ivdd-or-intervertebral-disc-disease

Find the best dog Back Braces here: https://zoomadog.co.uk/collections/dog-back-brace