Spinal cord injury (SCI) after disc herniation is a common cause of spinal dysfunction in dogs. Dogs that do not recover pain perception after 3 weeks have a poor prognosis for full recovery, and many are euthanized because of owner concerns regarding nursing care. Owners of 26 dogs with clinically complete SCI (ie, lack of pain sensation, lack of voluntary movement, urinary and fecal incontinence for >9 months) quantified the time spent caring for their pet and how it affected family life. Time spent on total care per week varied (2–44 hours). Time spent per week on mobility management was 1–30 hours, on management of incontinence 0–16 hours. Median time requirement for managing bladder, bowel, and pressure sore problems was 30 min/day. Many owners (73%) reported not considering euthanizing the pet; 20/26 reported the effort was worthwhile, and 16/20 said it had enhanced their bond with their dog. Three owners reported adverse affects on their quality of life and/or family life.