Preparing Pet Owners for Long-Term Outcomes of Intervertebral Disk Disease

In the Literature

Samsøe-Schmidt F, Berendt M, Miles JE. Chronic sequelae and owner burdens are common following canine intervertebral disc disease. Vet Rec. 2025:e5371. doi:10.1002/vetr.5371

The Research …

Making decisions about surgical or medical management of intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) can be challenging for pet owners. Expected functional outcome is often discussed presurgically or on initiation of conservative management, but the emotional impact on the owner and possible long-term patient outcomes may be overlooked. This study investigated owner-reported quality of life (QOL) and long-term outcomes in dogs managed surgically or medically for acute IVDD.

This retrospective study included a structured questionnaire and telephone interviews 6 months to 9.5 years after diagnosis. The questionnaire included 24 closed and open-ended questions that addressed physical characteristics of the patient, signs of recurrent pain, and owner perception of their dog’s QOL.

The study included 24 (77%) surgically managed and 7 (23%) conservatively managed dogs. Neurologic severity was assessed using modified Frankel score.¹ No differences between lesion localization or neurologic severity were noted between the groups. Eighteen dogs (58%) were reported to have residual deficits, with the owners of 12 dogs reporting persistent difficulties at the time of the interview. Reported deficits included kyphosis (10/18), ataxia (10/18), urinary/defecation problems (5/18), inability to eat from a bowl on the floor (5/18), inability to comfortably turn the head to the side (3/18), and inability to jump up or down (15/18); owners of 6 dogs reported resolution.

Seventeen owners reported their dog’s QOL was the same as before diagnosis, 12 reported good QOL, and 1 reported poor QOL; however, 26 owners reported watching their pet go through treatment was challenging and resulted in chronic worry and/or uncertainty. Practical challenges (eg, cage rest, attending physiotherapy sessions, working from home, changes in sleeping arrangements) were notable for 14 owners. Lastly, 14 owners reported continued worry related to ongoing physical limitations and concern over future relapses.

… The Takeaways

Key pearls to put into practice:

• Discussing long-term sequalae during an acute IVDD injury requires a delicate balance between providing information and not overwhelming owners. This means adequately informing owners of the risks, benefits, and expected outcomes in a definable way, often based on population statistics. Including information about potential chronic sequalae and possible influence on owner or pet QOL may be useful at this early stage.

• Discussing major life changes can be done in 3 steps.

  • First, discuss the suspicion or confirm the disease is present. Verbalizing the condition brings it to the forefront of the discussion.

  • Next, discuss how the immediate problem can be addressed. This involves discussion of population statistics related to available treatment options. For example, ≈90% of dogs are expected to walk with this treatment.

  • Finally, look beyond the current emergent situation to the future. This is the perfect time to discuss owner and patient QOL, possible physical disabilities, or the risk for chronic pain. Owners should also be told that not all animals or owners experience these concerns.

• Owners should be encouraged to engage in support groups and open discussion. Opening the dialogue to the possibility of chronic pet disability and possible effect on owner QOL can be useful during follow-up examinations. Support groups (online or in-person) can markedly improve feelings of isolation when providing ongoing care for a pet with a chronic condition.