IVDD in the back, IVDD in the neck, herniated disc, or bone spurs: how to tell the difference

Neck, back, disc, or spurs?

Spine words get thrown around fast at the clinic. One person says IVDD. Another says it is a slipped or herniated disc. Someone mentions the neck, or the back. Then an X-ray comes back with "bone spurs" on it, and it is hard to know which of these is actually causing the pain.

These terms overlap, and that is most of the confusion. IVDD (intervertebral disc disease) is the big umbrella for disc problems. A herniated disc is one way IVDD shows up. Neck IVDD and back IVDD are the same disease in two different places, and they tend to look different at home. Bone spurs are something else again: extra bone along the spine that is very common, often found by chance, and usually not the cause of pain at all.

None of this diagnoses your dog. Only a vet who examines your dog can do that.

Act now first

You cannot tell these apart at home, and some of them are emergencies. Keep your dog calm and confined, and go to your vet or an emergency hospital now if:

• Your dog suddenly cannot walk, or is dragging or knuckling one or more legs
• Your dog is crying out, trembling, or holding the neck or back stiffly in pain you cannot settle
• Your dog cannot pee, or is leaking urine without knowing
• Your dog does not react when you gently squeeze the toes
• Signs are getting worse over hours

See IVDD emergency signs and herniated disc symptoms. To get there safely, see lifting and transport and vet trip transport options.

What each term means

IVDD. Intervertebral disc disease. The discs are the cushions between the bones of the spine. With IVDD, a disc breaks down and can bulge or burst, pressing on the spinal cord or the nerves leaving it. IVDD can happen anywhere along the spine, but most cases are in the back or the neck. See the IVDD overview.

Back IVDD. The vet may call this thoracolumbar IVDD: a disc problem in the middle or lower back, behind the front legs. This is the most common place for it. The front legs usually work normally, and the trouble shows up in the back end.

Neck IVDD. The vet may call this cervical IVDD: a disc problem in the neck. Neck pain is often the main sign, and when nerves are affected the front legs can be involved too. See cervical IVDD.

Herniated disc. Also called a slipped, ruptured, or bulging disc. It means disc material has pushed out of its normal place. It is not a separate disease from IVDD; it describes what the disc did. A herniated disc can be in the neck or the back. You may also hear extrusion (sudden burst) or protrusion (slow bulge). See herniated disc in dogs.

Bone spurs. The X-ray report may say spondylosis or spondylosis deformans. These are smooth bony spurs, or sometimes bridges, that form along the underside and sides of the spine where the disc's outer ring attaches. Vets sometimes call them osteophytes, though the more exact term is enthesophytes. They are very common, especially in older and larger dogs, and in most dogs they cause no signs at all.

Side by side: the usual patterns

These are general patterns, not rules. Many dogs do not fit neatly, and some have more than one thing going on.

Signs they can share

Spine pain looks a lot alike no matter where it comes from. Any of these can show up with back IVDD, neck IVDD, or a herniated disc, and they are also the signs that make people wonder about spurs:

• Shivering or trembling without being cold
• Not wanting to jump, climb stairs, or play
• Crying out when picked up or touched
• Moving slowly or stiffly, or a change in posture
• Being quiet, clingy, or off food

Because these overlap so much, they do not tell you where the problem is. They tell you something hurts, and that it is time for a vet to look. See how to spot pain in a dog with IVDD.

Signs that point toward the neck

• Holding the head low, or keeping the neck stiff and looking up with the eyes instead of moving the head
• Yelping when the head is turned, when the collar is touched, or when lifted under the front
• Not wanting to bend down to the food or water bowl
• Limping on a front leg or holding one up, sometimes called a nerve root sign
• In more serious cases, weakness or wobbling in all four legs

Neck disease can be very painful even when the dog still walks. For one family's experience with a Frenchie's neck pain, see Frankie's story. For handling, a harness instead of a collar is usually advised; see cervical IVDD and harness vs collar on crate rest.

Signs that point toward the back

• A hunched or arched back, or a tight, tense belly
• Normal front legs with wobbly, weak, or crossing back legs
• Knuckling a back paw, scuffing the nails, or dragging the back end
• Trouble peeing, or leaking urine
• A tail that stops wagging or hangs differently

Back disease often shows up in the walk first. See IVDD severity grades for how vets describe how serious it is.

What bone spurs usually mean

Bone spurs look dramatic on an X-ray. That is part of why they cause confusion. In most dogs, spondylosis is an incidental finding: the spurs grow along the underside and sides of the spine, not into the canal where the spinal cord sits, and studies have not found that dogs with spurs have more pain, lameness, or nerve problems than dogs without them.

Two practical points follow from that:

• Spurs on an X-ray do not prove spurs are causing the pain. A disc problem can barely show on a plain X-ray, while the spurs nearby are easy to see. If your dog has spine pain or weakness, ask whether the spurs explain the signs or whether something else, like a disc, still needs to be looked for.
• Spurs do not mean IVDD, and IVDD does not mean spurs. Spurs are common in dogs with healthy spines. They are not a reliable sign of disc disease, though they may be seen more often alongside slow disc bulges than sudden bursts.

Rarely, when spurs fuse several bones together, the neighboring disc may take extra strain. That is something your vet weighs with imaging, not something to act on at home.

Why imaging sorts it out

Plain X-rays are good at showing bone, including spurs. They are not good at showing discs or the spinal cord, and they cannot confirm a herniated disc. When a vet needs to know whether a disc is pressing on the cord, and exactly where, MRI or CT is usually what answers it. Referral to a veterinary neurologist is common when signs are severe or the picture is unclear.

See how IVDD is diagnosed, questions to ask before MRI or advanced imaging, and regular vet or veterinary neurologist?

How care can differ

Back or neck IVDD (including a herniated disc): depending on severity, care often starts with strict crate rest and medicines your vet chooses, or with surgery to relieve pressure. Neck cases often need extra care with handling and a harness. See crate rest, non-surgical IVDD plan, surgery, and surgery vs conservative care.

Bone spurs alone: when spurs are a chance finding and the dog has no signs, there is often nothing specific to do beyond the normal care your vet suggests. If your dog does have signs, your vet will look for what is actually causing them.

Medicines, when used, are chosen by your vet for the working diagnosis. See IVDD medications for medicine types, and do not start, stop, or change any medicine or supplement without your vet.

If the story is a slow, painless wobble over months, see IVDD or degenerative myelopathy?

Questions to ask your vet

• Do you think this is in the neck, the back, or somewhere else, and why?
• Is this a disc problem, and is it a sudden burst or a slow bulge?
• The X-ray shows bone spurs. Do they explain my dog's signs, or could something else be going on?
• Would MRI or CT change the plan?
• Should we see a veterinary neurologist?
• How strict should rest be, and for how long before the next check?
• Should my dog wear a harness instead of a collar?
• What changes should make me call or come back tonight?

Before you decide anything

This page is purely informational and is not perfect advice. Follow your vet's plan, and always check with your vet before changing, altering, or supplementing anything. If your dog suddenly cannot walk, is in pain you cannot settle, or cannot pee, go to your vet or an emergency hospital now.