Tendi · The IVDD Path

What’s new on the IVDD Path

New guides and updates each week. Everything here is educational. Your veterinarian’s plan for your dog comes first.

Last updated: October 30, 2026

Week of October 26, 2026

Questions to ask your vet after a Stage 1 IVDD diagnosis: Stage 1 (pain / mild, still walking) IVDD diagnosis? Checklist of clarifying questions for your vet or neurologist, including what to ask before you leave today.
Questions to ask when your dog starts slipping: Dog's back legs slipping, scuffing, or losing traction? Checklist of what to report and questions to ask your vet or neurologist, with emergency-first framing if sudden.
Questions to ask your vet after 4 to 6 weeks of crate rest: Your dog's 4 to 6 week IVDD recheck is coming up. What to bring, what to report, and questions to ask about the next phase, imaging, rehab, and returning to activity.
Using a stroller for an IVDD dog after crate rest: rehab, longer outings, and long-term mobility: Strict rest is over and walks are short. How a stroller can support rehab and longer outings for an IVDD dog without replacing the walking practice that builds strength.
IVDD and crate-rest websites and communities: A helpful list of websites, Facebook groups, and Reddit communities that caregivers use for IVDD, crate rest, and injured-dog recovery. Not a ranked list.

Crate rest that is safe, humane, and workable: Added two diagrams: a crate setup with a firm base, a flat nonslip pad, and water at head height, and a simple toilet-break routine with a level, supported carry.
How to lift, carry, and transport safely: Added a diagram of the aligned lift for a small dog: one forearm under the chest, one under the pelvis, and the back kept level.

How to get an IVDD dog to the vet safely: carrier, crate, stroller, sling, or board?: Carrier, crate, stroller, sling, or a flat board? How to choose a safe way to get a dog with IVDD or a back injury to the vet, by size, walking ability, and trip type.
IVDD surgery or strict crate rest? How the two paths compare: Your vet mentioned surgery or strict crate rest for IVDD. How the two paths compare by severity, what each involves, recovery and recurrence, and questions to ask.
NSAIDs or steroids for IVDD? How the two types of anti-inflammatory compare: Your vet prescribed an NSAID or a steroid for IVDD. How the two types of anti-inflammatory compare, what the research says, side effects to watch, and questions to ask.
Regular vet or veterinary neurologist? Things to weigh when your dog has IVDD: Your dog has IVDD signs. What a regular vet can handle, what a veterinary neurologist adds, how to work around waits and distance, and when not to wait at all.
Crate rest with kids or visitors in the house: how to keep your dog safe and calm: Toddlers, school kids, guests, and doorbells during IVDD crate rest. Where the crate goes, safe floor-level visits, potty trips with a toddler, and visitor rules.

Where should the crate go during IVDD crate rest, and should I cover it?: Added three diagrams: daytime and night crate spots, checking drafts, heat, and sun at dog level, and a partial crate cover that leaves one side open.

Crate rest after IVDD surgery: what changes once your dog comes home: Home from back or neck surgery for IVDD? How post-op crate rest differs: the incision and cone, potty trips, feeding after a ventral slot, and the 4-week recheck.
My dog has never used a crate (or hates it). How do I start IVDD crate rest?: Your dog needs IVDD crate rest but has never used a crate, or hates it. How to introduce the crate in hours, not weeks, and when to call the clinic.
Can I use a small room or baby-gated area instead of a crate for IVDD rest?: Thinking about a bathroom, laundry room, or baby-gated area instead of a crate for IVDD rest? When room rest can work, when a crate is safer, and how to set it up.
Is 4 weeks of crate rest enough for IVDD?: Your dog is at the 4-week mark of IVDD crate rest. What usually decides whether rest ends, steps down, or continues, and what to ask at the recheck.

Can my dog sit on the couch, bed, or my lap during IVDD crate rest?: Couch, bed, and lap time during IVDD crate rest: why soft furniture is usually off-limits, what to ask your clinic, and safer ways to stay close without jumping on/off.
How do potty breaks work during IVDD crate rest?: How toilet breaks work during IVDD crate rest: carry vs short lead, how often, avoiding sniff-fests, when pee pads help, and what to ask your clinic.
What toys are safe during IVDD crate rest?: Which toys and food puzzles fit strict IVDD crate rest, which invite jumping or thrashing, and how to keep enrichment calm without fighting the healing plan.
Should I use a harness or a collar during IVDD crate rest?: Why a chest harness beats a neck collar during IVDD crate rest, how it helps at the crate door and on short toilet trips, and what to ask your vet team about fit.
Where should the crate go during IVDD crate rest, and should I cover it?: Where to place a crate for IVDD rest by day and at night, how to check for drafts and heat, when a partial cover helps, and what to ask your vet team.
What bedding and flooring go inside an IVDD crate?: How to set up the inside of a crate for IVDD rest: a nonslip floor, a firm flat pad that fits, washable layers, safe gaps, and water your dog can reach.
What size crate is right for IVDD rest?: How much space your dog needs during IVDD crate rest: room to stand, turn carefully, and lie fully stretched, without a runway to pace or jump.