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How I Set Up My Dogs’ Crates

March 17, 2023

My two dogs, Kitsune the papillon and Fenrir the Alaskan Klee Kai, are both crate trained. I know that crating dogs can sometimes be a fiercely debated topic, but my own dogs being crate trained has really come in handy over the years. When Kitsune was diagnosed with IVDD last September, for example, it was a blessing that he was already so comfortable with spending time in his crate. We had to keep him on very reduced activity for 8 weeks to give the damaged disc in his neck plenty of time to heal. I feel there are many benefits to crate training, and will always crate train my own dogs. However, that doesn’t mean I believe that dogs should be forced to spend excessive amounts of time crated. I only crate my dogs when it’s necessary, and I strive to make their crates a relaxing, pleasant place for them to be.

Post Contents:

1 Learn More About Crating Dogs:
2 Making My Dog’s Crates Comfortable
3 No Crate is Complete Without A Comphy Bed!
4 Blankets Come Next
5 My Dogs Sleep with Plush Toys (Yes, It’s Adorable)
6 My Crate Cleaning Schedule
7 The Crates Themselves…
8 That’s All She Wrote

Learn More About Crating Dogs:

Making My Dog’s Crates Comfortable

How you set up your dog’s crate will depend, at least in part, on your dog themselves. Different dogs, in different situations, will do best in different setups. Whenever I’m doing something for my dogs, like deciding on how to set up their crates, I try to cater to my individual dogs’ needs as much as possible. However, when it comes to crates, Kit’s and Fen’s setups are pretty near identical currently. I happened to find a setup that just happened to work well for me, as well as for both of my dogs.

I think it’s important to note that my dogs are full-grown, fully potty-trained adults. If you are just starting out with crate training, raising a puppy, and/or using a crate to help with potty training your crate setup will most likely be different than mine. But, for anyone interested, this is how I’ve been setting up my dogs’ crates.

No Crate is Complete Without A Comphy Bed!

It took me awhile to find the “perfect” crate beds for my dogs. Kitsune is 14 years old now, and really needs comfortable, supportive sleeping surfaces. He has IVDD and arthritis. I’ve found that sleeping on the floor or other hard surfaces really seems to make him sore these days. A lot of the dog beds I found that were designed to be used inside crates just did not offer the type of support I was looking for to keep Kit comfortable.

Luckily both of my dogs are pretty gentle with their bedding, so I didn’t have to worry too much about them scratching up or chewing whatever crate bed I decided to go with.

For awhile now I’ve been using these Brindle beds as crate beds for both Kit and Fen. I admit that they don’t fit perfectly inside of our crates, but they’re made of memory foam so they have quite a bit of give to them. I’m able to squish them down and kind of make them fit into the bottoms of the boys’ crates, if that makes sense. I really like these beds because not only are they supportive and comfortable even for my old man Kitsune, but they are super easy to wash too. They come with a water proof cover that can easily be removed and washed.

Kit and Fen have had their Brindle beds for a bit over 2 years now. Even with frequent washings and being squeezed into my dogs’ crates they are still holding up really well!

Blankets Come Next

Not all dogs will do well with blankets in their crates, but mine do. Kit likes blankets in his crate that he can ball up and use as pillows. Fen, adorably, turns his into little nests and sleeps curled up in a ball in the middle. I don’t really have any specific blanket recommendations. As of late Kitsune has a few smaller fleece blankets in his crate. Fen has been using an old camp blanket that he really seems to like. Again, if you’re going to use blankets inside your dog’s crate make sure your dog is safe with them. That means no chewing on them! When Kit was going through his IVDD healing period I removed the blankets from his crate because I didn’t want him to hurt himself trying to rearrange them.

My Dogs Sleep with Plush Toys (Yes, It’s Adorable)

Each of my dogs’ also has one dedicated toy that I keep in their crate for them. Kit currently sleeps with his HuggleHounds plush fox. He likes to lay his head on stuff when he sleeps, so his fox toy doubles perfectly as a pillow. Fen’s current crate toy is a cute little plush dinosaur. Fen also has a habit of carrying toys around with him, so he’ll often bring other toys into bed with him too.

I don’t have my dogs sleep with toys just because it’s adorable (even though it is). They serve a bit of a purpose too.

My Crate Cleaning Schedule

I clean my dogs’ bedding pretty often. I try to get it done every other week. That may sound like overkill, but fabric is really prone to holding in odors. My dogs’ crates are in my bedroom and I’ve found that it just keeps things smelling fresher if I clean the boys’ bedding often. But here’s where their bed buddies (toys) come in handy. I don’t wash those. Dogs rely on their sense of smell way more than humans do. By washing their crates so often, I’m washing all their comforting scent off of their bedding. You know, that scent that really tells a dog “this space is mine”.

I don’t wash their crate toys so that, even when I do wash all their bedding, I can put their toys back into their clean crates. I think smelling their own scents in their crates really helps them relax and know that their crates are their own little special place.

The Crates Themselves…

My dogs currently each have large sized Ruff Land kennels. I reviewed Ruff Land kennels previously here. The size large crates are for sure oversized for my small dogs. When it comes to indoor crates, I’ve always felt like bigger is better, as long as you’re not working on potty training your dog. I like to give my dogs extra space to move around and really stretch out and get comfortable. What size crate you use will really depend things like your dog, what you are using your crate for, and how much space you have available.

That’s All She Wrote

And there you have it! I was thinking of including some additional dog crate tips in this post, but I really did not expect this to get so long. I think I’ll save those tips for another day. If you’re looking for advice on anything crate related, comment below and I’ll try my best to help! You can search for crate related posts by using the search bar at the top of the page, to the right of the social media icons. Or click this link to see a list of all my up to date dog crate related posts. Thanks for reading!

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Dog Health

How is IVDD Diagnosed in Dogs?

March 15, 2023

Last September, my beloved senior papillon, Kitsune, was diagnosed with cervical intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). I’ll be the first to admit that IVDD is a really stressful diagnosis to deal with. My Kitsune, thankfully, never lost mobility. But seeing how much pain he was in, and dealing with an 8+ week recovery period was hard. Since his original diagnosis, I’ve learned a lot about IVDD. I’ve been posting a series of articles here to help share what I’ve learned, to hopefully help support fellow pet owners who are going through something similar. Today I wanted to write a bit about how, exactly, IVDD is diagnosed.

Here are some of my past IVDD posts if you’re just starting your IVDD journey and want to learn more…

What is IVDD
Signs Your Dog has IVDD
You can click here to read all of our IVDD-related posts, including any future posts that aren’t yet published at the time of writing this post.

Post Contents:

1 So Your Dog is Showing Signs of IVDD
2 IVDD, What Your Vet Looks For
3 Ruling Out Other Causes
4 More Advanced Diagnostics
5 The Diagnosis is Only the Beginning
6 IVDD is Not a Death Sentence!

So Your Dog is Showing Signs of IVDD

I wasn’t super familiar with IVDD when my dog, Kitsune, first started showing signs of it. The night before we officially got his diagnosis I knew something was off with him, but I thought he just had a stomach ache. Unfortunately, his symptoms progressed throughout the night, and by the next morning I knew that we were dealing with something more serious.

We were luckily able to get an emergency appointment with Kitsune’s regular vet. If that’s not possible, you may need to visit your local emergency vet. Especially if your dog’s mobility is affected, time is of the essence when it comes to getting an IVDD diagnosis and starting treatment.

IVDD, What Your Vet Looks For

When an IVDD dog presents to the vet, the vet won’t know they have IVDD yet! They’ll typically start by getting your dog’s medical history, asking questions about what signs/symptoms you noticed, questions about when the issues started, and whether or not your dog was involved in any type of accident that may have caused the issue.

Your vet will probably want to observe your dog walking if he/she is still mobile. They will likely gently feel along your dog’s back, limbs, and neck, looking to pinpoint the source of the pain. When Kit presented with signs of cervical (neck) IVDD, his vet noted that he was particularly painful when she tried to gently move his head into certain positions.

Your vet will likely preform a basic neurologic exam. They’ll want to look at things such as your dogs gait, reflexes, and pain response. I remember Kitsune’s vet flipped each of his paws over, so the top of his toes were against the exam table. She was testing to see if he could feel/recognize that his paws were in the wrong position, to test whether or not he corrected his paw positioning, and how quickly he did so. “Knuckling” (walking on or dragging the knuckles, not correcting the paw position quickly when the knuckles are placed against the ground) is a common sign of IVDD.

Ruling Out Other Causes

Your vet may want to preform tests to help rule out health concerns other than IVDD. After examining Kit, his vet was able to tell us that something was wrong with his spine. However, IVDD isn’t the only thing that can affect the spine. Because of Kit’s age, we were a bit concerned about the possibility that he could have had a tumor pressing against his spine. Vets aren’t commonly able to visualize IVDD clearly on x-rays, but x-rays can be used to help rule out other possible causes of your dog’s symptoms.

Depending on your dog/situation your vet might want to preform additional tests such as blood work. Blood work can help rule out back pain due to kidney failure and may help your vet decide what the best medications to treat your dog’s IVDD will be.

More Advanced Diagnostics

The best way to actually visualize IVDD is through advanced imaging, CT scans and/or MRIs. MRIs are the gold standard when it comes to visualizing and diagnosing IVDD. However, MRIs are also very expensive. Depending on where you live, an MRI typically costs somewhere between $1,000 and $5,000. CT scans are a bit cheaper, typically ranging between $500 and $3,000.

Because these types of advanced imaging are so expensive, many vets will only recommend them if your dog ends up requiring surgery to treat their IVDD. MRIs can show your vet exactly what’s going on with your dog’s spine, and where. However, if you opt to go with conservative treatment options, knowing the exact location of your dog’s bulging or ruptured disc isn’t usually super important. Conservative treatment options don’t change based on what disc(s) are damaged. The key to conservative treatment is keeping your dog calm and comfortable long enough for their disc to heal on its own.

The Diagnosis is Only the Beginning

Once your dog is diagnosed with IVDD it’s, sadly, something you’ll have to stay on top of for the rest of your dog’s life. In most cases IVDD is a degenerative disease, which means that your dog could suffer from reoccurrences again in the future. Even if they don’t, the recovery time of IVDD is long, so you’ll likely become very familiar with your vet staff. Finding the right medication to keep your dog pain free can sometimes take a bit of trial and error (it did for us) and your vet will want to follow up with your dog’s progress to ensure he/she is healing well.

IVDD is Not a Death Sentence!

But I’ve been ending all of my IVDD posts by saying that, as stressful as this disease is, going through the required treatment is worth it! It was so hard for me to see how much pain Kitsune was in when he was first diagnosed. It was hard to drastically restrict his activity for weeks and weeks afterwards. I was constantly tired from having to wake up in the middle of the night to give Kit his medication at certain times. But, as stressful as the whole experience was, it was more than worth it in the end. It’s been almost 8 months now since Kit’s original IVDD diagnosis and looking at him today you would never know that anything was ever wrong with him. He’s back to being his sassy, snarky, silly self.

Comment below! Are you here because you have a dog who was recently diagnosed with IVDD? Or do you suspect your dog might have it? If anyone has any questions be sure to post them below, I’ll do my best to answer. I’m planning on writing a few more IVDD related posts soon so be sure to check back here if this is a topic that interests you.

Small Dogs

How Do Small Dogs Deal with Snow?

March 13, 2023

If you follow us on any of our social media pages, either Kitsune’s or Fenrir’s Instagram or our Facebook page, you would have seen lots of pictures of my boys in the snow this winter. Our winter started off mild and not super snowy but lately, we’ve been getting lots of snow! A handful of times now, after posting pictures of Kit and Fen out in the snow, I’ve received questions about how my little dogs deal with the cold weather, and especially the snow. I figured it’d be a fun question to answer here.

How Cold is Too Cold for Dogs

Post Contents:

1
2 What Temperatures Dogs Can Handle is an Individual Thing
3 But What About Snow?
4 But Small Dogs are Tough!
5 Helping Your Small Dog Deal with Snow

What Temperatures Dogs Can Handle is an Individual Thing

As I wrote in my post “how cold is too cold for dogs”, temperature tolerance can be such an individual thing. Factors such as your dog’s age, coat type, health status, coat color, and yes, sometimes size, can all play a roll when it comes to your dog’s cold tolerance level.

But What About Snow?

The main reason I’ve found that small dogs sometimes don’t handle snow and cold quite as well as larger dogs is, quite simply, the fact that they are shorter.

Deep snow is harder for small dogs to walk through. Often times snow totals that might not be a big deal for a large dog will be deep enough to touch a small dog’s chest and belly. Not only does this make the snow hard for them to walk through, but more of their bodies come into direct contact with snow. This can cause them to become colder faster, verses a large dog who might only have their paws and a bit of their legs coming into direct contact with the ice and snow.

Of course there are some other factors that come into play as well. Many breeds of small/toy dogs are bred as companions. Their coats are not designed for extreme temperatures.

But Small Dogs are Tough!

That doesn’t mean you should automatically count your small dog out when it comes to winter fun, however. Small dogs get stereotyped a lot, and people seem to think they can’t do a lot of the things that big dogs can. Height issues notwithstanding, many small dogs really enjoy playing in the snow! Healthy, adult small dogs who are allowed to accumulate to colder temperatures might surprise you with how cold tolerant they can be.

My two dogs, Kitsune the papillon and Fenrir the Alaskan Klee Kai, both do really well in the snow. They love to run around and play in it, and far outlast me when it comes to cold tolerance. When we come back inside after playing in the snow it’s always because I’m cold, not my dogs!

Helping Your Small Dog Deal with Snow

When the snow starts to get really deep where we live, I make sure to shovel out areas where my small dogs can play without having to struggle through really deep snow.

If your small dog seems a bit less cold tolerant, you can consider using clothing to help keep them warmer. Functional articles of clothing such as jackets and sweaters not only look cute, they can actually help keep your dog warm. Clothing can act as an insulating layer between your small dog and the snow.

My Favorite Clothing Brands for Small Dogs

No matter your dog’s size, keep an eye on them when they are playing outside, especially during extreme temperatures. Learn your own dog’s cold tolerance level, and the signs of hypothermia (shivering, lethargy, pale skin and gums, lack of coordination, and reduced breathing rates). Keep winter play time fun by being proactive about keeping your dog safe!

Comment below! If you have a small dog, does he/she like playing in the snow? Are there things you do to make navigating in the snow and cold easier for your furry friend?

Pet Tips

Helping Dogs Cope with Daylight Savings Time

March 11, 2023

Daylight savings time this year begins tomorrow. If it wasn’t for my two dogs, Kitsune the papillon and Fenrir the Alaskan Klee Kai, I don’t think daylight savings time would bother me at all. I work from home and set my own hours, so if I need to sleep in a bit to make up for the lost hour it’s not a big deal! My dogs, however, disagree. Daylight savings time is a very big deal.

Can Dogs Tell Time?

If I had to go on personal experience alone, I’d say yes, my dogs can tell time! But not in the traditional sense. They, of course, don’t use clocks the way that humans do. But just try and feed Kitsune more than a minute late and see what happens!

Dogs can be creatures of habit, probably due, in large part, to sharing their lives with us humans. Over time our dogs learn our schedules and can begin to predict what we’re going to do, and when. In most cases, dogs probably use cues from their environment to predict what’s going to happen. If you always get up at sunrise to feed your dog, then over time they’ll associate sunrise with breakfast time. These environmental cues may be so subtle that they may be things we humans would normally overlook. Things like the amount of light coming in through the window, certain smells that may occur at only certain times, slight cues from family members, etc.

These cues aren’t always external either! For example, dogs who are used to always being fed around the same time each day will likely begin to produce stomach acid, and feel hungry, around their scheduled meal time. So time-related cues can be internal.

Animals, dogs included, also have an “inner clock”. Have you ever settled into the habit of waking up at the same time each morning, maybe for school or work? After a while, you don’t need your alarm clock to wake you up at that time anymore. You just wake up at that time on your own each morning. This is especially frustrating on the weekend or vacations when you’d be able to sleep late if you could. Dogs likely experience this phenomenon too. Their inner clocks help cue them in too when daily events should occur, such as sleeping, eating, bathroom breaks, etc.

Thus, Daylight Savings Time With Dogs Can Be Frustrating!

Spring time, when we ‘loose’ an hour, can be especially tough when you have dogs. Dogs don’t understand daylight savings time, so their inner clock is essentially telling them it’s an hour earlier than it actually is. If your dogs are anything like mine, after daylight savings time starts they’ll ask for everything an hour “early” – dinner, walks, bathroom breaks, bed time, etc. This can be frustrating when it starts to disrupt our schedules. Sometimes I’ll want to work until a certain time, for example, but won’t be able to get everything I need to done because Kit and Fen will be downstairs convinced that it’s time for their evening walk.

Helping Dogs Cope with Daylight Savings Time

Luckily there are some things we can do to help our furry friends adjust to the twice a year time change.

Adjust slowly, if needed. With my own dogs, I found it helpful to adjust to the new time a bit slowly. For example, I normally feed them dinner around 7pm. After daylight savings time starts, instead of feeding them at 7, for the first week or so I’ll feed them at 6:30 instead. This way, from their perspective, they’re only eating half an hour late. After a week or so I’ll go back to feeding them at 7 again. I do this with feeding time, walks, and bathroom breaks. My dogs seem to take the slight schedule change better if I ease them into it more slowly over time.
Remember that your dog is loosing sleep too! After daylight savings time starts, your dog may feel tired in the mornings for a week or so as they adjust to waking up essentially an hour earlier. My Fenrir is not a “morning dog”. After daylight savings time starts I’ve noticed that he’ll wake up with me in the morning, but after his morning walk and breakfast he’ll go back to bed. Let your dog get some extra rest if they need it.
Help your dog settle into their new routine. Depending on your dog, it may take a few weeks for them to fully adjust to the time change. I know this can feel extreme when all we’ve done is moved the clock ahead, or back, an hour. But it is what it is. It may be annoying when your dog is begging for dinner or walks at the wrong time. Have patience. They don’t have the benefit of understanding why their entire schedule has shifted by an hour.

Thankfully, in time, dogs do adjust to the new time! It may take a bit of patience and persistence on our parts, but they’ll get there eventually. Despite some of the frustrations that come with daylight savings time, I never mind it too much. It helps to remind me that spring, and longer days, are right around the corner!

Comment below! How does your dog handle the start of daylight savings time? Is there anything special you do to help them adjust to the time change?

Pet Tips

Spring Safety Tips for Pet Owners

March 9, 2023

Spring will get here…eventually! This winter has felt especially long. We’re well into March now and have still been dealing with pretty significant amounts of snow. In between snow storms, however, our temperatures have been slowly trending up. Judging by the amount of fur my Alaskan Klee Kai Fenrir’s been shedding, and the increasing number of times both of my dogs have been asking to go outside per day, Kit and Fen are pretty convinced that spring is well on its way. I can’t wait to be able to spend more time outdoors with them without having to get all bundled up each time!

But springtime isn’t all sunshine and walks. There are some unique dangers this time of the year that pet owners should be aware of. Luckily, knowledge is half the battle, and if you’re aware of some of the potential hazards that springtime can present to your pet you can take steps to avoid them. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather avoid whatever potential issues I can when it comes to my dogs!

Post Contents:

1 Here are some spring time safety tips…
2 Keep ID on Your Pets During Spring Adventures:
3 Spring Holiday Safety:
4 Keep Bugs at Bay:
5 Spring Cleaning:
6 Garden Safety:
7 Spring Grooming:
8 Car Safety:
9 Spring Allergies:
10 Seasonal Storms:
11 Stay Hydrated:
12 Comment Below!

Here are some spring time safety tips…

Keep ID on Your Pets During Spring Adventures:

The start of spring can be the perfect time to make sure your pet’s ID(s) are up to date. The two of you will most likely be spending more time outdoors, after all! If your dog is microchipped, check that the information associated with their chip is up to date. Once a year, I have my vet scan my dogs to ensure that their chips are still functional. Check that ID tags are up to date, easy to read, and firmly attached to your pet’s collar or harness.

Spring Holiday Safety:

Earlier this month I wrote a post about Easter pet safety. Spring can be a fun time of year to celebrate in general. But keep in mind that human treats such as chocolate, alcohol, and certain foods can be dangerous for our pets. Make sure to contain pets if guests are coming and going, so Fido doesn’t accidently escape out an open door, and keep festive decorations out of your dog’s reach. Check out my post about Easter safety for more spring holiday safety tips!

Keep Bugs at Bay:

If you live somewhere cold like we do, you may not have to worry much about things like mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks in the winter. But spring is a different story! We live in an area where ticks (and Lyme Disease) are endemic and often times I’ll start to see ticks out again even before all the snow has all melted. Intestinal parasites are something to consider, especially if your dog is exposed to other dogs or wildlife. Some types of intestinal parasites can be transmitted to your pet by fleas, and potentially deadly heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes.

Talk to your vet about what parasites are prevalent in your area, and what you should do to prevent them.

Spring Cleaning:

If you’re anything like me, you take spring cleaning seriously! While it can feel great to have your home be extra clean, keep in mind that many cleaning products are actually toxic to animals. This month is Poison Prevention Awareness Month. What better time to go through your cleaning products to ensure you are not using products that are dangerous to your pets, or that any potentially dangerous products are stored well out of Fido’s reach? I like to use non-toxic, green cleaning products whenever possible. When I do keep chemical cleaning products, I make sure to use and store them safely away from my dogs.

I love to open my windows and get fresh air in the spring. If you do too, make sure that your windows have screens and that all screens are secured properly.

Garden Safety:

Moving my house plants outdoors, and working on my outdoor container gardens are some of the things I look forward to doing most in the spring! However, quite a few dangers for our dogs can lurk in our gardens. Many common garden plants are actually toxic to pets. Even things like what type of mulch we use can have implications for our furry friends. Many lawn and garden chemicals can cause health issues for our pets, so are best avoided if at all possible.

Spring Grooming:

While you’re at it with the cleaning, spring is the perfect time to make sure you’re keeping up with your dog’s grooming, especially if you have a double coated dog that will soon be blowing their coat! Grooming your pet regularly, especially through the warmer months, will keep them more comfortable. Not to mention that it will also help to keep your house cleaner!

Car Safety:

The warmer weather may mean you spend more time traveling with your pet. Check out my post about dog car safety here!

Spring Allergies:

Animals, like people, can suffer from allergies. My papillon, Kitsune, is allergic to fleas. Dogs can also be allergic to things like plant pollen and grasses. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to avoid allergens. If you dog suffers from seasonal allergies talk to your vet about potential therapies to help keep them more comfortable.

Seasonal Storms:

It thunders more often in the spring. Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for dogs to be fearful of thunderstorms. Things you can do to help will depend on your situation and how fearful your dog is, and vary from simple home remedies like thunder shirts, white noise, and calming treats to prescription meds from the vet. Don’t get caught unprepared. If your dog needs help getting through storms make sure you stock up on whatever it is that helps them most before spring storm season!

Stay Hydrated:

Most people know how important it is to stay hydrated in the heat of the summer, but it’s important in the spring too! An increase in activity, as the weather warms up, may mean that your furry friend will require more water. Always make sure you’re providing fresh, clean water, no matter the weather! Don’t forget to bring water for your dog during spring hikes and offer it to them often.

Comment Below!

Can you think of any spring safety tips that I missed? What are your favorite spring time activities to do with your dog? What are some things you make sure to avoid or stay aware of to keep them safe?

Dog Health

Poison Prevention Awareness Month

March 7, 2023

March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month. I, perhaps, should have posted this earlier in the month, but when it comes to protecting your family from exposure to poison the best time is now!

Poison Prevention Awareness Month, from what I’ve seen, seems to be mostly geared around raising awareness about how to protect children from dangerous substances. Things you may not normally think of as poisonous, such as common household cleaners, medications, and batteries, can all prove deadly. I don’t have children, at least not any of the human variety. Because my 7-year-old Alaskan Klee Kai, Fenrir, is convinced that he’s still a 6-month-old puppy, making sure I keep my home pet-proofed is important. Animals can’t speak for themselves, and they don’t always make the best decisions when it comes to deciding what qualifies as food/toys and what should be left alone. It’s important for pet parents to be aware of the potential dangers lurking in their homes, and do their best to protect their furry friends from coming into contact with poisons.

It would be awesome if every potential poison came with a warning label, but unfortunately, most of them don’t. When it comes to pets, everything from certain foods (like grapes, and chewing gum, for example), to plants can be dangerous.

With so many potential dangers, pet parents have to stay vigilant. Learn all you can about what items could be dangerous to your pets, which may vary depending on what species he/she is. Just in case, select an emergency vet that’s close to your home before you ever actually need one, and keep their contact information somewhere accessible. Emergencies are stressful, and on top of dealing with a sick pet you don’t want to have to scramble to find a vet.

Besides keeping the contact information of a local emergency vet clinic handy, you should also know the number for Animal Poison Control ((888) 426-4435). Calling isn’t free, but it’s open 24/7 and the advice can prove invaluable in an emergency.

Have you ever had to deal with a situation where your pet came into contact with something poisonous? Comment below!

Dog Health

Signs Your Dog Has IVDD

March 5, 2023

The other day I wrote a pretty lengthy post about what IVDD is. In September of last year my beloved, now 14-year-old, papillon Kitsune was diagnosed with cervical IVDD. Thankfully Kit is doing really well now. It took me a while, but I’ve been wanting to share some of what I’ve learned about IVDD over the last 7 months, both from learning from experts as well as from our own personal experience. I felt like it was too much to put everything into one post, so I’ll likely share information over the course of a handful of posts. Now that I’ve gone over what IVDD is, I figure it might be helpful to start at the beginning, so to speak, and go over the signs and symptoms of IVDD in dogs.

Post Contents:

1 My Own Experience – Signs Kitsune Had IVDD
2 Kit’s Diagnosis
3 Symptoms of IVDD
4 What to Do if Your Dog Displays Signs of IVDD
5 Remain Hopeful!

My Own Experience – Signs Kitsune Had IVDD

On the night of Friday, September 16th, I noticed that Kitsune wasn’t acting completely normal. These types of things always seem to happen late at night, on a weekend or a holiday. Go figure. Kit just seemed a bit slower than usual. He was walking with his head held down. At first, I thought he just had an upset stomach. Rarely in the past, when Kit has had a stomach ache, he has walked with his head held down for a short time before throwing up.

He still took a treat when I offered him one and settled down in his bed like normal when it was time to sleep. But early the next morning, between 4 and 5 am, Kit woke me up. I took him outside thinking he just needed to use the bathroom but pretty quickly realized that something was wrong. Kit was clearly in a lot of pain. He was shaking and walking very slowly with his head held down and his back arched. By 9 am that morning we had him at the vet’s. So began our “adventures” with IVDD.

Other symptoms I noticed after Kit was already diagnosed included a reluctance to eat or drink out of bowls placed on the floor, and it clearly caused him pain when he’d try to scratch himself or shake off. He’d get an itchy ear and go to scratch it, then stop very abruptly as if he was in pain. He did something similar when he wanted to shake off. He’d start to shake a little bit, then realize that it hurt and stop abruptly. I was determined to serve as Kit’s official ear scratcher while he recovered!

Kit’s Diagnosis

Kit was diagnosed with cervical (neck) IVDD. This is important to note because IVDD can occur in any of the intervertebral discs along a dog’s spine, in their necks or their backs. Cervical IVDD is, generally, more painful than IVDD that occurs in the back because of how much movement occurs around the neck. Basically, every movement a dog makes will cause their head and neck to move too, which is quite painful when you have a bulging or ruptured disc in your neck.

If there’s a positive to be found, it was that Kitsune, thankfully, only had stage 1 IVDD. He was in a lot of pain, but was fully mobile and never lost any motor function. There are five stages of IVDD ranging from stage 1, which causes pain only, to stage 5 which is full paralysis with no feeling in the legs/paws.

As you can imagine, IVDD symptoms will vary a bit based on where the disc rupture occurred (on the back or neck), what type of IVDD your dog is suffering, and what stage. You can read more about the different types of IVDD and the 5 stages by clicking here.

Symptoms of IVDD

Although the signs of IVDD can vary slightly based on the factors mentioned above, the general symptoms are similar and include:

Pain in the neck or back. Signs of pain may vary and include the following:
- Reluctance to walk
- Walking/moving at a slower pace than usual
- Shaking or trembling
- Holding the head/neck low
- Inability or reluctance to turn head
- Inability or reluctance to fully raise or lower head
- Excessive panting
- Hunched back
- Stiff appearance or movement (tense muscles)
- Tense belly
- Unwillingness to jump or climb stairs
- Anxious behavior such as hiding more than normal, or acting restless
- Lethargy
- Avoiding a full body shake
- Avoiding rolling around on their back
- Avoiding scratching and licking themselves
- Decreased appetite
- Difficulty getting into position to go to the bathroom
- Muscle spasms
- Yelping, especially when moving, or when being picked up/moved
Neurological Symptoms. Dogs with stage 2 or higher IVDD will begin showing neurological symptoms. They can include any of the following:
- Knuckling paws (walking on or dragging the knuckles, not correcting the paw position quickly when the knuckles are placed against the ground)
- Limb weakness (inability to support own weight)
- Uncoordinated movements
- Limping or lameness
- Crossing back legs while walking, walking like a “drunk sailor”
- Urinary and/or fecal incontinence
- Paralysis (usually in the back legs when IVDD has occurred in the back. Severe cervical IVDD can cause paralysis of all 4 limbs)
- Difficulty breathing (in severe cervical IVDD cases)
- Inability to feel deep pain sensations in the limbs/paws/tail
- Limp tail
- Dilated anus
- Abnormal reflexes

What to Do if Your Dog Displays Signs of IVDD

If your dog displays any of these signs of IVDD, it’s important to get them to a vet as soon as possible. Depending on your dog’s situation, IVDD can get worse over time without treatment. IVDD is also very painful, as you can imagine. Leaving your dog in the extreme pain that can be caused by IVDD is inhumane. If your dog turns out to be a surgical candidate, surgical treatment for IVDD has a higher success rate the quicker you can get it done after symptoms appear. With IVDD time is very much of the essence.

While you’re waiting to get your dog in to see a vet, keep him/her as calm as possible. To much movement can make your dog’s situation worse, and usually causes pain. If you have a crate, it’s recommended to crate your dog as soon as possible after the onset of IVDD symptoms. If you don’t have a crate, any small confined area that will prevent too much movement and jumping should work. Keep your dog as still as possible, this includes during car rides to/from the vet. You want to keep the spine as stable as possible to avoid further injury.

Remain Hopeful!

If there’s one message I really want to get across with all my IVDD posts it’s that IVDD does not have to be a death sentence. 7 months out from Kitsune’s IVDD diagnoses you would never know now that anything was ever wrong with him. He’s back to being his happy, sassy self. It makes me so happy now to see him rolling around on the floor to scratch his back, or shaking off after a bathroom break in the rain. Things I used to never put much thought into, but now are clear indications that Kit’s doing so much better after his bout of IVDD.

I realize that we were lucky that Kit “only” had stage 1 IVDD. In the 7 months since Kit was diagnosed I’ve been blessed to meet other IVDD warriors. Many of them had IVDD at higher stages than Kit did and are also doing very well now. I’ve heard so many stories of dogs recovering, even from being paralyzed, and going on to live happy lives. In the past many vets didn’t give IVDD dogs much of a fighting chance and would recommend euthanasia. Luckily we know now that with proper treatment, many of these dogs can recover from IVDD. So if you are here because you and your dog are dealing with this horrible disease have hope! The road to recovery isn’t easy, but it is so, so worth it to see your dog pain free and happy again.

Pet Tips

Tips for Defeating the Puppy Blues

March 3, 2023

14 years ago today, my partner and I first met arguably the cutest member of our little pack for the first time – Kitsune! He was just 9 weeks old when he joined our pack in 2009 and was, essentially, both my partner’s and my first dog. We both had family dogs growing up, but Kitsune was the first puppy that we were tasked with caring for on our own. Adding a new puppy to your family is exciting! I had loved papillons since I was little and was so happy to finally be getting one to share my life with. But puppies can be stressful too. The “puppy blues” are a real thing! If you recently added a new furry friend to your life, and have unexpectedly found yourself feeling overwhelmed, stressed, upset, or maybe even regretful, know that you are not alone.

Puppy Kitsune, so new he still has the tags on him!

Post Contents:

1 What are the Puppy Blues?
2 Causes of the Puppy Blues
3 Tips for Dealing with the Puppy Blues
4 How Long Do the Puppy Blues Last?

What are the Puppy Blues?

When I was a kid and my family got a puppy, a black and white cocker spaniel named Naomi, I wasn’t really responsible for taking care of her. I don’t remember adding her to our family as being stressful for me. I got an adorable puppy to play with, but, for the most part, didn’t have to actually worry too much about taking care of her. Things were quite different when I got a dog of my own, though. It was just my partner and I living in an apartment together, and he worked long hours outside of the house most days.

I was SO excited to bring Kitsune home. I wouldn’t have to spend my days alone anymore. I had been wanting a puppy for years but wasn’t in a position to actually get one until a few months before we got Kit. You’d think I would have been really happy when I finally got my papillon puppy. In many ways I was. But it turned out that raising a puppy was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I very distinctly remember breaking down crying, sitting on the kitchen floor, and telling my partner that getting Kitsune had been a mistake.

That came at the end of a week when I had gotten precious little sleep. Raising a puppy was especially hard for me in an apartment. I felt like I constantly had to worry about little Kitsune annoying the neighbors. Puppy Kit wasn’t crate trained, and hated being left alone even for a few minutes at a time. He made this hatred known by screeching surprisingly loudly for such a small little baby. I didn’t know all the puppy-raising tricks that I do now, and Kitsune was an especially difficult puppy.

The puppy blues are, basically, negative feelings associated with a new puppy. These feelings can include sadness, stress, anxiety, helplessness, guilt, feeling trapped, regret, etc. The puppy blues are sometimes compared to postpartum depression. Raising a puppy might not be quite as hard as a new human baby (I wouldn’t know), but it’s still really hard! Adding a new puppy to your home changes your entire life, and it’s a lot of work! If you’ve recently added a new puppy to your family and are feeling any of these negative emotions, know that you are not alone. Developing a case of the puppy blues is actually quite normal. And, thankfully, it’s also usually quite temporary.

Causes of the Puppy Blues

The puppy blues can be caused by a number of factors.

A common one seems to be the disconnect between what you thought owning a puppy would be like, and what it’s actually like. New owners likely have preconceived notions about what living with their new dog will be like. It can feel very frustrating when your new little bundle of fluff isn’t living up to any of your expectations. For a lot of first time puppy owners especially, caring for a puppy turns out to be a lot harder than they expected it to be.
Of course the sleepless nights don’t help anyone any! I know I’m personally never at my best when I haven’t gotten enough sleep.
Suddenly being responsible for another living thing can be stressful. When I got Kitsune, all of a sudden I went from basically just having to take care of myself, to being responsible for a precious little life. That can feel quite overwhelming at times, especially when your new charge seems pretty determined to find new and interesting ways to hurt themselves.
A new puppy can cause big changes to your daily schedule. Suddenly your routine doesn’t revolve around just you anymore. Now you have to constantly think about taking care of your dog. When does he need to eat, be walked, go outside? Puppies are especially overwhelming because they are especially needy. They usually need to eat more often, use the bathroom more often, and just generally demand more of your attention.
You may find it harder to relax when you constantly have to manage what your puppy is doing.
As much as you may have wanted your new dog, a lot of new owners grieve the freedom they lost now that they have a pet. Your time isn’t just yours anymore. It’s a lot harder to go out and do something fun at the drop of a hat, or to travel. Sometimes even just stepping outside to take out the trash or check the mail feels like a task and a half when you have a puppy to deal with.
If you are already prone to any mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, getting a puppy can be especially stressful.

Tips for Dealing with the Puppy Blues

Remind yourself that the puppy stage is temporary. Dogs grow up entirely too fast. Look at me, somehow my “puppy” is already a senior! Depending on your dog, the puppy stage is officially said to last a year or two. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be dealing with issues like sleep deprivation, bathroom accidents, and puppy biting for that long. Your dog will grow up, it’s inevitable.
Focus on the positives. It’s easy to feel down when you’re focusing on the fact that your puppy still isn’t fully potty trained, or that he just ruined your favorite pair of shoes. But what about the fact that he slept through the night last night, and didn’t bark when you stepped out of the house for a few minutes!? Focusing, as much as you can, on any progress being made can help you see your puppy in a better light.
Train your puppy! The sooner you can eliminate unwanted behaviors, the sooner you can stop feeling stressed about them. Don’t expect miracles, training takes time. But you have to work at it to make progress.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Talk to friends, family members, trainers, a therapist, your vet. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Prepare as much as possible. If you can learn to understand why your puppy is acting the way she is, it can sometimes make it a bit easier to deal with. Puppies don’t purposely to make our lives miserable. There are reasons behind their actions. Most dogs go through a lot before going to their new homes. They’re taken away from their mothers and littermates. They don’t always understand the new expectations being put upon them. Teething is painful. Looking at life from our puppy’s point of view can give us new perspective as to why they are doing some of the behaviors that drive us nuts.
Adjust your expectations. You’re setting yourself, and your puppy, up for failure if you constantly expect things from him that he can’t live up too. Learn about what you can reasonably expect from your puppy based on the life stage he/she is currently in and set your expectations towards reaching reasonable goals.
It’s ok to admit to negative feelings. Admitting that there are things you’ll miss out on because of your puppy can go a long way towards acceptance. It’s normal to feel guilty about having negative feelings about your new furry family member, but you are far from alone in having them. Learning to admit and accept the negative feelings and changes in your life can make dealing with them less stressful.
Take time for yourself. It’s ok, even beneficial, to take breaks away from your puppy for a while. Don’t feel guilty for doing so. Even just a short break, if you can’t manage a longer one, will be beneficial. Probably the best, most helpful thing I did for myself when I was getting stressed over dealing with Kitsune was to ask my partner to watch him for awhile so I could take a break.

How Long Do the Puppy Blues Last?

Kitsune, all grown up!

This will depend. Generally, the puppy blues will last anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months. As you get more used to your new puppy, and them to you, you will start to build a new life together. Things that once caused stress will fade away, or become more routine. Your puppy will outgrow many of the behaviors that can trigger the puppy blues, especially if you’re committed to training and working with them.

Take if from someone who had a serious case of the puppy blues, it gets much better! 14 years ago I was seriously questioning whether I had made the right decision when I got my puppy. Now, all these years later, I couldn’t imagine my life without him. That’s not to say that I don’t fully acknowledge the fact that puppies are hard! Be kind to your puppy, and to yourself, as you both learn and adapt to living together. Embrace the puppy stage, hard as it is, as much as you can because someday your puppy will be a white faced senior, and the time passes a lot faster than you could ever imagine it will.

Comment below! If you’re here because you’re experiencing the puppy blues, share your experience! What is your new puppy like? If you have an older dog, did you experience the puppy blues when you first got him/her? Do you have any tips you would share with new dog owners?

Pet Tips

Pet Easter Safety

March 1, 2023

Easter can be a lot of fun, but can also present some dangers to our furry friends. Here are a few holiday safety tips, to ensure that every member of your family, even the ones with paws, enjoys this spring holiday!

Zeus (RIP) Forever in our hearts!

Remember that any type of pet you bring into your house is a living, lifelong commitment. Rabbits, chicks, etc. are sometimes given to children as Easter gifts on a whim, only to later find themselves dumped in shelters or worse, outside to fend for themselves. A cute fluffy bunny may look adorable in your child’s basket on Easter morning, but healthy pet rabbits can live a typical life span of around 10 – 12 years and they are not the low-maintenance, cuddly pets that many people assume them to be. If you have your heart set on bringing a new animal into your home, please make sure to do your research first. Consider adopting a homeless animal from a shelter rather than buying one from questionable sources. If in doubt, stick to giving chocolate or stuffed animals as holiday gifts. They can be just as cute as the real thing, without the responsibility.
Remember that chocolate and candy is not safe/healthy for pets. Keep all sweets out of their reach. Consider getting your pet a special treat of his/her own to celebrate the holiday.
Many types of flowers and plants included in holiday bouquets are poisonous to animals. You can view the ASPCA’s list of toxic and nontoxic plants for a comprehensive list of plants that are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Keep in mind that many of these plants are also toxic to other types of pets such as reptiles, rabbits, etc. Just to be safe, keep all floral arrangements out of your pets’ reach.
Watch out for things like Easter decorations and plastic Easter basket grass. These types of things may look like fun new toys to a pet, but are not digestible and can cause issues such as choking or intestinal blockages if consumed by your pets.
With all the excitement of greeting guests, making new friends, and possibly trying out new foods, your pet is likely to work up quite a thirst! Always make sure to provide your pet with clean, fresh water.
Overfeeding your pet can cause upset stomachs, vomiting, and diarrhea. Feeding large amounts of fatty foods can be dangerous to pets. Pancreatitis is a painful and potentially dangerous condition that can be caused by a diet too high in fats. Advise any guests not to feed your pet, and always avoid foods high in fat, sweets, and cooked bones.
With all the food scraps being thrown out, your trash can is likely to be very tempting to your pet. Make sure your can is secured and pet proof.
To most people, keeping food out of their pets’ reach is common sense. But it’s important to keep an eye on your drinks as well, especially if your drinking something potentially dangerous to pets such as alcohol.
The holidays can be stressful for humans and animals alike. Minimizing your pets stress level will go a long way towards making sure your pet is comfortable throughout the holiday season. Maintain your pets regular schedule as closely as possible.
If you are expecting guests for the holidays, make sure they treat your pet with respect. Be extra careful around children who may not know how to handle your pet properly. Inform all guests of your house rules regarding pets, including making sure they are aware of what holiday foods shouldn’t be given as treats.
Give your pet a ‘safe zone’; a place where they can go to escape the hustle and bustle of the holiday excitement if they need some time to relax. If you can, set aside a room in your house that is off limits to guests, so that your pet has a nice peaceful area it can retreat too if the need arises
If your pet is a cat or dog, or other uncaged pet, make sure they are wearing their collar and ID tags, and/or that they are micro-chipped. With guests going in and out of the house frequently, your pet may decide to take advantage of an open door. Make sure to tell your quests to be careful around the doors, and keep a careful eye on your pet so he/she doesn’t attempt to make an escape.

I hope everyone, humans and animals alike, have a safe and happy Easter!

Dog Health

What is IVDD?

February 27, 2023

Last September my now 14-year-old papillon, Kitsune, was diagnosed with cervical IVDD. I posted a whole series of articles going over his 8-week recovery. I hope that reading about Kitsune’s recovery gives hope to other dog guardians who are dealing with a new IVDD diagnosis. Because as I sadly know firsthand, it’s a pretty stressful health condition to help your dog through. Despite posting quite a bit about IVDD and our experiences with it, I never actually went into detail about what, exactly, IVDD is. Until now!

Post Contents:

1 Intervertebral Disc Disease
2 So What, Exactly, is IVDD?
3 Hansen Type I IVDD (Ruptured Discs)
4 Hansen Type II IVDD (Bulging Discs)
5 Hansen Type III IVDD (Traumatic IVDD)
6 Diagnosing IVDD
7 The stages of IVDD are as follows:
8 There is Hope!

Intervertebral Disc Disease

IVDD is short for intervertebral disc disease. It is, basically, equivalent to what would be called a slipped, bulging, ruptured, or herniated disc in humans. IVDD is the most common spinal disease seen in dogs. Thousands of dogs are diagnosed with IVDD yearly. Sadly, once a dog is diagnosed with IVDD the chances that they will experience another occurrence or flare up sometime during their life is high.

So What, Exactly, is IVDD?

Dogs have cushioning (intervertebral) discs that sit in between the vertebrae, just below the spinal cord. These discs are each made of a fibrous outer layer, and an inner layer that has a jelly like consistency. When healthy, these discs act as shock absorbers. They prevent the vertebrae from rubbing together and help to protect the spinal cord. Sounds like a pretty important job right?

It is! Dogs’ spinal cords, like humans, are made up of delicate nervous tissue that transmits signals back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. The spinal cord is responsible for everything from conscious movement to unconscious bodily functions such as breathing.

When problems occur in dogs’ intervertebral discs it can be, as you can imagine, a big problem. This is mostly due to their proximity to the spinal cord. There are three types of IVDD, all of which cause problems by impacting a dog’s spinal cord and/or the sensitive nerve roots that branch out from the spinal cord. The three types are called Hansen type I, Hansen type II, and Hansen type III.

Hansen Type I IVDD (Ruptured Discs)

Hansen type I IVDD can be thought of as a ruptured disc. Your vet may also refer to it as a disc extrusion or herniation. This type of IVDD is more common in long backed and small breed dogs, and can sometimes occur even in younger dogs. In this type of IVDD, the “jelly” inside a dog’s disc becomes harder than normal. In this hardened state, it doesn’t move and compress normally. Because of this, normal movements, such as jumping on or off furniture, for example, can put enough stress on the hardened intervertebral disc that the jelly like center of the disc ruptures through the fibrous outer layer. Once the disc ruptures, the inner jelly can press against the spinal cord and/or surrounding nerve roots.

Hansen Type II IVDD (Bulging Discs)

Hansen type II IVDD can be thought of more as a bulging disc. In this type of IVDD, the disc does not rupture but instead bulges up against the spinal cord. Dogs with this type of IVDD may show a progression of symptoms more slowly over time rather than suddenly.

Hansen Type III IVDD (Traumatic IVDD)

Type III IVDD is caused by a sudden tear in the outer fibrous disc layer that can be caused by a traumatic event or very heavy exercise. In this type of IVDD, disc material essentially shoots out of the disc space into the spinal cord at a high velocity. Unlike the other types of IVDD, type III does not cause ongoing spinal cord compression. However, it can cause bruising of the spinal cord that can cause pain and other symptoms similar to the other two types of IVDD.

Diagnosing IVDD

Depending on what type of testing your vet uses to diagnose your dog with IVDD, they may not be able to tell you what type your dog has. Actually being able to tell whether your dog has a bulging disc, a ruptured disc, or experienced a traumatic injury with no ongoing spinal compression usually requires either a CT scan or an MRI. Because these types of imaging can be quite expensive, many vets will make a more general IVDD diagnoses (without knowing the exact type) without doing extensive imaging.

IVDD is often diagnosed based on symptoms, physical exams, less costly diagnostic testing such as Xray’s, and basic neurological exams. More expensive testing options, usually MRIs, are often reserved for dogs who will undergo spinal surgery to treat their IVDD.

Your vet may tell you that your dog has cervical IVDD, like my dog Kitsune did. This means that the disc causing issues for your dog is located in his/her neck rather than their back. Dogs with cervical IVDD often experience more intense symptoms of pain, due to the fact that the neck is a highly mobile area. Whether or not your vet tells you what type (I, II, or III) of IVDD your dog has, they should be able to tell you what stage he/she is at based on symptoms and a neurological exam.

The stages of IVDD are as follows:

Stage 1: Dogs with stage 1 IVDD will generally experience pain but no loss of mobility. Dogs with stage 1 IVDD will be able to walk and stand relatively normally but may show signs of pain. These signs can include stiffer than normal movement, a reluctance to move their head (especially with cervical IVDD), holding their heads low, reluctance to move, hunched back, reluctance to eat or drink (especially out of a bowl placed low), shaking, etc.
Stage 2: Dogs with stage 2 IVDD will show slight neurological deficits and usually more severe pain. Dogs with stage 2 IVDD will be able to walk but may appear weak, especially in the hind limps, or wobbly. Paw knuckling (dragging or walking on the knuckles of their paws) is common in dogs with stage 2 IVDD.
Stage 3: Dogs with stage 3 IVDD with have more severe neurological deficits. Dogs at this stage will still be able to move their legs, but will not be able to walk independently without falling over. Paw knuckling while standing or walking assisted is very common.
Stage 4: Dogs with stage 4 IVDD will be experience complete paralysis, but will maintain deep pain sensation. This means that while they will not be able to walk or move their legs, they will respond to their toes being pinched. Dogs at this stage may also lose control of their bladder and bowels.
Stage 5: Dogs with stage 5 IVDD will also be paralyzed, and will no longer feel deep pain sensation.

There is Hope!

No matter the type, no matter the stage, IVDD is a stressful diagnoses to deal with. It can be easy to feel discourage when your dog is in extreme pain, potentially paralyzed, and your vet tells you that the cause involves his/her spinal cord. It’s important to remember that there is hope! Once upon a time it was more likely for dogs diagnosed with IVDD to be euthanized. But, these days, countless dogs are not only surviving IVDD, but thriving after their diagnoses. My Kitsune is one of them!

IVDD recovery is long, and it isn’t always easy. But in many cases, it is very much worth it! Speaking for myself, caring for Kitsune while he healed from his cervical IVDD was really stressful. I hate seeing my dogs in pain! He, thankfully, didn’t require surgery. But the price for conservative treatment, for multiple vet visits, diagnostic testing, and medications, can add up too. Making sure he rested strictly for 8 weeks wasn’t easy, especially once he started feeling better and resenting being cooped up. But everything – the money, the time, the stress, was worth it in the end to see my Kitsune feeling better and happy after his recovery!

I know there’s so much I didn’t go over in this post. All the symptoms of IVDD, treatment options, etc. I’m going to save those for another day. You can check out this link to read all our IVDD related posts. It will update in the future as I add more IVDD related content. And I’ll leave this post off with this. If you’re reading this because you’re facing an IVDD diagnoses with your beloved dog please remember that there is hope! There are options. IVDD does not have to be a death sentence!

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