Long-term effects and owner stress after dog disc disease

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Canine intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is common and may be managed conservatively or surgically. However, little is known about long-term sequelae, quality of life and owners' emotional burden after diagnosis. METHODS: Information regarding signalment, neuroanatomical lesion localisation, diagnostic imaging results and treatment regimen was collected retrospectively from the medical records of dogs with an IVDD diagnosis. Follow-up telephone interviews, addressing the dogs' neurological status, dogs' owner-assessed quality of life and how burdened the owners were by their dog's illness, were performed using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Seventy-one dogs were included in the study population, and 31 owners participated in follow-up interviews (44% response rate). Of the 31 dogs whose owners were interviewed, 24 were managed surgically and seven were managed conservatively. Over half of the owners interviewed reported that their dog had residual problems. Only a minority of owners reported that their dog's quality of life was poor, but most found managing a dog with IVDD challenging, with 47% reporting still being negatively affected at the time of the interview. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study include its retrospective nature and low interview response rate. CONCLUSION: IVDD is a chronic disease rather than an acute event, and owners may be burdened both acutely and in the long term. This information should help clinicians to better prepare owners of dogs with IVDD for what to expect and provide optimal support to benefit both dog and owner.