Decision making in the management of canine intervertebral disc disease

INTERVERTEBRAL disc disease is a frequent disorder of dogs; it is only rarely a cause of clinical signs in cats. Most clinicians are familiar with the diagnosis of the condition, but there may be some confusion about the most appropriate methods of treatment. While there is some controversy regarding certain regimens, particularly involving unconventional methods, there is a large amount of data in the veterinary literature concerning the disease. This article draws on this data to present guidelines which can be used in selecting the most appropriate method of treatment for individual patients.