Regenerative Therapy to Treat IVDD: Bailee’s IVDD

Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) can be a devastating diagnosis for your dog.

The condition can be extremely painful and lead to various degree of impaired mobility including paralysis. Never underestimate the degree of pain your dog might suffer even if they don’t show it.

IVDD is a degenerative process in the intevertebral discs that leads to disc displacement, swelling, or rupture. Symptoms depend on which part of the spine is affected and can include:

  • reluctance or inability to move
  • pain/vocalization
  • muscle tension and spasms
  • lameness
  • ataxia
  • trembling
  • paw knuckling
  • dragging limbs
  • hunched posture
  • lowered head
  • paralysis
  • incontinence
Regenerative Therapy to Treat IVDD? Bailee's IVDD

Standard IVDD treatment options

Treatment for IVDD aims to eliminate symptoms and prevent further damage and recurrence. Depending on the degree of the problem, it can consist of:

  • medical therapies
  • surgery

Conservative measures include:

  • strict confinement
  • aggressive pain management
  • anti-inflammatory medications
  • muscle relaxants

Complementary therapies that can be included consist of options such as:

  • acupuncture
  • laser therapy
  • physical therapy

Several surgical procedures are available but their success depends on many variables.

Further information: Intervertebral Disc Disease – A Major Pain in the Neck or Back

Are there any other options?

Bailee’s story

Bailee is a fourteen-years-old English Springer Spaniel. In spite of his age, he still wanted to do things, not all of them wise. Bailee got hurt when he jumped off a four-feet high deck.

As he landed, he yelped in pain and it was obvious that something went wrong.

At the veterinarian

Bailee’s dad took him to a clinic where the veterinarian diagnosed Bailee with IVDD. Bailee went home with instructions to rest and pain medications.

Unfortunately, other than making Bailee ever more lethargic than he’d be from the pain, the meds didn’t do much for him. Bailee was in bad shape and wasn’t getting better. Should his parents put him through surgery?

Stem cell treatment for Bailee

Because of the lack of improvement, Bailee’s dad sought a second opinion. The new veterinarian recommended trying stem cell therapy. His dad agreed and Bailee received IV stem cells.

A week later, Bailee improved dramatically and returned to his happy, smiling self. It’s been 2.5 years since Bailee’s treatment and he continues to enjoy life pain free.

In closing

We’ve been through neck issues with Jasmine. The amount of pain is something that is hard to imagine. Because of everything else Jasmine was dealing with at the time, surgery wouldn’t have been an option.

I am a fan of regenerative therapy. Over time, we used both stem cell treatment and PRP treatment for our dog with great results.

More information about stem cell therapy: What Is Stem Cell Therapy: Digging Deeper—The Science Behind Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Therapy

Source story:
Success Story of Bailee who was Treated with VetStem Cell Therapy

Related articles:
What Is Stem Cell Therapy: Digging Deeper—The Science Behind Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Therapy
Canine Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD): Prevention, Treatment, and Physical Therapy

Further reading:
Intervertebral Disc Disease – A Major Pain in the Neck or Back
Surgical Versus Medical Management of Canine Disk Disease

Categories: Alternative treatments • Conditions • Dog health advocacy • Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) • Regenerative veterinary medicine • stem cell therapy

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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