New IVDD treatment for small dogs shows success

The University of Cambridge’s Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital (QVSH) is currently the only place in the United Kingdom to perform a new treatment that is helping dogs with severe intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). According to QVSH, these patients are now being treated with a new enzyme injection, which is a less-invasive, safe, and "significantly more affordable" alternative to the spinal surgery usually needed for suitable cases.

This new treatment, called percutaneous intradiscal chondroitinase injection, works by delivering an enzyme directly into the damaged intervertebral discs, which then dissolves the central part of the spinal disc. When the central part of the disc is dissolved, it can potentially provide patients with relief from the pressure on the spinal cord without open surgery. As of earlier this year, QVSH has successfully treated 24 dogs, with all of them regaining their mobility within days of the injection.1

“This is not a miracle cure, but it is an exciting new option for some dogs with severe spinal cord injury caused by a herniated disc. The injections are much less invasive than surgery and can offer similar outcomes for the right patients. Our aim is to give owners more choice, particularly where surgery may be difficult, and ultimately to help more dogs get back on their feet,” said Paul Freeman, MA, VetMB, CertSAO, DipECVN, MRCVS, codeveloper of the treatment.1

This treatment was also created in collaboration with Texas A&M University in the United States. This procedure is now recognized by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a routine practice, allowing it to be offered outside of the original trial conditions. Along with this recognition, QVSH will continue to accept eligible dogs into the ongoing clinical trial.

The treatment and study in the United Kingdom are made possible due to funding and support from dachshund welfare charities, including Dachshund Health UK and Dachshund Rescue UK.

“We’re so proud to have played a part in supporting the ongoing IVDD research at Cambridge. IVDD impacts so many dogs and the families who care deeply for them, and progress like this wouldn’t be possible without collaboration. It’s wonderful to see a nonsurgical, affordable solution emerging, especially when so many dogs are sadly euthanized because their owners can’t afford surgery,” Lynn Hall, chair of Dachshund Rescues, said in the release.1

The research

Between January 2023 and June 2024, phase 1 of the clinical trial took place with dogs presented to 2 university neurology clinics. The dogs presented with acute onset nonambulatory paraparesis or paraplegia occurring within 48 hours before presentation. Each animal weighed less than 15 kg (approximately 33 lb), was between the ages of 2 and 10 years old, and their owners could not afford decompressive surgery.2 Each dog received 1.25 U of chondroitinase ABC into each of 4 consecutive intervertebral discs in the clinically identified lesion location under fluoroscopic guidance.2 The recovery of the patients was then defined as their ability to walk 50 steps without assistance by 4 months post injection.

Of the participating dogs, with 4 being lost to insufficient follow-up, 38 of 40 dogs with intact pain sensation in their hindquarters recovered by a median of 11 days after they received the injection, and 4 of 10 without pain sensation recovered.2 The researchers also noted that no adverse effects related to the injection procedure were detected.

Researchers concluded the study by stating that although uncertainty remains regarding the effectiveness of this treatment due to the small sample size, a similar proportion and time to recover were noted when compared with decompressive surgery. It was also stated in the research that randomized controlled trials are required to assess the effectiveness vs decompressive surgery.

Reference

1. New treatment for severe spinal cord injury in small dogs achieves exceptional success rate. News release. University of Cambridge. November 7, 2025. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/new-treatment-for-severe-spinal-cord-injury-in-small-dogs-achieves-exceptional-success-rate
2. Freeman P, Atiee G, Donoghue EM, Jeffery ND. Percutaneous enzymatic chemonucleolysis of intervertebral disks appears safe and effective in treatment of acute-onset paraparesis and paraplegia in small dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2025;263(6):1-7. doi:10.2460/javma.24.12.0790