Veterinary Disclaimer

Education and organization only

IVDD Companion is for education and organization only. It is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The website and optional tracking app do not create a veterinarian-client-patient relationship and should not be used as a substitute for care from a licensed veterinarian.

Content on this site may describe symptoms, common veterinary vocabulary, recovery organization, crate rest tracking, medication logging, post-surgery notes, conservative care notes, and questions to ask your veterinarian. That information is meant to help you communicate, not to decide treatment.

Your veterinarian's instructions override anything you read here. If your dog's plan differs from a page on this site, follow your veterinarian and ask them for clarification.

Emergency symptoms

If your dog has sudden weakness, paralysis, severe pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, trouble urinating, rapidly worsening symptoms, repeated vomiting, bloody diarrhea, breathing trouble, collapse, or any symptom your veterinarian told you is urgent, contact a veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital immediately.

Do not delay urgent care to fill out a tracker, read an article, search a forum, or wait for a response from IVDD Companion.

Limits of the app

The app cannot determine IVDD stage, diagnose disc disease, recommend surgery, recommend medications, evaluate deep pain, interpret imaging, or decide when crate rest should end. It can help you record what you observe and organize the questions you want to ask.

Medication and exercise information must be confirmed by your veterinarian. Never start, stop, combine, taper, or change a medication because of information on this site. Never begin exercises, stretches, rehab routines, or activity changes unless your veterinarian or rehabilitation professional has cleared them.

Use of external links and resources

IVDD Companion links to third-party veterinary education pages, rehabilitation directories, mobility product vendors, and community support groups. Those links are provided for convenience and owner education. IVDD Companion does not control external websites, does not endorse every statement on them, and does not receive responsibility for decisions made from external content.

Community stories can be emotionally helpful, but another dog's outcome does not predict your dog's outcome. Product pages can help you learn what tools exist, but equipment choices should be discussed with your veterinarian or rehabilitation professional. If external information conflicts with your veterinarian's plan, ask your veterinarian before acting.

Advertising disclaimer

IVDD Companion may display advertising on substantial public education pages when AdSense is enabled. Ads are not intended to appear on private app pages, dog profile pages, login pages, dashboard pages, care logs, medication pages, or other private tracking surfaces.

Advertising does not influence veterinary safety wording. The presence of an ad does not mean IVDD Companion endorses the advertised product or service. Always evaluate products and services with your veterinarian when they relate to your dog's care.