Dog IVDD Recovery Checklist

Daily checklist for owner observation

A checklist cannot replace your veterinarian's plan, but it can help you stay consistent during a stressful recovery window. Use this as a discussion and tracking aid, then follow the specific instructions from your vet or veterinary neurologist.

• Crate rest: keep activity restrictions exactly as prescribed and limit jumping, stairs, and rough movement.
• Comfort: note restlessness, panting, shaking, yelping, guarding, or trouble settling.
• Medication: record each dose, time, missed dose, vomited dose, and any vet instructions.
• Potty and appetite: track pee, poop, accidents, constipation, diarrhea, appetite, and water intake.
• Mobility: note wobbliness, dragging, knuckling, weakness, ability to stand, and changes from yesterday.
• Vet follow-up: keep questions, recheck dates, medication refill needs, and new symptoms in one place.

Why tracking helps

A dog IVDD recovery checklist creates a simple timeline. Instead of trying to remember scattered details, you can show your care team when appetite changed, whether pain seemed worse after activity, or whether potty habits shifted after a medication change.

This is especially helpful for IVDD crate rest checklists and IVDD surgery recovery logs, where small changes over days and weeks can matter.