An upcoming free webinar, hosted by The Kennel Club’s health team and discussing intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), has received a record amount of sign-ups, with registrations for the event selling out in just two days.
The webinar, which is part of a series organised by The Kennel Club’s health team, is for owners, breeders and veterinary professionals who would like to find out more about IVDD, a degenerative neurological condition in dogs, which can lead to pain, nerve damage, and even paralysis.
Taking place via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 24 August 2023 from 7 – 8:30pm, the webinar will explore what research has told us to date about the condition, symptoms, possible treatment options, methods of reducing risk – including details of The Kennel Club IVDD Scheme for Dachshunds – and what future research could investigate. The Kennel Club is encouraging those who are interested in attending to join the waitlist for the online event here.
The webinar includes a presentation from specialist Dr Paul Freeman, Principal Clinical Neurologist at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, University of Cambridge, followed by a question and answer session, giving attendees a chance to put forward their queries and experiences for discussion (questions can also be pre-submitted at the time of registration).
IVDD is caused by a gradual deterioration of the shock absorbing parts of the spine, known as intervertebral discs. As dogs get older, these discs deteriorate and they harden, which results in diminished shock-absorbing capacity and can subsequently lead to a slipped disc and spinal cord compression. Although IVDD is a complex condition caused by a number of different genes, as well as environmental and lifestyle factors, certain breeds and types of dog experience disc deterioration at much younger ages and are unfortunately known to be predisposed to IVDD.
More information about IVDD can be found on The Kennel Club website.
So far this year, The Kennel Club’s health-focused webinar series have explored conditions such as canine epilepsy, colour dilution alopecia and osteosarcoma, as well as the science of DNA testing for health, with experts, researchers, owners and breeders. The webinars aim to raise awareness of various canine health concerns, explore research and future studies, improve diagnosis and outlook, and support dogs affected with the conditions, and their owners.
Past webinars can be watched on The Kennel Club’s YouTube channel.
More information about what The Kennel Club does for dog health is available on our website or by emailing to
Health (The Kennel Club)