Hello Everyone,

Our names are Darien and Berni, and we’ve created this GoFundMe to help support our beloved dog, Remi, on his journey to recovery after facing two instances of IVDD in just two months.

The First IVDD Diagnosis

The first incident occurred during the week of October 27, 2024. We noticed that Remi wasn’t acting like himself—he seemed off. We closely monitored him and limited his activity, but sadly, on the morning of October 31, 2024, we woke up to him falling on Darien’s face at 5 a.m., completely unable to use his back legs. As dachshund owners, this was our worst fear: IVDD.

IVDD, or Intervertebral Disc Disease, is a condition that commonly affects dachshunds and other low-riding, long-bodied breeds. It ranges from mild discomfort to full paralysis. Unfortunately for Remi, it was severe—he appeared paralyzed.

We rushed him to the emergency vet, where our fears were confirmed. Remi had IVDD and required emergency surgery. The surgeons gave him an 80% chance of regaining the use of his legs. Remi underwent the operation and was hospitalized for several days to ensure he could maintain his body temperature and urinate on his own before being discharged.

When he finally came home, he was unable to walk, but there were hopeful signs of him attempting to use his back legs. The hospital handed us an invoice for $15,166.35, but thankfully, we had pet insurance, which covered 80% of the costs. We ended up paying $3,033.27 out of pocket.

Remi began his healing journey with lots of crate rest, love, and care. We followed the vet’s instructions to the letter, and before long, he was walking again! We were overjoyed but knew his road to recovery wasn’t over. We continued physical therapy, took him on short, controlled walks, and made sure he got plenty of rest.

The Second IVDD Diagnosis

Then, the unthinkable happened.

On Friday, December 20, 2024, Remi started acting strangely again. Berni rushed him to the hospital, where he was prescribed medication to reduce swelling in the hopes of preventing another episode. Unfortunately, it was too late. By that night, Remi lost the use of his back legs again.

We rushed him back to the hospital, where they confirmed a second IVDD episode. This time, two discs above the previously affected ones had herniated. Another emergency surgery was required, but his chances of recovery were far lower—only a 50% chance of regaining any function in his hind legs.

Remi underwent surgery, but this time, his recovery did not go as we had hoped. He spent a week in the hospital under observation, but there was no improvement. On December 26, 2024, he was discharged with the devastating news that he would likely never regain the use of his hind legs or bladder.

Caring for Remi now involves adapting to a new way of life. We catheterize him 2–3 times a day to empty his bladder and are making modifications to our home so he can navigate comfortably. Once he has healed from surgery, we plan to get him a wheelchair to give him the mobility he deserves.

The second hospital bill came to $17,114.38. Unfortunately, our insurance will cover only a small portion, if any at all.

Why We Need Your Help

This holiday season has been an emotional rollercoaster for us. Berni has been unable to work since November to provide Remi with the care and attention he needs, and we’re unsure when she will be able to return to work.

This GoFundMe was created to help us cover the financial burden of:

If we are fortunate enough to exceed our fundraising goal, any additional donations will be given to either the SPCA or the neurology department at the hospital. We hope to help others facing similar challenges who may not have the funds or insurance to cover the cost of treatment. As we learn more about the costs we will update this page with what our costs are as well the costs of supplies and anything additional that may be needed.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for any support you can provide—whether it’s a donation, sharing this campaign, or keeping Remi in your thoughts.

With gratitude,

Darien, Berni, and Remi

First Update: December 29, 2024

When we brought Remi home we were told he may never gain use of his bladder again resulting in us having to catheter him two-three times a day possibly for the rest of his life....

We brought him home with the understanding that this could be the reality. That night we took him outside to try to do a number 2, and to our amazement and shock he actually went number 1. We didn't want to get our hopes up so we left it for a couple of days. Sure enough every time we would take him out he ended up going pee. We contacted the Vet and sent them a video (at their request) to see if it was just over flow or if he was actually using his bladder properly and going to the bathroom. They got back to us confirming that he was going to the bathroom on his own and that he will not require catheterization.

This news is huge for us and we are really happy for our Rems and are hopeful that this is just the start of his recovery.

We want to thank everyone who has helped us via monetary contributions, sending us heart felt messages and love or even just sharing our story to their circles. Every one of you means the world to us so thank you all from the bottom of our hearts