Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rehabilitation after spinal surgery helps dogs walk again
By Zidan, Natalia et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A randomized, blinded, prospective clinical trial of postoperative rehabilitation in dogs after surgical decompression of acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 30 dogs that had surgery for a herniated disc in their back were given either a basic or intensive rehabilitation program to see which helped them recover better. These dogs were not able to walk before starting the treatment, but they were monitored for their ability to walk and move over 14 days. While both rehabilitation programs were safe, neither showed a significant difference in how quickly or well the dogs recovered. Most dogs began walking again within about a week, but the type of rehab didn’t seem to impact their recovery.
People also search for: dog herniated disc recovery · post-surgery rehabilitation for dogs · how long does it take for a dog to walk after back surgery
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Experimental evidence shows benefit of rehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI) but there are limited objective data on the effect of rehabilitation on recovery of dogs after surgery for acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniations (TL-IVDH). OBJECTIVE: Compare the effect of basic and intensive post-operative rehabilitation programs on recovery of locomotion in dogs with acute TL-IVDH in a randomized, blinded, prospective clinical trial. ANIMALS: Thirty non-ambulatory paraparetic or paraplegic (with pain perception) dogs after decompressive surgery for TL-IVDH. METHODS: Blinded, prospective clinical trial. Dogs were randomized (1:1) to a basic or intensive 14-day in-house rehabilitation protocol. Fourteen-day open field gait score (OFS) and coordination (regulatory index, RI) were primary outcomes. Secondary measures of gait, post-operative pain, and weight were compared at 14 and 42 days. RESULTS: Of 50 dogs assessed, 32 met inclusion criteria and 30 completed the protocol. There were no adverse events associated with rehabilitation. Median time to walking was 7.5 (2 - 37) days. Mean change in OFS by day 14 was 6.13 (confidence intervals: 4.88, 7.39, basic) versus 5.73 (4.94, 6.53, intensive) representing a treatment effect of -0.4 (-1.82, 1.02) which was not significant, P=.57. RI on day 14 was 55.13 (36.88, 73.38, basic) versus 51.65 (30.98, 72.33, intensive), a non-significant treatment effect of -3.47 (-29.81, 22.87), P = .79. There were no differences in secondary outcomes between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Early postoperative rehabilitation after surgery for TL-IVDH is safe but doesn't improve rate or level of recovery in dogs with incomplete SCI.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29635872/