Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pug with back spinal cyst and syringohydromyelia improved
By Oxley, W & Pink, J·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2012·Willows Referral Service·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Amelioration of caudal thoracic syringohydromyelia following surgical management of an adjacent arachnoid cyst.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old neutered male pug was brought in because he was having trouble walking and was unsteady on his back legs for three months. An MRI showed he had a fluid-filled cavity in his spine (syringohydromyelia) along with an arachnoid cyst. The cyst was surgically drained, and after 10 weeks, follow-up imaging showed less pressure on the spinal cord and improvement in his condition. Seventeen months later, the pug continued to show progress, with only mild issues remaining. The surgery helped improve the flow of spinal fluid, which likely contributed to his recovery.
People also search for: pug walking problems · dog spinal surgery recovery · syringohydromyelia treatment in dogs
Abstract
A nine-year-old male, neutered, pug was presented for investigation of progressive ambulatory paraparesis and pelvic limb ataxia of three months' duration. Magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of caudal thoracic syringohydromyelia with an adjacent intradural arachnoid cyst. The cyst was marsupialised following dorsal laminectomy. Neurological status had improved 10 weeks following surgery when repeat magnetic resonance imaging revealed reduced spinal cord compression both as a result of resolution of the cyst and reduction in size of the syringohydromyelia. At 17 months following surgery, the dog showed further improvements in neurological status, exhibiting mild pelvic limb ataxia and proprioceptive deficits. Improved cerebrospinal fluid flow following surgery may have played a role in the improvement in both conditions. The presence of syringohydromyelia in this context does not preclude a favourable clinical outcome following surgical management.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22122126/