Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with neck pain and Chiari-like malformation treated by surgery
By Dewey, Curtis W et al.·Published in Compendium (Yardley, PA)·2009·Cornell University., United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case report --surgical stabilization of a craniocervical junction abnormality with atlanto-occipital overlapping in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old male neutered Pomeranian was suffering from severe pain that didn't improve with various medications. After imaging tests, the vet discovered a Chiari-like malformation and overlapping of the skull and spine, which is a serious condition. The dog underwent surgery to relieve pressure on the brain and stabilize the spine, using a technique adapted from human medicine. Following the surgery, the dog's pain significantly improved, and he was able to reduce his pain medications over the next few months.
People also search for: Pomeranian severe pain treatment · dog Chiari-like malformation surgery · atlanto-occipital junction stabilization in dogs
Abstract
A 3-year-old male neutered Pomeranian presented with severe, poorly localizable pain that was unresponsive to a combination of oral medications (gabapentin, tramadol, prednisone, and methocarbamol) and a fentanyl patch. A Chiari-like malformation with associated syringomyelia was evident on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, overlapping of the dorsal arch of C1 and the dorsal aspect of the foramen magnum was suspected from the MRI scans and verified via computed tomography, suggesting a condition similar to basilar invagination/impression in people. At surgery, a combination of foramen magnum decompression with cranioplasty and stabilization of the atlanto-occipital junction was performed. The atlanto-occipital junction was stabilized using an adaptation of a procedure used in people for basilar invagination/impression. Over the next several months, the dog's clinical signs improved dramatically, allowing substantial reduction of oral pain medications. This is the first report of surgical stabilization for atlanto-occipital overlapping in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23710494/