Case Report: Two adjacent ventral slots for treatment of multiple compressive cervical intervertebral disc protrusions in a British Shorthair cat

Abstract

An 8-year, 10-month-old female spayed British Shorthair cat was referred for progressive tetraparesis. At presentation, the cat was non-ambulatory with left-sided hemiparesis Cervical magnetic resonance imaging showed presence of extradural disc material causing moderate spinal cord compression at C3-C4 and C4-C5 levels, and mild compression at C5-C6 level. A double ventral slot surgery was performed at the C3-C4 and C4-C5 levels. Following an initial neurological deterioration, the cat made a steady recovery and was fully ambulatory 10 days postoperatively. At the 12-month follow-up, the cat showed only mild left pelvic limb monoparesis. Intervertebral disc disease is still rarely reported in cats, compared to other species. This report describes the use of two adjacent ventral slots to manage multilevel compressive cervical intervertebral disc disease in a British Shorthair cat, with its 12-month follow-up.