Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and progression of spinal cord death in dogs after disc injury
By Castel, A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2017·College of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Clinical Characteristics of Dogs with Progressive Myelomalacia Following Acute Intervertebral Disc Extrusion.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 51 dogs, including many Dachshunds, showed signs of a serious condition called progressive myelomalacia (PMM) after experiencing a back injury from a slipped disc. Symptoms could appear right away or up to five days later, but most dogs developed signs within 48 hours and sadly, many were euthanized within just a few days due to the rapid progression of the disease. The study found that dogs with mid-to-caudal lumbar disc issues might be at a higher risk for developing PMM. Unfortunately, this condition is severe and often leads to a quick decline in health.
People also search for: dog back injury symptoms · Dachshund myelomalacia signs · dog slipped disc treatment
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Progressive myelomalacia (PMM) is a catastrophic disease associated with acute intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE). Published data on the clinical characteristics of this disease are limited. OBJECTIVE: To describe the onset and progression of clinical signs of PMM in a large case cohort. ANIMALS: Fifty-one dogs, 18 with histopathologically confirmed PMM, 33 presumptively diagnosed based on clinical signs and diagnostic imaging. METHODS: Retrospective study. Dogs with confirmed IVDE and either a histopathologic diagnosis of PMM or a high clinical suspicion were identified by medical record search. Data on nature and progression of signs were extracted. RESULTS: Twenty-four of 51 dogs were Dachshunds. T12-T13 was the most common site of disc extrusion (12 of 56), and 18 of 55 of mid-to-caudal lumbar discs (between L3 and L6) were affected. Onset of PMM signs ranged from present at first evaluation (17/51) to 5 days after presentation, with 25 of 51 cases developing signs within 48 hours. Progression of signs from onset of PMM to euthanasia or death, excluding 7 cases euthanized at presentation, ranged from 1 to 13 days with 23 being euthanized within 3 days. Nonspecific systemic signs were documented in 30 of 51 dogs. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The majority of dogs developed PMM within 2 days of presentation and was euthanized within another 3 days. However, onset can be delayed up to 5 days after presentation with progression to euthanasia taking as long as 2 weeks. Mid-to-caudal lumbar discs might be associated with an increased risk of PMM.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28961348/