Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
West Highland terrier dog with hind leg weakness and spinal nerve
By Gallant, Courtney A·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2020·Atlantic Veterinary College·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Constrictive myelopathy in an 11-year-old West Highland terrier dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 11-year-old spayed female West Highland terrier was brought in for progressive weakness and unsteady back legs over the past two months. She was alert and not in pain, but had some trouble controlling her bowel movements. After imaging tests, the vet diagnosed her with constrictive myelopathy, a condition affecting the spinal cord. Instead of surgery, the dog received acupuncture, laser therapy, and physical therapy, and she has remained stable since starting treatment.
People also search for: West Highland terrier hind leg weakness · dog acupuncture for mobility · constrictive myelopathy treatment in dogs
Abstract
An 11-year-old spayed female West Highland terrier dog was evaluated because of a 2-month history of progressive hind limb weakness and ataxia. The dog was bright, alert, responsive, and showing no signs of pain but was moderately ataxic in both hind limbs, and was experiencing intermittent fecal incontinence. Computed tomography and myelogram led to a diagnosis of constrictive myelopathy secondary to thoracic caudal articular facet dysplasia. The dog was discharged without undergoing decompressive surgery, and has remained stable with a combination of acupuncture, laser therapy, and physical therapy. This condition has been reported most commonly in pugs and rarely in other dog breeds.
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/33299251/