Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Steroid injection after surgery and walking time in dogs with spinal
By Natsios, Pavlos et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2025·Small Animal Surgery Clinic·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of local epidural application of methylprednisolone acetate on time to ambulation in non-ambulatory dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease: A prospective randomised, blinded control trial.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 41 dogs with severe back problems due to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) underwent surgery to relieve pressure on their spinal cords. After surgery, one group received a steroid injection (methylprednisolone acetate) while the other group received a saline solution. The dogs that received the steroid were able to walk again in an average of just 3 days, compared to 7 days for those who received saline. This suggests that using steroids during surgery may help dogs recover faster, although one dog in the steroid group did develop an infection afterward.
People also search for: dog back surgery recovery time · intervertebral disc disease treatment for dogs · steroid injection for dog back pain
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to analyse the potential benefit of the epidural application of steroids on time to ambulation in non-ambulatory dogs affected by intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) treated with decompressive surgery. METHODS: This prospective, randomised, blinded control trial involved 41 dogs with thoracolumbar disc extrusion, which were randomly allocated into two groups. In the control group, saline was locally applied after surgical decompression of the spinal cord (n = 23). In the treatment group (n = 18), local epidural application of methylprednisolone acetate (1 mg/kg) was used. Ambulation time was the primary outcome measure, defined as the ability to take 10 independent steps. RESULTS: The median number of days to ambulation was 7 days (range: 1‒17 days) for the control group and 3 days (range: 1‒8 days) for the treatment group. One dog from the treatment group developed discospondylitis and abscess formation. LIMITATIONS: The study's heterogeneity in dog breeds, ages and pre-existing health conditions could affect the generalisability of the findings. CONCLUSION: Epidural methylprednisolone acetate applied locally at the time of surgery may accelerate recovery in dogs following IVDD surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39727220/