Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Encapsulated gas accumulation in the spinal canal: Pneumorrhachis in two dogs.
- Journal:
- The Journal of veterinary medical science
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Kimura, Shintaro et al.
- Affiliation:
- The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences · Japan
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs, a 17-year-old mixed breed and a 12-year-old Shiba Inu, were having trouble walking and were very wobbly in their back legs. It was found that they had gas trapped in their spinal canal near a herniated disc, which was causing their symptoms. To relieve the pressure on their spinal cords, surgery was done to remove the gas and some surrounding tissue. After the surgery, both dogs showed improvement and their symptoms went away. The surgery was successful, and they both recovered well without any complications.
Abstract
A 17-year-old mongrel dog and 12-year-old Shiba Inu dog presented with ataxia and paresis of the pelvic limbs, respectively. Gas accumulation within the spinal canal adjacent to the herniated disc was suspected in both cases. Since the gas remained accumulated for a prolonged period, hemilaminectomy was performed to decompress the spinal cord. The bulged external lamina of the dura matter was removed and histopathologically examined. Granulomatous inflammation and hyperplasia of fibrous connective tissues was noted, suggesting that the gas was encapsulated and the fibrous nodules made reabsorption difficult. Clinical signs resolved post-surgery. This is the first report describing histopathological features of pneumorrhachis in dogs. The accumulated gas was successfully removed by surgery. Postoperative course remained uneventful in both cases.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32779622/