Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Young dog with urinary incontinence and hind leg weakness
By A. Uriarte & A. McElroy·Published in Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery·2020·Neurology-Neurosurgery, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, 200 Westboro Rd., North Grafton, MA 01536, United States, NL·View original on DOAJ →
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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Occult tethered cord syndrome in the canine: Microsurgical resection of the filum terminale
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old male Spinone Italiano was brought in because he was having trouble controlling his urine, was frequently needing to go outside, and showed weakness in his back legs, along with signs of pain in his lower back. After tests showed no clear issues with his bladder or spine, the vet suspected he might have a condition called occult tethered cord syndrome, where the spinal cord is abnormally attached. The vet performed surgery to release the tethering, and within five weeks, the dog's leg weakness and back pain improved significantly, with a marked improvement in his urinary control. At a follow-up ten months later, the owner reported that the dog continued to do well and seemed much more comfortable.
People also search for: puppy urinary incontinence treatment · Spinone Italiano hind leg weakness · dog back pain surgery recovery
Abstract
A 5-month-old male Spinone Italiano dog presented with progressive urinary incontinence, pollakiuria, hind limb weakness and the impression of lumbosacral pain not responsive to medical treatment. Based on non-diagnostic bladder structure, urinalysis, and no obvious spinal pathology on lumbosacral MRI, the constellation of symptoms was suspicious for occult tethered cord syndrome. A standard L7-S1 laminectomy was performed to detether the filum terminale. By 5 weeks post-op the dog’s hind limb weakness and lumbosacral pain had resolved, and urinary incontinence was markedly improved. At 10 months post-op the owner reported continued improvement of the urinary incontinence and improved behavior to suggest significant pain relief. In a young dog with progressive urinary incontinence, orthopedic or neurological dysfunction with no structural neurological or urogenital abnormalities, a hypothesis of occult tethered cord syndrome should be discussed. If the condition is progressive and no medical response is obtained, a detethering of the filum terminale is a viable option.
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 DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inat.2020.100744