Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Residual disc material after back surgery in short-legged dogs
By Roach, W J et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2012·Nashville Veterinary Specialists, United States·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Residual herniated disc material following hemilaminectomy in chondrodystrophic dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 40 chondrodystrophic dogs, which are breeds like Dachshunds and Bulldogs, underwent surgery called hemilaminectomy to treat intervertebral disc disease, a condition that can cause back pain and mobility issues. After the surgery, imaging showed that all dogs had some leftover disc material in their spine, but this did not prevent them from walking and urinating normally in the long term. The dogs were able to recover well, with many showing improvement in their mobility and overall function.
People also search for: dog back pain surgery · Dachshund intervertebral disc disease treatment · hemilaminectomy recovery in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the presence of residual disc material within the vertebral canal following hemilaminectomy in chondrodystrophic dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease. METHODS: Forty dogs were treated by hemilaminectomy. Computed tomography was performed preoperatively and immediately postoperatively. The vertebral canal height, width, area, and herniated disc material area were measured. Maximum filling percentage (MFP), residual disc percentage (RDP), maximum residual filling percentage (MRFP), and residual filling percentage (RFP) were calculated. Clinical outcome was determined by telephone interviews. RESULTS: Residual disc material was present in 100% of the dogs. Mean MFP = 55.4% (range 25.9-82.3%; median 56.9%). Mean RDP = 50.3% (range 2.6-155.8%; median 47.9%). Mean MRFP = 30.8% (range 4.9-60%; median 30.1%). Mean RFP = 19.8% (range 4.8-45%; median 19.0%). All dogs were ambulatory with voluntary urination at the long-term follow-up (range: 88-735 days). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Residual disc was present in all dogs following hemilaminectomy for intervertebral disc disease. Residual disc was not associated with failure to achieve functional recovery in these cases.
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/22286190/