Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Sacral fractures in dogs and their recovery outcomes
By Kuntz, C A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1995·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Sacral fractures in dogs: a review of 32 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 32 dogs with sacral fractures (breaks in the lower spine) were evaluated for any nerve damage when they were first seen and again after treatment. The dogs showed varying levels of nerve issues, with those having axial fractures (located closer to the center of the spine) experiencing more severe problems initially. While there wasn't much improvement during their hospital stay, most dogs showed significant recovery when checked later on. This suggests that while these fractures can be serious, many dogs can recover well over time with proper care.
People also search for: dog sacral fracture recovery · signs of nerve damage in dogs · treatment for dog spine injury
Abstract
Sacral fractures have not been described well in dogs. The records of 32 dogs diagnosed with sacral fractures were evaluated for neurologic deficits at presentation and discharge. Follow-up was in the form of telephone survey or physical examination at recheck. A score was assigned for each dog at presentation, discharge, and follow-up (0 for normal, 1 for minor deficits, and 2 for major deficits). Fractures located lateral to the sacral foramina were called abaxial, and those medial to the sacral foramina were called axial. Axial fractures had significantly more severe deficits at presentation (p = 0.00017) and discharge (p = 0.03063), but not at follow-up. Neurologic status did not improve significantly during hospitalization in either fracture group, but had improved significantly at follow-up.
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/7773760/