Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery for spinal disc hernia in Airedale Terrier with chronic pain
By Baltzer, W I et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2012·Department of 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Surgical management of a Schmorl's node in an Airedale Terrier and review of the literature.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male Airedale Terrier was brought in for chronic spinal pain and muscle twitching in his right hind leg. After imaging tests, the vet found a Schmorl's node, which is a type of spinal defect, causing issues in the dog's lower back. The dog underwent surgery to remove the damaged disc and stabilize the area with pins and bone cement. While he had some initial difficulties moving after surgery, he showed significant improvement over the next few months and was back to normal without any neurological issues six months later.
People also search for: Airedale Terrier back pain · Schmorl's node treatment in dogs · dog spinal surgery recovery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a clinical case of Schmorl's node affecting the lumbosacral disc in an Airedale Terrier including surgical management, short-term outcome, and review of the literature. METHODS: A five-year-old male Airedale Terrier with signs of chronic spinal pain and right hindlimb muscle fasciculation was diagnosed with a Schmorl's node with computed tomography. Repeat imaging performed two months later identified enlargement of the defect in the seventh lumbar vertebra (L7) and herniation of the lumbosacral disc into the spinal canal. RESULTS: Dorsal laminectomy and discectomy were performed and the defect was treated with curettage and stabilization of the L7 and first sacral vertebra disc space with pins and bone cement. Immediately postoperatively, the patient had proprioception deficits in the hindlimbs and decreased right patellar reflex. Over the next four months the dog's neurological condition improved and no neurological or gait deficits were present six months postoperatively. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Schmorl's node may be a cause of signs of chronic pain in dogs. Successful management may be achieved surgically, although in the case reported here, recovery was prolonged. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of progressive enlargement of a Schmorl's node in a dog.
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/22286237/