Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pain in cavalier King Charles spaniels linked to syrinx size
By Rusbridge, C et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2007·Stone Lion Veterinary Centre, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Syringomyelia in cavalier King Charles spaniels: the relationship between syrinx dimensions and pain.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 55 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with syringomyelia (a condition where fluid-filled cavities form in the spinal cord) was studied to understand the relationship between the size of these cavities and the pain the dogs experienced. It was found that larger syrinxes, especially those affecting the upper part of the spinal cord, were linked to more severe pain and behaviors like scratching and abnormal posture. This suggests that the pain these dogs feel may be due to nerve damage, which might not respond well to standard pain medications.
People also search for: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pain treatment · syringomyelia symptoms in dogs · dog scratching behavior causes
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that pain associated with syringomyelia in dogs is dependent upon size and involvement of the dorsal part of the spinal cord. METHODS: Masked observers determined syrinx dimensions and precise location within the spinal cord on magnetic resonance images of 55 cavalier King Charles spaniels with syringomyelia. After removal of masking, syrinx size and location were compared between the cohorts of dogs that exhibited pain with those that did not. RESULTS: Maximum syrinx width was the strongest predictor of pain, scratching behaviour and scoliosis in dogs with syringomyelia. Both pain and syrinx size were positively correlated with syrinxes located in the dorsal half of the spinal cord. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Large syrinxes associated with damage to the dorsal part of the spinal cord are associated with persistent pain suggesting that the pain behaviour expressed by this group of patients is likely to be "neuropathic pain," resulting from disordered neural processing in the damaged dorsal horn. As such it is likely that conventional analgesic medication may be ineffective.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17608656/