Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hemilaminectomy surgery helps small dogs with neck disc disease
By Tanaka, Hiroshi et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2005·Nakayama Veterinary Hospital, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Usefulness of hemilaminectomy for cervical intervertebral disk disease in small dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eighteen small dogs with neck pain and weakness due to cervical disc disease underwent a surgery called hemilaminectomy to relieve pressure on their spinal cords. After the surgery, most dogs showed significant improvement, with 14 of them fully recovering without any complications. One dog initially got worse but eventually returned to normal. However, three dogs had varying degrees of ongoing issues, with two experiencing a return of neck pain and one remaining slightly unsteady. Overall, hemilaminectomy proved to be an effective treatment for this condition in small dogs.
People also search for: small dog neck pain treatment · cervical disc disease surgery dogs · hemilaminectomy recovery small dogs
Abstract
Hemilaminectomy was performed to treat cervical disc disease in 18 small dogs. Cervical spinal cord compression was characterized by ventral and/or lateral compression on myelograms. The duration of follow-up examinations ranged from 2 to 72 months. The optimal response time after surgery ranged from 2 days to 3 months. The outcome was determined to be excellent if clinical signs resolved and the dog had completely improved. The outcome was determined to be good if the dog improved, but was not clinically normal or if the degree of the owner's satisfaction was insufficient. Fourteen dogs achieved complete neurologic recovery without complications. One dog was initially neurologically worse after surgery, but ultimately improved to normal neurologic status. These outcomes were judged to be excellent. In the remaining 3 dogs, 2 dogs had relapse of neck pain and one dog remained mildly ataxic. These outcomes were judged to be good. These results suggest that hemilaminectomy is an effective option for surgical treatment of spinal cord compression secondary to cervical disc disease in small dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16082115/