Assessment of the usefulness of the fenestration method in cases of disc extrusion in the cervical and thoraco-lumbar spine in chondrodystrophic dogs.

The aim of this paper was to assess the effectiveness of treatment of Type I (according to Hansen) intervertebral disc extrusion using the fenestration method. The evaluated clinical material included 37 chondrodystrophic dogs in which multiple fenestration (from 2 to 6 intervertebral spaces) was performed. Dachshunds comprised 86.5% of patients. All dogs were administered corticosteroids during the operation. A mass similar to a slightly jelly-like yogurt, cottage cheese or plaster-like consistency was extracted. In one case a post-surgical pyogenic infection of the wound occured. In two cases, a deterioration in the neurological state followed the fenestration procedure of the cervical spine. In one case of thoraco-lumbar spine fenestration, a deterioration of clinical state was found. Recovery was observed after disc extrusion from the cervical spine in 8 out of 11 dogs, from the thoraco-lumbar spine in 12 out of 14 dogs with the 2nd grade clinical signs and in 11 out of 12 dogs with the 3rd grade clinical sings. In 6 dogs, recurrence of first or second grade clinical signs occurred, but only half of them had to undergo treatment. The probability of dog recovery did not depend on the degree of symptom intensity in a statistically significant way (p=0.11) or on the duration of the disease before the surgical treatment (p=0.87).

The assessment of the usefulness of hemilaminectomy without fenestration in the treatment of thoracolumbar disc disease in chondrodystrophic dogs.

The aim of the publication is to assess the effectiveness of the treatment of type I disc extrusion according to Hansen by using the method of hemilaminectomy without fenestration. The evaluated clinical material comprised 36 chondrodystrophic dogs in which 38 surgical procedures were performed. All dogs were administered corticosteroid during the operation. Dachshunds made up to 79% of patients. In 34 cases grainy mass was extracted from the vertebral canal. In two cases it was plaster-like mass and in other two--granulo-chondral. Most often (12 cases) the prolapse of the nucleus pulposus was observed between the first and second lumbar vertebra. There was one case of the postoperative pyogenic infection of the wound. Recovery was observed in all dogs with 3rd grade clinical signs, 17 out of 18 dogs with 4th grade and 8 out of 13 dogs with 5th grade of dysfunction severity. The recovery time of the dog depended in the statistically significant way on the severity of symptoms and the grade of the present disease (p<0.00005). There did not appear to be any statistically significat relationship between the recovery time and the duration of symptoms pre operatively (p=0.42), the time of non-ambulatory status (p=0.27) and the breed of the dog (p=0.81).

Distraction with bone cement plug as a treatment of caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy--report of three cases.

The aim of this report is the presentation of disc-associated caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy cases in dogs treated with the method of distraction and stabilization with the cement plug. Surgical operations were performed in 2 rottweilers and one cross-breed. In one case, two lesions were operated at the same time and in one it was a recurrence after 4 years (in the intervertebral space adjacent to the operated one--domino effect). Two cases were cured, in one the health state became worse and the patient was euthanitized. The applied method may give good clinical effects, however, some improvements could still be introduced.

The assessment of ventral cervical decompression in the treatment of prolapse of the nucleus pulposus in dogs.

The aim of the study is the assessment of treatment effectiveness of disc extrusion with the method of ventral cervical decompression (ventral slot). Surgical procedure was performed on 15 dogs--10 chondrodystrophoid and 5 achondrodystrophoid. Clinical signs and localization of lesions were similar to those reported earlier. All of the dogs, but one which died during the operation, were cured. Percentage of dogs which recovered within 7 days since the surgery is slightly higher than in the previous reports. Atypical mass of nucleus pulposus displaced to the vertebral canal is described and the observation of atypical course of worsening after fenestration is presented.