Gastrointestinal (GI) complications and their clinical implications are poorly characterized in dogs treated surgically for acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (TL-IVDE). The objective of this retrospective study was to characterize GI signs (including vomiting, diarrhea, melena, and hematochezia) in dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy for acute TL-IVDE. One-hundred and sixteen dogs were included. Frequency, type and severity of GI signs during hospitalization, duration of hospitalization and outcome were obtained from the medical record. Potential risk factors for the development of GI signs were explored using univariable and multivariable analyses. Gastrointestinal signs occurred in 55/116 dogs (47%); 22/55 dogs (40%) had one episode and 21/55 (38%) had ≥5 episodes. Diarrhea was the most common (40/55, 73%) while melena was rare (1/55, 2%). GI signs developed in 8/11 dogs (73%) treated perioperatively with both non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids with or without a washout period and in 25/52 dogs (48%) treated prophylactically with proton pump inhibitors. Median hospitalization was 7 days (4–15 days) vs. 5 days (4–11 days) in dogs with or without GI signs, respectively. Duration of hospitalization was associated with development of any GI signs, diarrhea and more severe GI signs (p = 0.001, 0.005, 0.021, respectively). Pre-operative paraplegia with absent pain perception was identified on univariable analysis (p = 0.005) and longer anesthetic duration on multivariable analysis to be associated with development of more severe GI signs (p = 0.047). In dogs undergoing surgery for acute TL-IVDE, GI signs were common and associated with duration of hospitalization and anesthesia. The influence of specific medications and neurologic severity on development of GI signs requires further investigation.

Background Proton pump inhibitors are administered prophylactically in dogs treated surgically for acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (TL‐IVDE). However, their efficacy in decreasing gastrointestinal (GI) complications is unknown. Hypothesis Omeprazole does not decrease the frequency of GI complications compared to placebo in dogs treated surgically for acute TL‐IVDE. Animals Thirty‐seven client‐owned dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy for acute TL‐IVDE. Methods Randomized double‐blinded placebo‐controlled prospective clinical trial. Dogs received PO placebo or omeprazole at 1 mg/kg q12h for 5 days during hospitalization. Development of GI signs (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, regurgitation, hematochezia, melena) was recorded daily. Clinicopathologic testing performed during hospitalization and at 2 and 4‐week re‐evaluations included: fecal occult blood, PCV, blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio, fecal calprotectin, canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity and fecal alpha‐1 proteinase inhibitor concentrations. Omeprazole and placebo groups were compared using chi‐squared or Fisher's exact tests. Results Gastrointestinal signs developed in 10/20 (50%) dogs in the omeprazole group and in 7/17 (41%) dogs in the placebo group ( P = .59). Diarrhea was common (8/20 omeprazole, 5/17 placebo), hematochezia was rare (1/20 omeprazole, 1/17 placebo); melena was not observed. Clinicopathologic evidence suggestive of bleeding was present in 9/20 dogs treated with omeprazole and in 11/17 dogs that received placebo ( P = .23). Fecal occult blood positivity was more common in dogs with GI signs ( P = .03). Canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity was higher during hospitalization compared to re‐evaluations ( P = .01). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Short‐term, prophylactic omeprazole treatment did not decrease clinically detectable GI complications in dogs with acute TL‐IVDE.

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