Background: Ascending/descending myelomalacia (ADMM) is a severe complication of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation (TL-IVDH) in dogs.Hypothesis/Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors for ADMM in nonambulatory dogs with surgically treated TL-IVDH.Animals: Six-hundred and fifty-two client-owned dogs evaluated for TL-IVDH that underwent decompressive spinal surgery.Methods: Retrospective medical record review from February 2007 through December 2015.Results: Thirteen dogs developed ADMM, with an overall prevalence of 2.0%. The prevalence of ADMM was 0% in dogs with neurological signs graded 1 or 2 at admission or before magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or surgical procedures, 0.6% in dogs with neurological signs graded 3, 2.7% in dogs with neurological signs graded 4, and 14.5% in dogs with neurological signs graded 5. Age (<5.8 years), neurological status (grade 5), site of disk herniation (L5-L6), duration of clinical signs before becoming nonambulatory (<24 hours), detection of intramedullary T2-weighted (T2W) hyperintensity, and a T2 length ratio >4.57 were significant risk factors in the univariate analysis for development of ADMM.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The factors identified in this study may be useful for the prediction of ADMM. Multicenter studies with a higher number of dogs with ADMM are required to confirm these data.

Objectives The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and to describe the clinical and diagnostic imaging features of the different types of feline intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH). Methods Medical records and imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed for cats diagnosed with IVDH between January 2008 and October 2020. Information obtained from the clinical records included signalment, clinical presentation, the presence of spinal hyperaesthesia and neurolocalisation. Diagnostic imaging findings, including type (ie, intervertebral disc extrusion [IVDE], intervertebral disc protrusion [IVDP] or acute non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ANNPE), site and number of IVDHs, were recorded. The association between breed, age, sex, duration and severity of neurological signs, the presence of spinal pain and MRI features was evaluated. Results Forty-three cats were included. A total of 50 IVDHs were identified: 39 cats were diagnosed with a single IVDH and four with multiple IVDHs. The most common type of IVDH was ANNPE (n = 22), followed by IVDP (n = 19) and IVDE (n = 9). Neuroanatomical localisation included L4–S3 (n = 19/43), T3–L3 (n = 18/43) and C1–C5 (n = 6/43). Cats with a single IVDH were statistically significantly associated with a diagnosis of ANNPE ( P = 0.023) compared with cats with multiple IVDHs affected by IVDP ( P = 0.004). Males were more commonly affected by IVDE ( P = 0.020) and females by ANNPE ( P = 0.020). Cats with IVDP had a longer duration of clinical signs ( P <0.001) than cats with ANNPE and demonstrated milder neurological deficits ( P = 0.005). IVDEs were statistically significantly associated with spinal hyperaesthesia ( P = 0.013), while ANNPEs were not ( P = 0.014). Conclusions and relevance ANNPE, IVDP and IVDE are each associated with distinctive clinical scenarios. Thoracolumbar and mid-to-caudal lumbar regions are the most affected, followed by the cranial cervical spine segment.

Background: Recent studies have reported contrasting results of the effects of laser therapy on post-operative intervertebral disk herniation, with a lack of evidence-based advantages of this modality within a rehabilitation protocol. The aim of this study was to report the clinical effects of photobiomodulation therapy within a post-operative rehabilitation protocol in dogs submitted to surgery for thoracolumbar disk extrusion. Twenty-four dogs were included in the study (12 dogs treated with laser therapy and rehabilitation protocol and 12 dogs treated with same rehabilitation protocol but without laser therapy). Results: All dogs treated with laser therapy showed improved neurological status (Modified Frankel Score more than 3 within 30 days of physiotherapy starting) if deep nociception on admission was maintained (P = 0.04). However, Kaplan-Meier analysis did not show any statistical difference in time to regain ambulatory ability, although there was a tendency for a shorter mean time of 14.2 ± 8.55 days in the laser group versus 24 ± 18.49 days in the no laser group. Conclusions: The use of laser therapy in the post-operative rehabilitation of dogs affected by intervertebral disc extrusion and submitted to surgery for spinal decompression could help improve their neurological status.

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of and risk factors for development of postoperative diskospondylitis (POD) in dogs that underwent spinal decompression surgery for intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH). DESIGN Retrospective single cohort study. ANIMALS 372 dogs that underwent spinal decompression surgery for IVDH between January 2007 and January 2011. PROCEDURES Medical records of dogs were retrospectively reviewed. Data regarding signalment, type and anatomic site of IVDH, severity of neurologic signs, type of surgery, duration of anesthesia, esophageal temperature during surgery, and use of corticosteroid drugs were analyzed for associations with POD. RESULTS POD developed in 8 of 372 (2.2%) dogs. Univariate analysis revealed that German Shepherd Dogs had 9.8 times the odds of POD, compared with the odds for other breeds. In addition, dogs > 8.8 years of age, weighing > 20 kg (44 lb), or having disk protrusions were at higher risk of developing POD than were other dogs. The only factor that retained a significant association with POD after controlling for other factors in multivariate analysis was body weight > 20 kg. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Factors identified in this study may be useful for prediction of POD, an apparently uncommon outcome, in dogs undergoing spinal decompression surgery for IVDH. Dogs at higher risk than others, particularly those weighing > 20 kg, should be monitored carefully in the immediate postoperative period, and signs of worsening neurologic condition after initial improvement should be promptly investigated.

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