• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2003

Fifteen dogs with clinical signs of paraparesis, paraplegia and urinary dysfunction were referred to Veterinary Medical leaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University. According to physical and neurologic examination, survey radiograph and myelography, these patients were diagnosed as thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease. All of them were treated with medical (prednisolone or carprofen, antibiotics), acupuncture (Ji Zhong, Bai Hui, Zhong Shu, Pang Guang Shu, Zu San Li, Huan Tiao) and physical therapy (hydrotherapy, thermotherapy, massage, manipulation, swimming). Of twelve patients were recovered of neurologic deficits within 21 days after the onset of treatment. However, three dogs were not resolved, which were found to have other spinal cord disease concomitantly. All of patients showed normal urination after treatment. Until 21 months after treatment, there were no recurrence in twelve patients. This study indicated that the conservative therapy could be effectively managed in paraparesis or paraplegia and urinary dysfunction which caused by intervertebral disc disease.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.863-868
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• 1995

Electroacupuncture therapy was performed in 2 dogs with thoracolumbar disc disease. Case was a 3-year-old female chihuahua with a calcified disc between the 13th thoracic and 1st lumbar vertebrae. Treatment was done by electroacupuncture at San sho yu, Shen yu, Huan tiao and Fu yang-San yin jiao with the current of 0.5~8 volts, 30 Hz for 30 min. She could pass feces and urine 2 days, and walk 9 days after the beginning of the therapy. Case 2 Was a 6-year-old male cocker spaniel with 4 calcified discs(T12-T13, T13-L1, L2-L3 and L6-L7) and spondylosis(lumbosacral junction). Treatment was done by electroacupuncture at Tian ping, Bai hui and Pung kung yu with the current of 2~4 volts, 30 Hz for 20 min. He could pass feces 6 days, urine 8 days, and stand 21 days, after the beginning of the therapy.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 2019

Five paraplegic dogs were diagnosed with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease with more than 50% compression of spinal cord. Because the lesions were determined to be disc extrusion on magnetic resonance imaging, a hemilaminectomy was initially performed, however, protruded discs were confirmed during surgery. To remove the protruded disc, modified partial lateral corpectomy (mini-PLC) was additionally performed. All dogs recovered to full ambulation within a median of 44 days without temporary deterioration or vertebral instability. Mini-PLC as described here enables successful removal of the protruded disc, while preserving vertebral stability in dogs for whom the use of hemilaminectomy is inevitable.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of percutaneous endoscopic foraminotomy (PEF) for the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation of the thoracolumbar spine in large-breed dogs by comparing it with open hemilaminectomy (OH). Six large-breed canine cadavers were used in the present study. A barium and agarose mixture (BA-gel) simulating intervertebral disc herniation was injected into the spinal canal at two intervertebral spaces (T12-T13, L2-L3) of the thoracolumbar spine in each cadaver. PEF and OH were randomly allocated to the sites in each cadaver. Computed tomography was performed pre- and postoperatively. The incision length, vertebral window size, procedure time, and amount of simulated disc material removed were recorded to compare PEF and OH. Both procedures clearly exposed the simulated disc material and spinal cord. The size of the incision and vertebral window created after PEF was much smaller than those after OH. The surgical duration of PEF was longer than that of OH. However, no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in the amount of BA-gel removed between PEF and OH. Thus, PEF could be used as an effective surgical option for intervertebral disc herniation of the thoracolumbar region in large-breed dogs in that it could lead to less tissue damage as well as sufficient removal of the simulated disc material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.219-219
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• 2009

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.603-609
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• 2019

Objective : The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine which of the proximal adjacent segment disease (ASD) and distal ASD was more prevalent and what parameters is more related to ASD in proximal levels and distal levels after more than 2 levels fusions. Methods : The medical records were reviewed retrospectively for 856 cases. A total of 66 cases of ASD were enrolled. On preop magnetic resonance imaging, disc degeneration was measured at the upper and lower parts of surgically treated levels and confirmed by the commonly used Pfirrmann grade. Segmental flexibility in sagittal plane was embodied in segment range of motion (ROM) obtained through flexion and extension X-ray before surgery. Coronal angle was recorded as methods Cobb's angle including fusion levels preoperatively. For the comparison of categorical variables between two independent groups, the chi-square test and Fisher exact test were performed. Results : Proximal ASD and distal ASD were 37/856 (4.32%) and 29/856 (3.39%), respectively. The incidence of proximal ASD was relatively high but insignificant differences. In comparison between ASD group and non ASD group, proximal Pfirmman was higher in proximal ASD and distal Pfirmman was higher in distal ASD group (p=0.005, p<0.008, respectively). However, in the ROM, proximal ROM was higher in proximal ASD, but distal ROM was not different between the two groups (p<0.0001, p=0.995, respectively). Coronal angle was not quite different in both groups (p=0.846). Conclusion : In spite of higher frequency in ASD in proximal level in spinal fusion, it is not clear that incidence of ASD in proximal level is not higher than that of distal ASD group in more than 2 level thoracolumbar fusions. Not only Pfirrmann grade but also proximal segmental ROM is risk factor for predicting the occurrence of ASD in patients more than 2 level of thoracolumbar spine fusion operation excluding L5S1.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.529-532
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• 2008

The object of this study was to evaluate the durations from onset of neurological sign until surgery and regaining of the deep pain perception (DPP) after decompression as prognostic indicators for the outcome of decompression surgery in dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). The compression lesions in the thoracolumbar vertebrae were localized by plain radiograph, computed tomography and neurological examination in 28 dogs with hindlimb paralysis. The follow up was carried out for 6 months after laminectomy. During the follow up, regaining DPP and walking ability were evaluated. Improvement to normal or paretic gait after surgery was judged as success of the surgical treatment.The success rate of surgical treatment was 70 % (7 out of 10 dogs) when surgical intervention was carried out within 24 hours but 38.9 % (7 out of 18) over 24 hours (P<0.05). The success rate of surgical treatment was 87.5 % (14 out of 16 dogs) when DDP was regained within 5 weeks after surgery but there was 0 % (0 out of 12 dogs) when DDP was not regained within 5 weeks after surgery (P<0.05). Other parameters such as compression rate in CT scan and laminectomy methods did not related with the success of the surgery. These results suggested that the time of surgery after onset and duration of regaining of DPP after decompression were useful parameter to predict the success of surgical treatment for thoracolumbar disc herniation in dogs.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.52.1-52.11
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• 2020

Background: Intradural-intramedullary intervertebral disc extrusion (IIVDE) is a rare condition of intervertebral disc disease. However, the diagnosis of IIVDE is challenging because the prognosis and imaging characteristics are poorly characterized. Objectives: We aimed to describe the clinical and imaging characteristics of tentatively diagnosed IIVDE in dogs to assess the prognostic utility of neurological grade and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Methods: Twenty dogs were included in this retrospective cohort study. Results: Nonchondrodystrophic breeds (n = 16) were more predisposed than chondrodystrophic breeds. Most dogs showed acute onset of clinical signs. Neurological examination at admission showed predominant non-ambulatory paraparesis (n = 9); paresis (n = 16) was confirmed more frequently than paralysis (n = 4). Follow-up neurological examination results were only available for 11 dogs, ten of whom showed neurological improvement and 8 showed successful outcomes at 1 month. The characteristic MRI findings include thoracic vertebra (T)2 hyperintense, T1 hypointense, intramedullary linear tracts with reduced disc volume, and cleft of the annulus fibrosus. None of the MRI measurements were significantly correlated with neurological grade at admission. Neurological grade did not differ according to the presence of parenchymal hemorrhage, parenchymal contrast enhancement, and meningeal contrast enhancement. Neurological grades at admission showed a statistical correlation with those observed at the 1-month follow-up (r = 0.814, p = 0.02). Conclusions: IIVDE is a rare form of disc extrusion commonly experienced after physical activity or trauma and most frequently affects the cranial-cervical and thoracolumbar regions of nonchondrodystrophic dog breeds. Neurological score at admission emerged as a more useful prognostic indicator than MRI findings in dogs with suspected IIVDE.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.235-239
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• 2022

A 10-year-old neutered male Siberian Husky presented with paraparesis and severe lethargy. On physical examination, the patient was unable to weight-bear and walk and exhibited significant muscle mass loss in both hindlimbs and generalized truncal alopecia with a dull coat of hair. On neurological examination, cranial lumbar vertebral pain, hind limb cross-extensor reflex, delayed hindlimb postural reaction, upper motor neuron bladder dysfunction, and total absence of cutaneous trunci reflex were identified. Computed tomography revealed diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis and spondylosis deformans of the cervical and thoracolumbar vertebrae. In addition, a generalized decrease in bone mineral density of the vertebrae was identified. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperplasia of the epidural fat compressing the spinal cord in the thoracolumbar region and concurrent mild multiple intervertebral disc herniations. No specific findings were observed in cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Blood analysis of thyroid function revealed decreased total T4 and free T4 levels, and increased TSH levels. The patient was tentatively diagnosed with spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) secondary to hypothyroidism. The patient was treated with levothyroxine, firocoxib, and gabapentin. Clinical signs gradually improved, and the patient showed normal ambulation 40 days after treatment initiation. SEL is extremely rare in dogs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of SEL secondary to hypothyroidism that was treated conservatively. Secondary SEL can be sufficiently managed by treating the underlying cause, if possible.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.713-717
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• 2010

Outcomes of non-surgical and surgical treatments for thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) are well-reported. However, little is known regarding the outcome for treatments of cervical IVDD. This study systematically reviewed the outcomes in dogs with cervical IVDD that were managed non-surgically and surgically. Clinical success rates for surgical treatment were significantly higher (100%) than for non-surgical treatment (51.4%). In the non-surgical treatment group, clinical success rates were negatively correlated with spinal cord compression rates. Based on the results of this study, surgical treatment is deemed more effective than non-surgical treatment for dogs with cervical IVDD. Also, the degree of spinal cord compression on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is a useful prognostic indicator before non-surgical treatment.