title: Surgical decompression in dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease and loss of deep pain perception: A retrospective study of 46 cases.
abstract: The case details and outcome after surgical decompression of 46 dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease with loss of deep pain perception prior to surgery were reviewed. Nineteen dogs (41.3%) recovered with a median follow-up period of 12.5 months. Recovery was defined as an ambulatory paraparesis, or better, with urinary and fecal continence. There was a better outcome in dogs with loss of deep pain for less than 24 hours prior to surgery (19/41; 46.3% recovered) than in dogs without deep pain perception for more than 24 hours (0/5; 0% recovered). Dogs with deep pain perception present at two weeks postoperatively had significantly higher success rate (8/12; 66.7% recovered) than dogs without deep pain perception at this time period (1/10; 10.0% recovered). The return of deep pain perception by two weeks postoperatively can be a useful positive prognostic indicator.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Studies - Philadelphia, 3900 Delancey St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010, USA.
authors.forename: Outi M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Puerto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000145:classification / Q000662:veterinary*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies