title: [Canine intervertebral disk disease: a retrospective study of clinical outcome in 238 dogs (2003-2004)].
abstract: The aim of the study was the assessment of the prognosis of intervertebral disk diseases on the basis of a large case load with the help of currently available therapy modalities. Medical records of 238 dogs presented within 2 years (2003-2004) with neurological deficits resulting from intervertebral disk disease and surgical treatment at the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover were reviewed. 85% of the patients showed a good and 15% a poor long-term functional outcome. Both the presence of deep pain sensation and the weight of the dog were the only variables detected as having a significant impact on prognosis. The time needed to motor function improve depended on the degree of neurological deficits before surgery, and patients with a cervical lesion had a more rapid recovery than patients with a thoracolumbal disease. All other variables, including age, previous signs of intervertebral disk disease, preoperative steroid medication, a lower motor neuron involvement and durotomy did not significantly influence the outcome. Radiographic changes of the vertebral column such as spondylosis, spondylarthrosis, a narrowed disk space up to a fusion of the vertebral bodies mostly were found at the site of a removed intervertebral disk. In dogs with intervertebral disk disease evaluated in the current study a good result could be obtained after surgical decompression.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kleintiere, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover. cornelia.bull@tiho-hannover.de
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fehr
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tipold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome