title: DORSAL LAMINECTOMY TO RELIEVE SPINAL CORD COMPRESSION IN A CAPTIVE SYRIAN BEAR (URSUS ARCTOS SYRIACUS).
abstract: A 19-yr-old captive male Syrian bear ( Ursus arctos syriacus) presented with a right hind limb lameness that progressed to nonambulatory paraparesis over the course of 2 wk. When night enclosure confinement and a short course of glucocorticoids and antibiotics did not lead to improvement, radiographs were performed, followed by cerebrospinal fluid analysis and myelography, revealing a dynamic spinal cord compression at the level of T2-T3. Dorsal laminectomy of both T2 and T3 was performed to allow decompression. The bear recovered uneventfully with first sign of neurological improvement apparent at 10 days postoperatively. Following 6 mo of rehabilitation the bear was walking and using his hind limbs normally.
authors.forename: Ariela Rosenzweig
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Büeler
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Merbl
authors.forename: Yishai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kushnir
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Itzhak
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aizenberg
authors.forename: Igal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: Einat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matalon
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Merav H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shamir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001503:Ursidae / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Dorsal laminectomy; Syrian bear; Ursus arctos syriacus; physiotherapy; spinal cord compression