Myelographic diagnosis and results of surgical treatment of caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy in dogs: a retrospective study (2000–2010)

Abstract

The outcomes of six different surgical techniques of caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy treatment in dogs with static and dynamic spinal cord compressions were assessed. Out of 425 dogs with cervical spine diseases, caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy was diagnosed in 69 dogs. Dynamic myelographic study was performed in 48 of them as a diagnostic method necessary for choosing the appropriate technique of surgical treatment. Twenty-five out of the 48 dogs underwent surgery. The best results of the surgical treatment of static compression were achieved with a ventral slot (89% of the nine surgical interventions) with partial improvement 48 h after surgery and marked improvement 8 weeks after surgery. For dynamic compressions, vertebral traction and stabilization with intervertebral washer plus vertebral body screws and polymethylmethacrylate bridge was found to be the most successful surgical treatment with significant improvement in 62% of the thirteen surgical interventions 8 weeks after surgery. In 5 dogs (20%), two intervertebral spaces with caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy were surgically treated. Recurrence was observed in 6 dogs (24%) after the mean period of 20 months (5 to 44 months) after surgery. Direct ventral slot decompression could be recommended for clinical cases of the caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy with static compression, and intervertebral washer plus vertebral body screws and polymethylmethacrylate bridge for dogs with dynamic compression, respectively. Our findings refer to the results of surgical treatment in a relatively large number of dogs with caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy and can help surgeons to choose an effective surgical method of treatment in dogs with wobbler syndrome based on dynamic myelographic study findings.