Case 26: Hemilaminectomy & disc fenestration
BESS Cocker Spaniel, Female(n), 5 Years
Previous History; 06/02/08; Sudden onset ataxia & dragging hind legs, especially left hind, pain over thoracic area, progressed to paraplegia through course of day.
Myelogram revealed narrowing & calcification og intervertebral disc space, with narrowing of spinal cord at Thoracic 11-12.
An emergency left sided hemilaminectomy and disc fenestration was performed where a significant volume of mineralised disc material was removed. Remained hospitalised for 3 days post-operatively, until voluntary urination was observed, discharged with strict cage confinement & controlled lead exercise using a sling for 4 weeks.
18/03/08; Slight ataxia, worse on left hind, & tends to sink down on hind legs due to muscle wastage & nerve damage.
Proprioception is slightly slower on left hind, and tends to hold left leg laterally.
Treadmill; 1.0 k/h 15 minutes
20/03/08; Treadmill; 1.0 k/h 1 minute
1.2 k/h 1 minute
1.4 k/h 4 minutes
1.6 k/h 3 minutes
1.8 k/h 4 minutes
Doing fantastically well! Appears weaker on right hind than left, but ‘throws’ left leg out more laterally.
On lead walking Bess in very ataxic & wobbly, & tends to throw her hind legs forward in a slightly uncontrolled manner.
On treadmill walking, Bess concentrates on placing her feet so appears less ataxic, less wobbly, and more ‘normal’.
25/03/08; Treadmill; 1.2 k/h 1 minute
1.4 k/h 1 minute
1.6 k/h 4 minutes
1.8 k/h 4 minutes
1.8 k/h 4 minutes 5 % incline
27/03/08; Treadmill; 1.2 k/h 1 minute
1.6 k/h 2 minutes
1.8 k/h 3 minutes
1.8 k/h 2 minutes 5 % incline
2.0 k/h 6 minutes ‘’
2.0 k/h 1.5 minutes
2.0 k/h 4 minutes 5 % incline
2.2 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes 10 % incline
2.4 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
04/04/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute
(film footage) 1.8 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.4 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
08/04/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute
1.8 k/h 1 minute 5 % incline
1.8 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.4 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.6 k/h 1 minute ‘’
2.8 k/h 1 minute ‘’
Doing amazingly well, muscle development over pelvis area and both hind legs, walking is much more controlled.
14/04/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute
1.8 k/h 2 minutes 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 1 minute ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.4 k/h 1 minute ‘’
2.6 k/h 4 minutes ‘’
2.8 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
16/04/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 2 minutes 10 % incline
1.8 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.0 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.4 k/h 5 minutes ‘’
2.6 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.8 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
18/04/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 2 minutes 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.4 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.6 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.8 k/h 4 minutes ‘’
21/4/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.4 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.6 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.8 k/h 4 minutes ‘’
Sudden significant increase in muscle bulk in both hind legs, due to intensity & frequency of treadmills, walking much better even on shiny floors, except when excited, then becomes wobbly.
23/04/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.4 k/h 10 minutes ‘’
29/04/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.6 k/h 10 minutes ‘’
Doing very well, still slightly wobbly on normal walking (over excitable), good on straight line walking, and excellent on treadmill. Still tends to throw right hind occasionally. Good muscle increase.
02/05/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.6 k/h 10 minutes ‘’
06/05/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 2 minutes ‘’
2.2 k/h 3 minutes ‘’
2.6 k/h 10 minutes ‘’
08/05/08; Treadmill; 1.6 k/h 1 minute 10 % incline
2.0 k/h 12 minutes ‘’
Owner going to
Check up when get back, but signed off for now.