Postoperative symptomatic haematoma and pneumorrhachis in a dog with a thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion

A 6-year-old male neutered crossbreed dog presented with acute onset paraparesis and was diagnosed with an L1-L2 intervertebral disc extrusion. A right-sided T13-L2 hemilaminectomy was performed. However, the dog deteriorated and became paraplegic with marked thoracolumbar hyperaesthesia 48 h after surgery. A computed tomography scan of the thoracolumbar vertebral column revealed the presence of pneumorrhachis (PR) at the level of T13, possibly embedded in a haematoma, and causing marked spinal cord compression. Revision surgery confirmed the presence of a haematoma, which was removed. The dog gradually improved and was neurologically normal 6 weeks after surgery.

Although PR is a rare condition, it may be considered a possible cause for early postoperative neurological deterioration in dogs undergoing decompressive spinal surgery. Surgical revision resulted in a good outcome in the presented case.