Case report: Double adjacent ventral slot in two medium-sized breed dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Neurology
• Comparative Medicine
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) is a common cause of acute neurologic deficits in dogs.
• Cervical IVDD can lead to severe neurological impairment, requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment.
• Surgical spinal decompression is crucial for managing severe IVDD cases.

Observation:

• Two medium-sized, 7-year-old dogs presented with acute neurologic symptoms indicative of cervical IVDD.
• Computed tomography (CT) revealed cervical pathology, including single extensive and multiple-site disk herniations.
• One dog had a single extensive herniation with possible epidural hemorrhage; the other had multiple-site herniations.

Findings:

• Surgical intervention using ventral slots and fenestration provided effective spinal decompression.
• The Shar-Pei underwent C4-C5, C5-C6 ventral slots and C3-C4 fenestration for single extensive herniation.
• The beagle received C5-C6 and C6-C7 double adjacent ventral slots for multiple-site herniation.

Implications:

• Both dogs experienced uneventful recoveries and remained symptom-free for a 2-year follow-up.
• This report highlights the efficacy of ventral slot decompression for cervical IVDD in medium-sized dogs.
• The double adjacent ventral slot technique is presented as a novel treatment for multiple-site spinal cord compression in dogs.