Gastrointestinal complications occur in dogs with intervertebral disk herniation undergoing ventral slot...

To describe the frequency and types of gastrointestinal (GI) signs in dogs undergoing ventral slot decompression (VSD) and explore potential risk factors contributing to their development and their clinical impact during hospitalization.

This was a retrospective study of dogs diagnosed with cervical intervertebral disk herniation that underwent VSD between 2016 and 2022. Information collected included signalment, neurologic status, medications administered, anesthesia and surgery details, and documented GI signs during hospitalization. Logistic regression evaluated variables potentially predictive of GI complications.

126 dogs were included, with a median age of 8 years (range, 1 to 14 years) and median preoperative Modified Frankel score of 2 (range, 0 to 5). Gastrointestinal signs occurred in 29 of 126 dogs (23%), including diarrhea (14 of 29 [48%]), regurgitation (14 of 29 [48%]), hematochezia (5 of 29 [17%]), melena (4 of 29 [14%]), and vomiting (3 of 29 [10%]). Duration of GI signs was 1 to 2 days in 25 of 29 dogs (85%). Age was a predictor of any GI signs (OR, 0.793; 95% CI, 0.659 to 0.942), regurgitation (OR, 0.717; 95% CI, 0.528 to 0.935), and diarrhea (OR, 0.782; 95% CI, 0.605 to 0.987), with younger dogs more likely to develop signs. Perioperative steroid administration was associated with regurgitation (OR, 6.180; 95% CI, 1.159 to 41.879). No other variables were identified as significant predictors. Hospitalization length did not significantly differ between dogs with and without GI signs.

While relatively common, GI complications were self-limiting in most dogs. Younger age and perioperative corticosteroid administration might have increased the odds of development.

Findings have implications for predicting and optimizing perioperative management of GI complications in dogs with cervical intervertebral disk herniation undergoing VSD.