Thoracolumbar and Lumbrosacral Disc Disease

Thoracolumbar and lumbrosacral disc disease can be associated with pain and with signs of neurological disturbance causing lameness, weakness, paralysis and sometimes incontinence. Surgical procedures routinely performed include hemilaminectomy and minihemilaminectomy for thoracolumbar disc extrusion +/- stabilisation in cases of protrusion and dorsal laminectomy for decompression +/- stabilisation for lumbrosacral disease. Intensive care nursing facilities and a dedicated surgical nursing team provide 24 hour care for spinal patients.

Dachshund presenting with paraplegia (paralysis of both pelvic limbs). A myelogram was performed involving injection of a dye around the spinal cord. This revealed a disc extrusion at L3/L4 (yellow arrow). A hemilaminectomy was performed at this site and extruded disc material removed. The dog made a complete recovery.