CLINICAL AND IMAGING CORRELATIONS IN PHYSICAL REHABILITATION OF DOGS WITH THORACOLUMBAR INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DISEASE

Intervertebral disc disease is a common cause of neurological dysfunctions in dogs. Approximately 2% of the canine population suffers from disc disease. During the last 60 years, intervertebral disc herniation has been the focus of significant research aiming to describe and understand this debilitating condition and to improve imaging, therapeutic and physical recovery options for clinical patients. The chance of recovery of sick animals is in particularly, closely related to the degree of neurological deficits and imaging test results. In this study, 14 dogs diagnosed with thoraco-lumbar intervertebral disc disease were submited to a physiotherapeutic program. After this medical attendance, 8 dogs showed a complete recovery (57.14%) and 3 dogs had no clinical change (21.42%). Motor deficiencies severity was directly proportional with degree of spinal cord compression identified by myelography image and the degree of functional recovery was influenced by the chronicity of the condition. Recovery period in patients with mineralization of the intervertebral disc in several areas was directly proportional to the number of degenerated intervertebral discs and the period of recovery was much less influenced by the number of disks compared to the previous existence of other episodes paraparetic undiagnosed.