Case report: Traumatic hemorrhagic cervical myelopathy in a dog

• DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1260719
• Publication Date: 2023-10-05T11:30:33Z
• Authors: Koen M. Santifort; Ines Carrera; Simon Platt
• Keywords: Ataxic Gait; Neurological examination

A 1.5-year-old female entire French bulldog was referred for neurological evaluation, further diagnostic tests, and treatment 24 h after a road traffic accident. Initial emergency treatment, stabilization had been performed by the referring veterinarian. Neurological examination revealed severe spastic non-ambulatory tetraparesis consistent with C1-5 myelopathy. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study an irregular to elongated ovoid intramedullary lesion centered over body of C2. The showed marked signal heterogeneity central T2W T2* hyperintense region, surrounded hypointense rim on both sequences. appeared heterogeneously T1W hypointense. asymmetric (right-sided), affecting white gray matter. C2-3 intervertebral disk moderately degenerate Pfirrmann grade 3. No evidence vertebral fracture or luxation found radiographs MRI column. Additional soft tissue abnormalities in area right brachial plexus were suggestive muscle injury. diagnosis traumatic hemorrhagic myelopathy at level C2 concurrent injury formed. Conservative elected consisted physiotherapy, bladder care indwelling urinary catheter, repeated IV methadone based pain scoring (0.2 mg/kg), oral meloxicam 0.1 mg/kg q24h, gabapentin 10 q8h. dog discharged 4 days, catheter medication as described. replaced two times veterinarian finally removed days. Thereafter, voluntary urination seen. During 2 months accident, slow recovery motor function thoracic limb progressed more slowly than left limb, also showing some lower neuron signs during follow-up. This judged be right-sided reported ambulatory mild residual ataxia monoparesis last follow-up 3 post-injury. case report highlights MRI-based dog. fair short-term outcome achieved conservative this case.