Senior Dogs & Surgery: A Success Story

With the advancement and growth of veterinary medicine, funding, and research over the past few decades, we're able to help pets live longer, healthier, and happier lives than ever before. One recent example: Mark, a 13 year-old male neutered Basset Hound mix. Mark was evaluated by his primary veterinarian at which time he was reluctant to put weight  on his back legs and had pain on palpation of lower back. He was prescribed carprofen, gabapentin and methocarbamol. He showed mild, but not persistent, improvement so he was referred to VNIoC. 

Dr. Mannix found Mark was weak and wobbly in his back legs with back pain. She determined the history and clinical signs were consistent with a lesion affecting the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord. An MRI revealed an intervertebral disc extrusion between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae causing compression of the spinal cord. 

Dr. Mannix operated on Mark to remove the compressive disc material and decompress the spinal cord. Mark recovered well in hospital over a few days and at discharge was walking on his own and comfortable. 

Mark’s owner reported several weeks after discharge that, “His birthday is next week and he will be 14 years old. He is doing great, even fantastic. He's recovered so quickly and well, you wouldn't even be able to tell anything was ever wrong with him other than his scars."