CANINE CHEMONUCLEOLYSIS |
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| Authors: | Matthew A O Atilola DVM MS Joe P Morgan DVM vet med dr Cleta Sue Bailey DVM PhD Takayoshi Miyabayashi BVS MS |
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| Institution: | Department of Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616;Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616. |
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| Abstract: | Lumbar and cervical chemonucleolysis was evaluated on 16 clinically normal adult Beagle dogs in two age groups, using chymopapain at dose rates of 200 and 500 units (U). Lumbar discs injections in four discs were made transcutaneously under fluoroscopic guidance, and cervical disc injections in four discs were made after surgical exposure. Postinjection radiographs revealed a progressive narrowing of the disc spaces, first noted 24 hours after injection. Gross examination of the discs at 1-, 2-, 4-, and 8-day intervals showed a time-dependent change, with no detectable difference between the two doses and age groups. The overall rate of successful chemonucleolysis was 82.4% in the cervical discs and 78% in the lumbar discs. Clinically, the dogs showed minimal evidence of pain and no detectable postural abnormality following chemonucleolysis. |
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| Keywords: | chemonucleolysis canine intervertebral discs cervical lumbar |
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