21 May 2021
Stuart Brown performed a hemilaminectomy on six year-old dachshund to remove extruded disc material and relieve pressure on the spinal cord.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
A dachshund has been saved from becoming paralysed after vets at a Burton-on-Trent practice performed a life-changing surgery that saved its ability to walk.
Six-year-old Daisy’s owners feared she would lose her ability to walk, but expert surgery at the West Midlands clinic kept her on her feet.
Stuart Brown, surgeon at West Midlands Veterinary Referrals, was able to complete the delicate surgery after Daisy was brought in by the Animal Ambulance Service.
Dr Brown said: “Daisy came to us suffering from pain in the thoracolumbar area towards the base of her spine and an inability to coordinate her hindlegs.
“A CT scan confirmed Daisy had IVDD [intervertebral disc disease] and had suffered a type 1 disc extrusion with calcified disc material in the vertebral canal causing compression of the spinal cord.
“The only course of action was surgery, and we performed a hemilaminectomy, which enabled us to remove the extruded disc material to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord.“
Dr Brown added: “Surgery went very well, and immediately afterwards Daisy was comfortable, was consciously moving her limbs and her prognosis for a good, functional recovery is very good.
“She will now undergo ongoing physiotherapy, and possibly hydrotherapy, to complete her recovery and we’re hoping she could regain as much as 90% of her mobility.”
