Severed Spinal Chords

[gajo]

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The topic on premature deaths got me thinking about whippets dying/ being euthanased because of a severed spinal chord. We lost a bitch 5 or so years ago after she severed her spinal chord whilst running around in a run. There was no apparent external trauma, though was totally paralysed from the miidle of the spine down. I've heard of this happening to 1 or 2 others in Australia over the years. Have others also heard of this?

 

[silas]

Haven't heard of any. Must have been a nightmare for you.

There may be something turn up in the survey on premature deaths.

Will let you know.

 

[Seraphina]

I have not heard about this either. Surely, to sever a spinal cord the dog would have to break it's back??? Maybe ILKC could comment.

Lida

 

[ILoveKettleChips]

Never heard of this ... sound a bit odd to me, there would surely need to be enough trauma to disrupt the vertebrae ... so how it could happen spomtaneously, I don't understand. :unsure:

 

[gajo]

The bitch was approx 10 months old at the time and was obviously running - though in a restricted space. I'm sure we have heard of the rare, but tragic, stories of people slipping down a stair/out of the bath/ etc.. and falling in a way that caused them to become paraplegic/ quadreplegic (sp). Our vet xrayed her and advised us that she had severed her spinal cord. We still have the xrays somewhere I think. If I can find them I will try to scan them and post them for you. Lida- check with Pat if you like- she saw the xrays- was her vet too and she spoke to him- and she has heard of this happening, rarely of course, to other whippets.

 

[bappit]

Had something similiar happen with lurcher bitch few years ago, she was from a rescue pound (got her when her time was up and she remained unclaimed), so had no real history other than where she was found straying. She was of the larger greyhound/deerhound type cross, and estimated at around 6 years old.

Anyway, when she'd settled down to her life with us she was very biddable so was trusted to nip out to the garden for her last pee of the evening, exept for one night when something I did'nt see (rabbit/cat?) caught her eye, and she gave chase, I reckoned whatever it was had a good chance of escape as it had had a good start when the door to the garden was opened and although she was a "jumper" she had never attempted the high wall in the direction she was headed. As it was so dark I dont know if she tried to jump it and miscalculated or run into it at speed, but she was in a great deal of pain and could'nt move her rear end, I did get her back into the house and called the vet who advised leaving her to rest if there was no sign of any other injury, and if she was no better in the morning bringing her in. She was no better and was admitted to the vets for x-ray, several different images were taken - none showed any damage to the vertebrae, and it was suggested that perhaps wait and see would be an option, however after four days at the vets surgery with no sign of recovering any rear movement I took the vet's advice that she had suffered enough.

I still dont know if I should have demanded more tests or called it a day sooner.

 

[Seraphina]

  x-ray, several different images were taken - none showed any damage to the vertebrae, 

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Was the spinal cord severed?

Lida

 

[dessie]

I know of two dogs who broke their backs, severing the spinal cord. One was a Whippet out on exercise and ran into another one and the other was a mongrel who tripped down some steps in the back garden. Both were pts

I have sometimes had this conversation with my Vet, who is an orthopaedic specialist, because my two greatest fears are my Whippets either fracturing a limb so badly that amputation would be answer (and there is no way I could own a 3 legged dog) or running into one another/something and breaking a back.

Her answer always is that she can repair ANYTHING (it might cost but everything is repairable) unless the spinal cord is severed and then you can repair the bones but you would never regain mobility. So it obviously does happen.

 

[Seraphina]

I know of two dogs who broke their backs, severing the spinal cord.  One was a Whippet out on exercise and ran into another one and the other was a mongrel who tripped down some steps in the back garden.  Both were pts
I have sometimes had this conversation with my Vet, who is an orthopaedic specialist, because my two greatest fears are my Whippets either fracturing a limb so badly that amputation would be answer (and there is no way I could own a 3 legged dog) or running into one another/something and breaking a back.

Her answer always is that she can repair ANYTHING (it might cost but everything is repairable) unless the spinal cord is severed and then you can repair the bones but you would never regain mobility.  So it obviously does happen.

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Dessie,

the point Gajo and Babbit were making was that in these cases the spine was NOT injured, only the spinal cord was severed.

Lida

 

[gajo]

I tried to post the x ray but couldn't( was edited in photo shop to show the arrows) but have emailed privately to ILKC's- not sure if she's been able to open the attachment or not.

 

[Macha]

could this possibly be a mistaken diagnosis?

(hopefully)

see the thread re temporary paralysis due to spinal disc injury

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....wtopic=8645&hl=

 

[dessie]

I know of two dogs who broke their backs, severing the spinal cord.  One was a Whippet out on exercise and ran into another one and the other was a mongrel who tripped down some steps in the back garden.  Both were pts
I have sometimes had this conversation with my Vet, who is an orthopaedic specialist, because my two greatest fears are my Whippets either fracturing a limb so badly that amputation would be answer (and there is no way I could own a 3 legged dog) or running into one another/something and breaking a back.

Her answer always is that she can repair ANYTHING (it might cost but everything is repairable) unless the spinal cord is severed and then you can repair the bones but you would never regain mobility.  So it obviously does happen.

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Dessie,

the point Gajo and Babbit were making was that in these cases the spine was NOT injured, only the spinal cord was severed.

Lida

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I wouldn't have thought that was possible, the spine encases the spinal cord so some damage MUST have been done to allow the spinal cord to sever. Both of the dogs I know about were fully compus mentus and alert but just totally paralysed from the injury back. The mongrel was kept in the Vets for several weeks to see if the injury would resolve but the decision was made to have her pts finally.

I also know of 2 Whippets who broke their necks and were paralysed for weeks who did make a more or less full recovery BUT their spinal cords were in tact.

 

[Seraphina]

Hi Garry;

I spoke to Pat , she confirmed that the X-ray did not show any spinal damage. These x-rays were taken post mortem.

However, it is the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together and damage to them may not be visible in X-rays.

I do not think that there is some sort of mysterious condition which causes the spinal cord spontaneously break.

Lida

 

[ILoveKettleChips]

I had a look at the pic - the quality wasn't good enough to say more than that I don't think there were any vertebral fractures but there may be incongruities between the vertebrae. I also thought there were some unusual lucencies in the bones but it's hard to be sure because of the PM gas in the intestines.

Do these dogs experience pain?

I ask because fibrocartilagenous embolism (if I get that right :b ) can be a cause of sudden onset non-traumatic paralysis but with no pain. These dogs often recover good function with rest.

 

[gajo]

Thanks guys- good to discuss isues that relate to the well being of our much loved breed. My point in raising this was to ask, when in looking at breed health issues, whether or not this type of injury had been experienced by some others- I had heard that it had, but was interested in putting that to a wider audience than a couple who chat together at shows etc..

Just to confirm, the bitch had to be running etc...- I certainly don't believe that it was spontaneous. My question about this incident was whether or not the bitch was predisposed in some way to this occuring( ie it happened during a time of rapid physical growth).

As for pain- the little girl experienced heaps of it- don't really need to say much more about that.

Many thanks ILKCs for having a look at the xray for us- very appreciated. Perhaps we've all learnt something.

 

[Seraphina]

If whippet puppies are more likely to get injured it is probably due to the speed with which they move and crash into objects. Maybe you should talk to people with all breeds of dogs to see if they had experienced injury like the one your girl suffered.

Lida