Introduction

Traumatic vertebral fractures are common serious emergencies in small animal practice. Surgical techniques are described for fixation of thoracolumbar vertebral fractures and luxations in dogs including vertebral body plating, cross pinning, spinal stapling, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-pin fixation. In this case, we used unilateral vertebral body plate fixation to stabilize the traumatic vertebral body fracture.

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy and stabilization of unilateral vertebral body plate fixation in middle breed canine vertebral fracture.

Methods

A 5-year-old, intact male, 23 kg, mixed dog was presented to the Animal Medical Center Chonbuk National University with a history of fall from the cliff in hunting.

In neurologic examinations, patient was paraparetic and had loss of bilateral conscious proprioception, hopping reflex. Deep pain perception was weak in left hind limb and absent in right hind limb. Radiographs demonstrated a vertebral fracture at L2–L3 with fractures of spinous process.

Based on these results, lumbar vertebral fracture was diagnosed. Because of rapid loss of function in the hind limbs, hemilaminectomy and unilateral 2.7 locking plate fixation was performed the same day.

Results

Two days after surgery, deep pain was recovered and the superficial pain recovered the next day. After cage rest for a week, rehabilitation and acupuncture therapy were performed. Postoperative radiographs taken to evaluate plate placement two weeks after surgery showed no migration and infections.

Conclusions

From this study, it is known that unilateral vertebral fixation is one of the good options to stabilize vertebral fracture in middle breed dog.