CORRECTING spinal conditions is one of the most demanding, sensitive and specialised areas of surgery. Put bluntly, one slip of the knife and you risk confining a patient to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Spinal surgeons are amongst the most skilled of them all, blessed not only with a steady hand but also armed with an incredible bank of knowledge regarding the pathology of the spine.
It’s also an expensive procedure involving a crack surgical team prepared to stand working for hours at a time while dealing with the complex tangle of nerves muscles and bone.
For the first time such expertise is now available for our family pets in the form of Paphos-based veterinary surgeon Dr Christos Yiapanis a man who, over the years, has brought to the island a variety of sophisticated skills both as a general veterinarian and as a gifted specialist surgeon.
The changing nature of a vet’s role over the years has motivated him to keep studying new surgical procedures.
“Years ago, vets in Cyprus worked in three main fields: dealing with farm animals, working in the food industry where we would inspect animals due to be slaughtered and, to a lesser extent, caring for household pets,” he said. “These days vets still deal with these three areas but increasingly have specialised in companion animals and by doing so they have had to train in procedures which years ago there wouldn’t have been any call for.”
All owners want their pets kept well so it’s really the demands made by owners that has fuelled this need to offer so much more from a vet’s surgery. In the past, there wasn’t a culture which promoted keeping family pets, but now with so many foreign residents bringing their animals with them the demand is there to offer everything from ophthalmic to spinal surgery.
“Until recently dogs with spinal injury were invariably put to sleep,” said Yiapanis. “Many of these would have been hit by a car, or they would have had some form of disc problem either caused through old age or some inherent weakness in the spine.”
Now, however, dogs can be operated on successfully. “But the success of any spinal operation has to start with the speed with which an owner the animal to us.”
The vet said that when owners notice their dogs are reluctant to go for a walk or have become slightly lame, they tend to get it to move around thinking perhaps the symptoms are arthritic and exercise will help.
“Sadly this does more damage, as does the delay in getting the animal to the vet. We can really only help if the patient is brought to us no more than 12 hours after the first symptoms show up, after that it’s very difficult to treat,” Yiapanis warned.
The vet operates on one to two dogs every week with spinal problems. The operation may last over two hours after tests have been done to determine which disc is affected. Then afterwards it’s really down to the owner at home to carry out essential physiotherapy in order to get it fully on its feet again.
Pet owners whose animals have had such operations will have noticed that animals seem to recover far quicker than humans who’ve undergone similar procedures. “That’s because they have four legs and we only have two. With four the animal is working with the correct physics to achieve all the benefits. In other words their body is better balanced than ours with the strain being taken up by the other two legs,” he said.
The vet outlined a number of measures an owner can follow to minimise the risk of disc herniation in their pets.
“Key is watching the body weight. A fat, overweight dog will be more prone to back problems than a slim fitter dog. Also if you have a pet from one of the smaller breeds try to discourage any excessive jumping, or begging on hind legs as that can also trigger the problem.”
Dr Christos Yiapanis can be contacted at the Paphiakos Animal welfare Clinic
No 12 Dedalos Building
Kato Paphos
Tel 26 946 461
Emergency no. 99655581
E mail [email protected]
Website www.cyprusanimalwelfare.org
Between each of the spinal vertebrae there are flexible discs which act as cushions or shock absorbers for bones during movement.
Either, as a result of injury, or old age, these discs become damaged and swelling occurs. Because the spinal column is enclosed (like the brain) these bulging discs put enormous pressure on the spinal cord and nerves as they leave the cord.
Sometimes the discs will rupture and huge pressure is then put on the spinal column and the nerves.
Terrible pain is the outcome along with stiffness, lameness, and then paralysis.
Vets classify disc problems as either a Hansen Type 1 herniation. If the condition is chronic it is termed Hansen Type 2. The type 1 is most frequently seen in smaller dogs such as Dachshunds, beagles, poodles, Yorkshire terriers and cocker spaniels.
Type 2 is found in larger breeds.
What to look for in your dog if you suspect a back problem
The dog may sit in a hunched position, be reluctant to climb stairs or jump, and have rear leg lameness, pain or paralysis.
Dogs with short legs and a long back are more prone to disc disease because of the increased pressure on the spinal column.
Overweight and obese dogs are especially prone as obesity strains the back.
If the problem is severe your dog will lose control of its bowels or bladder and will either not be able to pass urine or will do so when lying down.
When a dog has lost deep pain sensation in the legs and is unable to move its limbs then the prognosis is very poor. However many dogs with moderate loss of function can regain use of their limbs, but only if the condition is treated within a maximum of 12 hours from the onset of the symptoms.
First Aid if your dog is hit by a car
A dog with a possible spinal injury or head trauma will show the following signs:
Unconsciousness, different sized pupils, shock, blood in the ear, nose, mouth, or anus, and or paralysis. Gently try and get the dog onto a flat hard surface – (a board or a stiff piece of cardboard) making sure he is lying on his side. Don’t try and twist the body as you move him. If you can’t get hold of a hard surface then use a towel or blanket. Get him to a vet as soon as possible. Take care. Even the most docile family pet will bite when in severe pain so try and muzzle the animal either with a scarf or a piece of rope.
