Relato de caso: hérnia de disco intervertebral e abordagem terapêutica em canino

Abstract

Herniated disc is a disease with high incidence in veterinary clinics, affecting the spinal cord. Approximately 15% of disc diseases in dogs affect the spine and can lead to neurological involvement. The increase in therapeutic treatments makes it possible to provide improvement and quality of life without surgical approach, taking into account each case individually. The objective of this study was to report the case of herniated disc (DDIV) in a 5-year-old poodle dog that was treated at a private veterinary clinic in Rio de Janeiro - RJ, to contribute with information and references for therapeutic treatments. The diagnosis should be based mainly on the animal's history and clinical condition, but requires complementary exams such as x-rays, MRI, tomography, hematological and neurological exams, which are essential for a conclusive diagnosis that provides the ideal treatment approach, as it allows locating and quantifying spinal compression and also to verify whether there is more than one herniated disc. Treatment is divided into clinical, conservative and surgical, and the choice of treatment depends on the veterinarian's approach, taking into account the degree and time of involvement, the financial availability of the owner and the physical and neurological state of the patient. The most frequent sign of a herniated disc is pain, difficulty in locomotion, abdominal and neck stiffness, and it can manifest itself acutely and can range from paraplegia, urinary incontinence and loss of perception of future pain. It affects more animals of chondrodystrophic breeds and dogs and usually presents late symptoms, around 7 to 8 years of age, but it can also affect felines. After diagnosis through anamnesis and complementary exams, a set of therapeutic approaches was performed, since a surgical approach was not chosen and demonstrating that it is possible to treat IVDD with only therapy and provide improvement and stability in the quality and well-being of the animal.