Development of methods to evaluate therapy for spinal cord trauma in dogs

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common cause of neurological deficits in dogs and a major cause of morbidity and decreased quality of life in people. In dogs, the most common causes of SCI are intervertebral disc diseases, particularly 'type I' intervertebral disc herniation knowns as intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE), which occurs predominantly in chondrodystrophic breeds. The IVDE commonly causes contusion and compression to the spinal cord, which in most severe cases leads to complete loss of voluntary motor functions, bladder control and pain sensation distal to the level of the lesion. For decades, researchers have used animal models in their studies of SCI. However, limited progress..