Dorsal laminectomy in a small breed dog with congenital vertebral body malformation

Abstract

A 7-year-old, 3.55 kg neutered male Pomeranian presented with progressive paraparesis and axial spinal pain despite three years of conservative treatment. Computed tomography (CT) revealed bony hyperplasia at T6-T7 with focal canal narrowing (Cobb angle, 39.29°), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed severe spinal cord compression at T7. Based on these findings, a dorsal laminectomy at T6-T7 was performed for decompression. The neurological status remained grade 3 at 7 days after surgery, and improved to grade 2 by 28 days after surgery. At four months after surgery, the patient regained independent ambulation, although proprioceptive ataxia and urinary retention persisted. This case suggests that timely focal decompression without stabilization can result neurological recovery in small-breed dogs with congenital vertebral body malformation (CVBM)-associated spinal cord compression.