Physiotherapy in the Recovery of Paraplegic Dogs without Nociception Due to Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Extrusion Treated Surgically

TL;DR

This study found that physiotherapy after surgery does not significantly improve recovery in paraplegic dogs with no pain sensation from spinal disc issues.

Contribution

The study provides evidence against the routine use of physiotherapy for functional recovery in paraplegic dogs with thoracolumbar disc extrusion.

Findings

Physiotherapy did not significantly improve functional recovery in the first 21 days post-surgery.

After 21 days, both groups showed similar recovery rates with no significant difference.

The study challenges the common recommendation of routine physiotherapy for these dogs.

Abstract

This study addresses the effects of postoperative physiotherapy in dogs with intervertebral disc extrusion treated surgically. The animals were divided into two groups: the physiotherapy group (PG), which included those that underwent decompressive surgery and postoperative physiotherapy; and the control group (CG), which included dogs that did not undergo any physiotherapy after surgery. The physiotherapy protocol began immediately after surgery. A total of 51 dogs were included, with 30 in the PG and 21 in the CG. The functional recovery rate in dogs up to 21 days postoperatively was 10% (3/30) in the PG and 19% (4/21) in the CG. After 21 days postoperatively, the rates were 43.33% (13/30) in the PG and 61.9% (13/21) in the CG, with no observed difference between the groups (p = 0.258). Physiotherapy administered twice a week in paraplegic dogs with loss of nociception due to thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion does not seem to influence functional recovery compared to the group without physiotherapy.

Several authors have advocated for the role of physiotherapy in canine intervertebral disc extrusion, and it is routinely recommended by various veterinary neurologists. However, veterinary literature does not unanimously support the routine use of physiotherapy to ensure an increase in locomotor return in dogs with IVDE. The aim of the study was to investigate whether physiotherapy can influence the functional recovery of paraplegic dogs with loss of nociception (LN) affected by thoracolumbar IVDE (Hansen type I) and treated surgically. The animals were divided into two groups: the physiotherapy group (PG), which included those that underwent decompressive surgery and postoperative physiotherapy; and the control group (CG), which included dogs that did not undergo any physiotherapy after surgery. A total of 51 dogs were included, with 30 in the PG and 21 in the CG. The number of physiotherapy sessions ranged from 6 to 60. The rate of functional recovery in dogs within 21 days postoperatively (PO) was 10% (3/30) in the PG and 19% (4/21) in the CG. After 21 days PO, the recovery rate was 43.33% (13/30) in the PG and 61.9% (13/21) in the CG, with no significant difference observed between the groups (p = 0.258). Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that physiotherapy in paraplegic dogs with LN due to thoracolumbar IVDE does not appear to influence functional recovery compared to the group without physiotherapy.

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