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Giant Great Dane Gustav’s long walk to recovery after ‘wobbler syndrome’ diagnosis
G ustav the two-year-old Great Dane spent ten weeks at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals at the start of the year receiving specialist surgery and dedicated
aftercare from the hospital’s neurology team.
Gustav is a gentle giant, weighing in at 77kg! His enormous size made him quite famous on campus. The nurses never got far without people stopping to say hello while taking him for his rehabilitative walks. Gustav even sat up at the table with them in the café while they enjoyed a cup of tea!
Stephen De Decker, Head of Neurology and Neurosurgery, and Holly Smith, Head Neurology Nurse, tell us more about Gustav’s treatment:
Stephen De Decker
“Gustav was diagnosed in Belgium with osseous-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (OA-CSM), commonly referred to as ‘wobbler syndrome’. This is a disease of the spine within the neck resulting in poor transmission of nerve signals between the brain and the body.
“Affected dogs tend to be large or giant breeds like Gustav. Symptoms vary according to the severity and duration of spinal cord compression. The most common clinical sign of wobbler
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syndrome is a ‘wobbly’, uncoordinated gait, with a tendency to stumble and scuff their feet. Some dogs have neck pain, although many do not show any sign of discomfort. Signs can progress to complete paralysis of all four limbs.
“I performed a challenging surgery using the surgical technique continuous dorsal cervical laminectomy, carefully removing the bony roof (or laminae) of the spinal canal, as well as any soft tissue, which may be causing compression on the spine. However, the most challenging aspect of having the procedure is the aftercare. Even if the surgery goes well, it is very likely that dogs are much worse immediately afterwards. This is the most common complication after performing this procedure and it occurs in 70-80% of dogs treated for this condition. This postoperative deterioration is fortunately only transient. Most dogs will still experience a successful long-term recovery.
“Appropriate postoperative care forms the biggest challenge to obtain a successful long-term outcome in dogs with OA-CSM. A combination
of proper nursing care and intense physio and hydrotherapy are of utmost importance in these patients to prevent complications and maximise the chances of a successful outcome. This is where Holly’s fantastic team came in - looking after a non-ambulatory 77kg Great Dane is extremely challenging and all credit should go to the nurses.”
Paws & Hooves Autumn 2019
