Lumbosacral stenosis in dogs

Abstract

Fifteen dogs with stenosis of the lumbosacral portion of the spinal canal were treated by laminectomy, bilateral facetectomy, and foraminotomy. Concomitant disk extrusion, spondylosis, fracture, infection, neoplasia, hemivertebrae, and spinal bifida were not associated with the stenosis and attendant cauda equina compression. The predominant neurologic signs were intermittent hindlimb lameness and motor weakness; hindlimb muscle atrophy; presumed paresthesia with resultant dermatologic manifestations from self mutilation of the hindlimbs, tail, perineum, anal area, and genitalia; urinaryu or fecal incontinence, or both; and consistently elicitable pain on manipulation of the lumbosacral spine. Surgical decompression of the stenotic canal alleviated the clinical signs in all cases.