The assessment of ventral cervical decompression in the treatment of prolapse of the nucleus pulposus in dogs

The aim of the study is the assessment of treatment effectiveness of disc extrusion with the method of ventral cervical decompression (ventral slot). Surgical procedure was performed on 15 dogs - 10 chondrodystrophoid and 5 achondrodystrophoid. Clinical signs and localization of lesions were similar to those reported earlier. All of the dogs, but one which died during the operation, were cured. Percentage of dogs which recovered within 7 days since the surgery is slightly higher than in the previous reports. Atypical mass of nucleus pulposus displaced to the vertebral canal is described and the observation of atypical course of worsening after fenestration is presented.