Meet Pumpkin, an 8 year old Dalmatian.
Pumpkin was referred to Kentdale after becoming very weak and wobbly on all four legs. He was lacking coordination and unable to move around without assistance. On arrival at the clinic he was examined by orthopaedic Specialist Simon Roch, who suspected that he had a problem with his neck. In order to reach a diagnosis Pumpkin required Magnetic Resonance Imaging, commonly referred to as MRI. This process uses strong magnetic fields to produce pictures of the inside of the body; this type of scan is very useful when needing to examine the brain and spinal cord.
The MRI scan revealed a slipped disc in Pumpkin’s neck, which was pressing on his spinal cord, explaining the reason why he was having difficulty moving around. Pumpkin underwent a surgical procedure known as ‘Ventral Slot’, to remove the disc material that was squashing and causing damage to the spinal cord. Removal of the material enables the nerves in the spinal cord to begin to recover over time.
Pumpkin recovered well from his general anaesthetic and surgery and showed gradual improvements day-by-day. After a few days of hospitalisation and careful nursing care, he was discharged to his owner to continue his recovery at home. We are pleased to hear (and see!) that he is now back to his usual bouncy, happy and healthy self.
