| The diseases related to the canine intervertebral disc disease(IVDD) was only 0-1%of all canine diseases 40 years' ago;after 1970's,the percentage of IVDD was increased to 2.3%,and was rised per year over decades.The incidence rate of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease(TLDD) in hypochondroplastic dogs was 75%,and the average of age was from 3～6 years old.According to the records,the breed of the highest IVDD incidence was Dachsund in abroad,and Pekingese dog was the most population of the canine IVDD in China. The underlying disc degeneration of the hypochondroplastic dogs is the precursor to the most cases of disc herniation.The annulus fibrosus fibers break down because of improper movement,and disc materials are herniated or extruded dorsally,bringing about concussion or compression to the spinal cord.TLDD may have clinical signs ranging from only those of mild back pain to nonambulatory paraplegia with loss of pain perception.Clinical signs of canine TLDD were classified to 5 grades,as follows,grade 1=no neurologic signs except pain associated with IVDD,grade 2=conscious proprioceptive deficit and ambulatory paraparesis,grade 3=nonambulatory paraparesisand deep pain perception,grade 4=nonambulatory paraplegia and deep pain perception with or without urinary dysfunction,and grade 5=nonambutatory paraplegia and no deep pain perception with or without urinary dysfunction.The cases who had seriously neurologic deficits because of compression of spinal cord with loss of deep pain perception would be expected in poor prognosis in most documents.Treatment guidelines are made primarily on the basis of the severity and duration of clinical signs.The intervertebral disc fenestration as a prophylactic measure are reserved for use in the back pain only cases,and the decompression surgery for using in dogs with hind limbs' neurologic deficits.And the medical treatment will also help for releasing the signs in short time.The clinical signs would be released by the surgery or medical treatment only in the begining of the disease or the mild cases.The owners have to take the expensive fee of the surgery,the risks of poor prognosis because of invasive surgery and wound infection,as well as the side effects of the western medicine especially steroid. There were no documents showed the good results of traditional Chinese medicine in treating canine TLDD. The location of canine TLDD in Traditional Chinese medical theory is on the spine and lumber.The risks would be increased by the degeneration of Du channel and the weakness of kidney.The bladder channel is located near by the Du channel and spine,and the bladder and Du channel are connected closely as well as inside to outside of the body.The causes of TLDD in traditional Chinese medicine are from the weakness of liver,spleen,and kidney. Therefore,nutrition would not be enough sent to the Du channel.At the same time,the patient is suffering from windy,coldly,and wetly perverse trend,even or improper movement;the circulation of the blood and Chi near the degenerated disc would become poor,and it leads to cause back pain.The treatment of acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine reveals great success rate in TLDD.The main points of treatment TLDD are Jiaji points near the herniated discs.Jiaji points could improve blood and Chi circulation and release pain by regulating between Du,bladder,and kidney channel.The treatments of acupuncture in canine TLDD are well documented,and it's active function has been proved as following:releasing of pain and tension caused by muscle constraction,decreasing the risks of inflammatory and edema of nerves in spinal cord,improving the blood vessels' constraction and dilation,and increasing histamine and endorphin releasing to decrease scar tissue formation as well.Canine TLDD is the common disease of hypochondroplastic dogs,with high incidence rate and poor outcome.The patients and owners' life would be influenced a lots.The primary goal is to treat TLDD properly and also economically.The study reported here using the He-Ne laser combined with acupuncture to treat the gradeⅢ～ⅤTLDD dogs,twice a week,at least 3 weeks of the duration of following.We collected 57 cases who corresponded to canine TLDD,and evaluated the population characteristics,historical,clinical,diagnostic findings,hind limbs' deep pain perception,urine control,and the ability to recover ambulatory,at the same time,also evaluated FNS scores once a week,at least 4 times.As a result,there were 29 cases in He-Ne laser combined acupuncture group and 28 cases in acupuncture group.Overall success rate(Ⅲ-Ⅴgrades),and with grade 3 and 4 dysfunction respectively,for laser combined with acupuncture group(82.76%in all;and 87.5%inⅢ&Ⅳgrade)were not significantly higher than acupuncture group(60.71%in all;and 80.0%inⅢ&Ⅳgrade).Success(able to walk without assistance) rate for dogs with grade 5 dysfunction(without deep pain perception)in laser combined with acupuncture group(10/13 dogs,76.92%) was significantly higher than that of similarly affected dogs in acupuncture group(2/8 dogs,25%),p=0.032＜0.05.The difference of FNS scores in Dogs with two groups was not significant,except only in gradeⅤDay14 & Day last,but in the whole grade(Ⅲ+Ⅳ+Ⅴ) Day last,FNS scores in the He-Ne laser combined with acupuncture group were significantly higher than acupuncture group(P＜0.05).Conclusions and clinical relevance showed that He-Ne laser combined with acupuncture treatment was effective and resulted in longer time to recover ambulation and deep pain perception than did using of acupuncture alone in dogs with signs of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease.We also found that urine control ability,the grades of TLDD and the age would influence the results(p＜0.05). |
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