Cervical vertebral fractures in 56 dogs: A retrospective study

The clinicopathological features of cervical fractures in 56 dogs were revi ewed, "Hit by car" (HBC) was the most common inciting cause, and the axis a nd atlas were the vertebrae most frequently affected. Surgical treatment wa s associated with high (36%) perioperative mortality, However, all dogs tha t survived the perioperative period achieved functional recovery. Functiona l recovery was achieved in 25 (89%) of 28 nonsurgically treated dogs with a dequate follow-up. Overall, severity of neurological deficits (nonambulator y status) and prolonged interval (five days or longer) from trauma to refer ral were associated with poorer outcome. Nonsurgical treatment is a viable therapeutic approach for many dogs with cervical fractures, Early neck immo bilization and prompt referral are recommended, because delay in referral d ecreases the likelihood of functional recovery.