Tiko (right) first came to The Animal Medical Center after Reynaldo noticed his little buddy was not quite right. Over two days, Tiko lost control of his hind legs, and was referred to The AMC by our neighbors at the Humane Society. Tiko was first seen in The AMC’s ER by Dr. Carly Tichner and she immediately recognized the clinical signs of an intervertebral disc extrusion, colloquially known as a slipped disc. By the time Tiko came to the ER, the slipped disc was not only pressing on his spinal cord and affecting his ability to walk, it was pressing on the nerves giving sensation to his skin. The loss of sensation along a very well defined line in the skin helped Dr. Tichner determine the slipped disc occurred somewhere between the third thoracic vertebra and the third lumbar vertebrae.
Time is of the Essence
The longer a slipped disc goes uncorrected, the greater the damage to the spinal cord and if too much times goes by before the disc pressing on the spinal cord is removed, paralysis can be permanent. The AMC’s second year neurology resident, Dr. Vanessa Biegen, and staff neurologist, Dr. JP McCue, immediately took over Tiko’s case management and within 3 hours of his arrival at The AMC, had the little fellow in The AMC’s MRI machine, and shortly thereafter, onto the operating table to remove the slipped disc. As Dr. Tichner accurately predicted, the MRI identified a slipped disc between the eleventh and twelfth thoracic vertebrae! During the 75 minute surgery, Drs. Biegen and McCue found severe compression and hemorrhage of the spinal cord as a result of the slipped disc.
A Tail Wag = Good News
On afternoon rounds the day after surgery, Tiko wagged his tail for his neurologists and when they examined him, they found he had regained partial ability to move his hind legs! Within 8 weeks, Tiko was 90% back to his old self. To protect his back, Tiko has a new lifestyle – less roughhousing, more resting in his new favorite indoor dog house but according to his family he is once again the totally happy-go-lucky, loving and healthy little guy that he has always been, thanks to the dedicated doctors and staff at The AMC.
Grateful Words
Tiko’s successful surgery and recovery were possible because of the generosity of those who support the Neurology Patient Assistance Fund. Those ill or injured animals like Tiko who benefit from the fund must qualify medically and the pet family must qualify financially to receive this Community Fund-sponsored care. Tiko’s owner summed up his AMC experience this way, “It was definitely one of the toughest weeks I have ever been through, but everyone at The AMC was absolutely amazing. I was immediately impressed and reassured by everyone’s genuine concern for Tiko and knew that he would make it through and be okay. I feel extremely fortunate to have had access to the level of treatment and care provided by The AMC and to have been accepted by the community funds program.”