Divot is a seven year old, well cared for Schnauzer. He was recently examined when his owners noticed his back left leg began to drag. His physical exam revealed mild weakness of the left rear leg. He had increased muscle tone and his reflexes in that leg were exaggerated. There was no pain elicited in the leg or his back. Recent annual bloodwork was normal. Based on these findings it was felt he had a neurologic condition affecting his spinal cord. He was then referred to the local Neurologist. Over the weekend the front left leg also began to get weak and he had a difficult time walking. Divot then underwent an MRI of his spine which revealed swelling in his spinal cord. The great news was there was no evidence of a tumor or ruptured disc found. The diagnosis was a condition call Fibrocartilagenous Embolism.
Fibrocartilagenous embolism (FCE) is a condition where a microscopic piece of intervertebral disc gets into a blood vessel and stops blood flow to a section of the spinal cord. It is most commonly seen in large breed dogs, but minature Schnauzers are also over-represented. Most patients are middle aged. This disease has a very sudden onset and may be associated with trauma or vigorous exercise. Signs of paresis or paralysis can occur in minutes to hours and usually stabilizes in 12-24 hours.
Diagnosis is made with clinical findings and by excluding other diseases such as infections, tumors, or ruptured discs. In this case an MRI was able to do that and a diagnosis of FCE was made.
Treatment is aimed at physical therapy. Patients that cannot walk need soft bedding and frequent turning to prevent bed sores. Generally, recovery from paralysis is slow and gradual. In some cases recovery is not 100%. Supportive care at home can be considerably difficult in some cases. This condition is generally non-painful and does not require any type of medication. At this time Divot is in great hands. His mom and dad are doing a wonderful job with him. He is able to stand, but is still weak on the left side. He gets his physical therapy every day (including swimming) along with lots of TLC. We have hopes of a full recovery, but only time will tell as recovery can take up to six months.
