Complications are more commonly reported for French Bulldogs than Miniature Dachshunds undergoing hemilaminectomy for thoracolumbar intervertebral disk extrusion.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the nature and frequency of complications between French Bulldogs (FBDs) and Miniature Dachshunds (MDs) with thoracolumbar or lumbar intervertebral disk extrusion (IVDE).

METHODS

This retrospective, single-center study included dogs diagnosed with thoracolumbar or lumbar IVDE between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, with complete medical records. Dogs with a confirmed history of previous IVDE were excluded. Perioperative complications, length of hospitalization, and total cost of care were documented and compared between the 2 breeds.

RESULTS

A total of 379 patients (211 FBDs, 168 MDs) were included in the study. Complications occurred in 50.2% (106 of 211) of FBDs and 13.1% (22 of 168) of MDs. Diarrhea was the most common complication for both breeds. Regurgitation and urinary tract infection commonly occurred in FBDs. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome was only recorded in FBDs. Progressive myelomalacia was diagnosed in 3 FBDs and 4 MDs postoperatively. Corneal ulceration, surgical site infection, seroma, and aspiration pneumonia were rare complications reported in FBDs only. The median length of hospitalization was 5 days for both breeds. The median total cost of care was higher for FBDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant differences were found in the types and frequency of complications between FBDs and MDs.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study highlighted both shared and breed-specific perioperative complications in 2 popular breeds commonly affected by IVDE and the related differences in cost of care. These findings support the importance of breed-specific preoperative counseling and perioperative planning, particularly for FBDs, in which more complications and higher costs were found.