Now this is shocking to me because if you wait until a dog is in major pain instead of having the surgery to keep them from having such pain... why bother???
Surgery is not about totally resolving the scratching... it is also about preventing more serious complications when you have major malformation and notable syrinx. Some are lucky that meds can help them for a long time, but Gracie's odds are not great. Soooooo glad I did not go there.
Well different neurologists are going to have different opinions about surgery but this comment goes hand in hand about what someone told me that happened to them when they went to NC State. The technician or neurology student said they would only recommend a MRI, if their Cavalier was being vocal or in obvious pain. I told her that if she sees symptoms and is worried, "waiting for them to be showing outward pain by yelping" is not the way to go. She got an MRI elsewhere and her cavalier is being medically managed.
I am familiar with the study she is talking about that was done in 2006 since I know two cavaliers in the study (you have met one of course they no longer were bred etc). This is from Rod's website.
http://cavalierhealth.org/syringomyelia.htm
"
4June 2007: Development of Clinical Signs and CSF Flow: Dr. Natasha J. Olby, board certified veterinary neurologist, and
Dr. Sofia Cerda-Gonzalez, both at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Clinical Sciences,
reported in June 2006 that they and team members at IAMS Pet Imaging Center, Raleigh, NC. are in the process of conducting a three year study to determine whether abnormalities of the caudal fossa and cervical spine predict future development of clinical signs of SM.
The NC State/IAMS Pet Imaging Center team also has been studying the dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid flow in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and the extent to which head positions of the dogs affect the flow patterns. They
reported in June 2006 finding that turbulent flow occurs in dogs with SM and can be found within syrinxes, and that CSF flow velocity may be higher within the dorsal subarachnoid space of affected dogs. They stated that additional studies are needed to determine whether their findings are significant. For more information, go to
http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/docs/neuro_studies.html or contact Dr. Cerda-Gonzalez at
[email protected]"
What is this, "
she recommends the duragen to attempt to limit scar tissue"
Debra,
I'm very impressed with all the information you are learning and taking the initiative to call several places and even others on forum. Gracie is in the best hands!