Seleção de pacientes e avaliação de protocolo fisioterápico para desenvolver o caminhar espinhal em cães paraplégicos

Abstract

The spinal cord affections in the thoracolumbar region (T3-L3), can permanently prevent the walking of dogs and cats. Spinal walking is described as the ability of paraplegic animals to support weight with pelvic limbs and to perform involuntary movements of locomotion. A thorough muscoloskeletal and neurological evaluation is important to select patients able to develop spinal walking through physical therapy. As a requirement there must be presence of mass reflex, extensor cross, flexor and patellar. Considering that many dogs cared for at the Veterinary Hospital (VETHO) from the Federal Rural of Pernambuco University, have post-trauma paraplegia, a physical therapy protocol was developed to stimulate the development of the spinal walking. There were 28 paraplegic dogs evaluated, without distinction of gender, race, weight, age or time of injury. Fourteen of them had loss of deep nociception in pelvic limbs due to spinal trauma and were able to receive the established treatment. To determine the presence of nociception, heart and respiratory rate, pupil reflex, blood pressure and the animal's reaction were observed. The physiotherapeutic resources used were: massage, neuromuscular electrostimulation (NMES), passive range of motion (ROM), reflex stimuli, proprioceptive stimulation with brush and wooden spoon and assisted active exercises. As the animals evolved, these same exercises were done actively. The sessions lasted 60 minutes, once a day, five days a week, with the aquatic mat being done three times a week, every other day. The spinal walk was considered developed when the animal presented ambulation with the thoracic and pelvic limbs at the same time without assistance. The results obtained allowed us to conclude that: 1 - it is possible that 50% of the paraplegic dogs without deep nociception, due to spinal cord injuries between the T3 and L3 vertebrae, develop the spinal walk, when the patient follows this physiotherapeutic protocol daily; 2- the characteristic of the presence or not of the sensitivity to deep pain can not be evaluated only by behavioral response and through the evaluation of a single pelvic limb, but also by checking physiological changes typical of sympathetic stimulus in the presence of pain. The development of the spinal walking by the dogs generates satisfaction of their tutors, but the maintenance of the daily exercises is important so that functional regression does not occur.