A treatment between painkillers and surgery.

Abstract

The intervertebral disc (IVD) often displays degenerative changes and is a frequent cause of back problems recognized in non-chondrodystrophic dogs. Systemic NSAIDs have proven to be an insufficient treatment due to side effects and an inability to reach the IVD. Intradiscal injection of celecoxib (CXB) with a local release system such as polyesteramide microspheres (PEAM) could solve these challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate the regenerative and analgesic effects of this treatment in non- chondrodystrophic canines suffering from low back pain due to IVD degeneration and to evaluate the clinical efficacy. This research was conducted as a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo- controlled clinical trial. Client owned dogs suffering from degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLSS) were divided into two groups. They were injected with either PEAM-CXB (n=20) or unloaded PEAM (placebo, n=10). This research was assessed after 6 and 12 weeks by clinical examination, MRI and owner questionnaires. Long term evaluation was done with owner questionnaires and telephone interviews. The study showed that intradiscal injection with PEAM-CXB had long lasting analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and thus reduced the symptoms of IVD degeneration. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that this treatment is clinical efficient as it confirmed the safety of the treatment due to no indication of adverse effects short or long term. However, additional research has to be done to evaluate if intradiscal injection with PEAM-CXB results in the regeneration of the IVD.