Percutaneous enzymatic chemonucleolysis of intervertebral disks appears safe and effective in treatment of acute-onset paraparesis and paraplegia in small dogs

Freeman, P., Atiee, G., Donoghue, E. M. & Jeffery, N. D. (2025). Percutaneous enzymatic chemonucleolysis of intervertebral disks appears safe and effective in treatment of acute-onset paraparesis and paraplegia in small dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 263(6), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.12.0790

This study tested a nonsurgical alternative for small dogs with sudden-onset hind limb paralysis caused by intervertebral disc disease. Under fluoroscopic guidance, each affected disc was injected with a small dose of chondroitinase ABC, an enzyme that breaks down disc material to reduce compression on the spinal cord. Of 50 dogs followed, 95% of those with preserved pain sensation regained the ability to walk within a median of 11 days, while only 40% of dogs without pain sensation recovered. No adverse effects were linked to the procedure. The findings suggest that percutaneous chemonucleolysis is a safe and cost-effective treatment option, with outcomes comparable to surgery in dogs that still have pain perception, but with limited success in those that do not.

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