ABSTRACT: A 2-year-old male French bulldog presented with a 3-month history of progressive pelvic limb ataxia and paraparesis, was admitted for magnetic resonance imaging, showing a T9-T10 subarachnoid diverticulum, followed by corrective surgery. Pre-anaesthetic medication consisted of intravenous methadone 0.2 mg/kg. General anaesthesia was induced with alfaxalone, total dose 1.1 mg/kg, and dexmedetomidine 2 mcg/kg, intravenously. General anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane vaporised in 100% oxygen, delivered via a circle breathing system. Intraoperative analgesia was provided via a variable rate infusion of ketamine 10-20mcg/kg/ min, dexmedetomidine 0.5-1mcg/kg/hr, and fentanyl 5-10mcg/kg/hr. The patient was mechanically ventilated throughout.The surgery was completed successfully, with no complications during recovery and the patient was discharged three days postoperatively

Author(s)

Jordan Northover NCert (Anaesth) RVN

Jordan Northover qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in January 2017. After spending 10 months working as a first opinion nurse, she began working at Cave Veterinary Specialists in Somerset. Since developing a keen interest in neurology she has trained to run the MRI scanner and has completed her nursing certificate in anaesthesia in January 2020.

Email: Jordan.Northover@Cave-Vet-Specialists.co.uk

William J. M. McFadzean BVetMed CertAVP(VA) DipECVAA MRCVS

Will graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2010 and then completed an internship in a busy referral hospital in Berkshire. He subsequently worked in both first opinion and referral practices before starting a residency in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the University of Bristol in 2014. During his residency he completed an RCVS Advanced Certificate in Veterinary Anaesthesia in 2016, before finishing his residency in 2017. Will passed his specialist diploma exams in 2019.

Keywords: anaesthesia; brachycephalic; spinal arachnoid diverticula; neurology

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 35 (05) • May 2020 pp120-123

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