Author: Holly Vidler, BSc (Hons) VN, RVN

ABSTRACT A young female rottweiler was diagnosed with a cervical spinal subarachnoid diverticulum and treated surgically with a dorsal laminectomy and durotomy following rapid deterioration to tetraplegia and escalating pain. This nursing care analysis examines the challenges of the patient’s postoperative management, emphasising pain evaluation, optimisation of analgesic protocols, and the difficulty of distinguishing genuine pain from anxiety-related behavioural signs. Intensive nursing interventions included a constant-rate infusion of ketamine, administration of methadone guided by pain scores obtained with the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale, regular repositioning, bladder care, and structured physiotherapy to support neurological recovery and prevent secondary complications. However, the patient’s increasing recumbency and anticipatory distress when handled made pain scoring difficult and raised concern that anxiety was mimicking or amplifying pain behaviours. The veterinary nursing team gradually incorporated food-based positive reinforcement and environmental modification to reduce the patient’s anxiety, rebuild trust and encourage more independent movement. Over a 7-day hospitalisation period, the patient’s mobility and confidence improved sufficiently for her to be discharged, although distinguishing the relative contributions of pain versus anxiety to her prolonged recovery remained uncertain. This case highlights the vital role of veterinary nurses in integrating physical, behavioural and psychological assessment after spinal surgery, and emphasises the need for further research to clarify the interaction between anxiety and perceived pain responses in canine patients.
Keywords dorsal laminectomy, canine, durotomy, postoperative care, pain management, behaviour, interpretation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56496/KJFZ4000

To cite this article: Vidlar, H. (2026) Postoperative care and pain management of a dorsal laminectomy patient: A case study and nursing care analysis. VNJ 41(3) pp50-53

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