FCE, also known as a spinal cord infarction, is essentially a stroke to the spinal cord that can cause different degrees of paralysis. FCE is an acute, non-painful condition with no warning or progressive signs. It can occur anywhere along the spinal cord, meaning that it can affect any, all, or a combination of limbs. The infarction is caused by small pieces of intervertebral disc material entering the spinal cord’s vascular system. These pieces can cause varying degrees of damage, hence the varying degrees of clinical symptoms.

Who gets FCE?

A classic case of FCE is a very active, middle-aged, medium to large breed dog. The onset is usually very acute, such as the dog suddenly crying out and acting painful. After the first 12-24 hours, the pain is gone, but neurologic dysfunction persists.

How do you diagnose FCE?

Diagnosis is made by a combination of history, physical exam, and radiology. Radiographs are taken to determine if there are any fractures or dislocations of the spine. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or myelogram will be necessary to definitively diagnose FCE and rule out any other conditions such as a ruptured intervertebral disc or tumor.

How do you treat FCE?

If an FCE is diagnosed within the first 48 hours of clinical symptoms, intravenous corticosteroids will be administered to reduce swelling (edema) in the spinal cord, but this will only help alleviate some of the symptoms, as there is no real treatment. Surgical intervention is not indicated for an FCE. After medical management, physical therapy and nursing care will be imperative to treatment. Muscle tone must be maintained while the patient is convalescing.

That is the prognosis?

There are several variables that affect the prognosis for an animal diagnosed with FCE. One must take into consideration the site of the infarction, the neurologic dysfunction, the degree of spinal cord edema, the patient’s physical condition, and the amount of disc material that caused the FCE. An important indicator as to a patient’s prognosis is whether they have deep pain sensation in the affected limbs. If there is deep pain, then a functional recovery is possible. Recovery time can be anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months time.