Efficacy of transcutaneous microcurrent electrical stimulation in the treatment of neurogenic bladder atony in dogs with spinal cord injuries

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of paravertebral myoelectric stimulation on the possibility of increasing bladder tone in neurogenic bladder atony in dogs with spinal cord injuries. Dysfunction of the bladder and lower urinary tract is one of the most common complications in traumatic and therapeutic spinal diseases in dogs. As a result of the compressive effect of the traumatic factor on the spinal cord, chain processes in the body are initiated, resulting in pathological dysfunction of the bladder and urinary tract. This pathology is called neurogenic bladder, i.e. urinary disorder, which can be caused by certain diseases of the brain, spine and nervous system. Both chemotherapeutic and physiotherapeutic methods of correction are used to treat this pathology. Bladder atony has a profound impact on the overall well-being of the animal, elevating the risk of mortality due to secondary complications in the form of bacterial cystitis, and complicating the care of such a dog, which in turn increases the demand for euthanasia of dogs with spinal cord injuries. One of the physiotherapy methods employed in the treatment of bladder atony is paravertebral percutaneous myoelectric stimulation in the L2-S-1 vertebral region. This method has been shown to produce significant results in comparison to the control group, as evidenced by the findings of a study