Dorsal laminectomy to relieve spinal cord compression in a captive syrian bear (Ursus arctos syriacus)

A 19-yr-old captive male Syrian bear (Ursus arctos syriacus) presented with a right hind limb lameness that progressed to nonambulatory paraparesis over the course of 2 wk. When night enclosure confinement and a short course of glucocorticoids and antibiotics did not lead to improvement, radiographs were performed, followed by cerebrospinal fluid analysis and myelography, revealing a dynamic spinal cord compression at the level of T2-T3. Dorsal laminectomy of both T2 and T3 was performed to allow decompression. The bear recovered uneventfully with first sign of neurological improvement apparent at 10 days postoperatively. Following 6 mo of rehabilitation the bear was walking and using his hind limbs normally.