Case Spotlight: Ringo’s Road to Recovery. A Complex Neurological and Oncological Journey
Case Study
At SCAN Clearwater, we are privileged to help pets like Ringo Schwarzmann, a spirited 14-year-old Terrier Mix, navigate challenging health journeys with advanced diagnostic tools, surgical expertise, and compassionate care.
Ringo’s Story: When Neck Pain Reveals Something More
Ringo was initially presented to EPIC Specialty and Emergency Pet Care with neck pain, weakness on his left side, and a tendency to turn his head to the right (torticollis). His referring veterinarian, Dr. Cathy Meeks, DVM, DACVIM, noted that Ringo was also being treated for lymphadenopathy, later confirmed to be lymphoma.
Despite initial management with medications including dexamethasone, doxycycline, and gabapentin, Ringo’s neurological signs persisted, prompting Dr. Meeks to refer him to Dr. Jeffrey Laifer, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) at SCAN Clearwater for further evaluation.
Diagnosing a Complex Problem
On admission to SCAN, Ringo exhibited:
Severe neck pain (cervical hyperesthesia)
Nonambulatory tetraparesis (weakness in all four limbs)
A pronounced tendency to turn his head to the right
An MRI revealed the cause:
Severe, compressive intervertebral disc extrusions at C2-3 and C3-4
A right thyroid mass (suspected adenoma or adenocarcinoma)
A Surgical Solution: Hemilaminectomy
Given the extent of disc herniation over multiple sites, Dr. Laifer recommended a dorsal left-sided hemilaminectomy from C2 to C4. This approach was carefully chosen over the more common ventral slot procedure to safely access and decompress the affected areas across several spinal levels.
The surgical approach required meticulous muscle dissection and navigation around critical vascular structures in the cervical spine. Thanks to the skill and precision of our surgical team, the procedure was successful.
Recovery and Results
Ringo was hospitalized at SCAN for three days post-surgery, showing significant improvement in comfort and mobility at the time of discharge. His recovery milestones included:
2-week recheck: Comfortable but still struggling with mobility (poorly ambulatory tetraparesis)
6-week recheck: Walking with mild ataxia, fully off prednisone, and actively receiving CHOP chemotherapy for lymphoma at FETCH Clearwater
Today, Ringo is:
Mobile and thriving
Pain-free
Successfully undergoing cancer treatment
The Power of Teamwork
Dr. Meeks shared:
“We are so glad SCAN was able to take Ringo in so quickly. He was in a lot of pain, and they were able to identify and treat Ringo the same day. The family was so appreciative! Thanks to Dr. Laifer for always putting patient care first and being an excellent partner for us referring veterinarians!”
Key Takeaways
Early referral and seamless collaboration between EPIC and SCAN were critical to Ringo’s successful outcome.
Advanced imaging and timely surgical intervention gave Ringo a chance to heal from a severe, multi-level disc herniation.
Offering gold-standard treatment options empowers pet families to make informed decisions, even in complex cases with co-morbidities.
At SCAN Clearwater, we remain dedicated to partnering with referring veterinarians to provide exceptional, multidisciplinary care when it matters most.
