Wobbler syndrome (cervical spondylomyelopathy) causes progressive neurological signs in large breed dogs, with management decisions balancing surgical risk against progressive welfare decline.
Wobbler syndrome causes progressive neurological compromise that profoundly affects quality of life. The wobbly gait, spinal cord pain, and increasing weakness affect the dog's ability to exercise, play, and engage normally. Progressive cases face deteriorating neurological function affecting both mobility and quality of life. The surgical decision involves weighing the risks of anesthesia and surgery against the trajectory of progressive untreated disease. For ambulatory dogs with pain and progressive signs, surgery typically provides better welfare outcomes. For severely affected non-ambulatory dogs, prognosis is more guarded but some recover with intensive rehabilitation.