Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with back pain and leg weakness caused by disc material near
By Karin Sakamoto et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2025·Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Case Report: Dural infiltration of intervertebral disc material mimicking spinal cord meningioma in a dog
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A six-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought to the vet with severe back pain and weakness in the right hind leg that had lasted for two months. After a thorough examination and an MRI, the vet found a mass near the spinal cord that turned out to be intervertebral disc material pressing on the dura mater (the protective covering of the spinal cord). The vet performed surgery to remove the mass, and while the dog had some temporary lameness afterward, it quickly recovered within a day. Three years later, the dog was doing well, walking normally without any pain or neurological issues.
People also search for: dog back pain · mixed-breed dog hind leg weakness · intervertebral disc material surgery
Abstract
A six-year-old mixed-breed dog presented with a two-month history of peracute back pain and right hindlimb monoparesis. Neurological examination revealed reduced proprioceptive positioning of the right hindlimb, and palpation of the L2–L4 area elicited a pain response. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a contrast-enhanced mass extending to the dura mater, located on the right ventral side of the spinal cord at the level of the L2–L3 vertebral bodies. A hemilaminectomy was performed to remove the mass. Histopathological examination revealed that the removed dura mater comprised intervertebral disc material that had infiltrated the dura mater. Postoperatively, the dog experienced temporary right hindlimb lameness, which resolved within 24 h. At three years and five months postoperatively, the dog was ambulatory without any neurological deficits or pain. This is the first report of dural infiltration of intervertebral disc material mimicking a spinal cord meningioma in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1621529