Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with nerve pain and lameness from muscle bone growth near spine
By Hajek, Ivo et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2024·Small Animal Referral Centre Sibra·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case report: Focal heterotopic ossification in paravertebral muscles as a cause of neurogenic lameness in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 17-month-old Pudelpointer was brought in for recurring lameness in the left front leg, along with swelling near the shoulder. After a thorough examination and imaging tests, the vet found an unusual bony growth in the muscles near the spine that was pressing on a spinal nerve. The dog underwent surgery to remove the growth, and while there was some mild bone re-formation at the surgery site over the next two years, the dog remained symptom-free. This case highlights a rare cause of nerve-related lameness in dogs.
People also search for: dog front leg lameness · Pudelpointer shoulder swelling · dog surgery for nerve impingement
Abstract
This case report describes a 17-month-old Pudelpointer with recurring motor impairment localized to the left thoracic limb. A neurological exam highlighted lameness in that limb, accompanied by pre-scapular swelling. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging detected an osseous structure in soft tissues close to the fifth cervical vertebra, and subsequent surgery uncovered adjacent cervical spinal nerve impingement. Histology of the bony structure revealed heterotopic ossification in paravertebral muscles. Mild bone re-formation at the operating site was detected after a 2-year period, but the patient was asymptomatic. This article reports the first case of heterotopic ossification with spinal nerve entrapment in a dog and adds a new differential diagnosis to the causes of neurogenic lameness in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38846781/