Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and MRI of deep infection after dog spinal surgery
By To, Alexandra Y K et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Dick White Referrals, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging characteristics, and short-term outcome of deep surgical site infection following thoracolumbar decompressive spinal surgery for intervertebral disc herniation in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs developed deep surgical site infections after undergoing spinal surgery for intervertebral disc herniation. The dogs showed signs like increased sensitivity along the spine and some experienced worsening neurological function. MRI scans helped identify the infections, revealing specific patterns in the muscles and tissues around the spine. Fortunately, all the dogs survived and most were able to walk again after treatment. Follow-up showed that many of them had fully recovered from their symptoms within a short time.
People also search for: dog spinal surgery infection · intervertebral disc herniation recovery · dog spinal hyperesthesia treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, and short-term outcomes of deep surgical site infection (SSI) following thoracolumbar (TL) decompressive spinal surgery for intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) in dogs. METHOD: Retrospective, single-center observational study of dogs that underwent postoperative MRI and were diagnosed with culture-confirmed deep SSI after TL decompressive spinal surgery between 2017 and 2021. Medical records and MRI studies (pre- and postoperative) were reviewed. RESULTS: Nineteen dogs were diagnosed with deep SSI among 1723 thoracolumbar decompressive surgeries (incidence: 1.1%). The median time to SSI diagnosis was 7 days (range, 2-38 days). Clinical signs included spinal hyperesthesia (100%) and neurological deterioration (36.8%). MRI revealed bilateral epaxial muscle hyperintensity (66.7%), fascial plane tracking (100%), and multifocal signal voids (89.5%) as possible differentiating features. Staphylococcus spp. were the most common isolates (52.6%). All dogs survived to discharge, with 73.7% being ambulatory; short-term follow-up, available in 14/19 cases, showed resolution of clinical signs. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Deep SSI after TL spinal decompression typically presents within 2 weeks with spinal hyperesthesia. Several MRI patterns may be associated with SSI. Despite rare complications, the majority of cases had favorable short-term outcomes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40881638/