Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI differences in thoracolumbar disease for dogs under and over 15 kg
By Spence, Stephen P & Israel, Sarah K·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2021·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging findings in relation to body weight in dogs with thoracolumbar disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 494 dogs with back problems underwent MRI scans to check for issues in their spine. The study found that smaller dogs (under 15 kg) were much more likely to have intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), a common cause of back pain, compared to larger dogs. In fact, nearly 95% of the smaller dogs had IVDD, while only about 58% of the larger dogs did. However, larger dogs were more likely to have other serious issues, like tumors or specific types of spinal cord problems. This information can help vets better diagnose and treat back issues based on a dog's size.
People also search for: dog back pain MRI · intervertebral disk disease in small dogs · symptoms of spinal problems in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of MRI lesions between dogs weighing < 15 kg (33 lb) and dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg. ANIMALS: 494 dogs with clinical signs of thoracolumbar disease. PROCEDURES: Electronic medical records of affected dogs that underwent MRI of the thoracolumbar vertebral column between January 2016 and July 2018 were reviewed. Data extracted included age, body weight, breed, sex, MRI findings, and lesion location. Data were compared between dogs weighing < 15 kg and dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg. RESULTS: Of dogs weighing < 15 kg, 94.4% (371/393) were chondrodystrophic breeds. Only 24.8% (25/101) of dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg were chondrodystrophic breeds. Lesions consistent with intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) had an overall incidence of 87.2% (431/494). In dogs weighing < 15 kg, the incidence of IVDD was 94.7% (372/393), compared with 58.4% (59/101) in dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg. Dogs weighing < 15 kg had a significantly higher incidence of IVDD lesions in the T12-13 segment, compared with dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg. Dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg were 11.9 times (95% CI, 5.1 to 27.9) and 7.4 times (95% CI, 2.3 to 23) as likely to have a neoplastic lesion and fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy, respectively, compared with dogs weighing < 15 kg. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: IVDD was the most common MRI finding in the study population. Dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg had a higher incidence of nonintervertebral disk lesions, compared with dogs weighing < 15 kg.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33978442/