Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How age affects imaging accuracy for disc problems in Dachshunds
By Giles, A et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2025·Animal Referral Hospital Brisbane, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effects of age on accuracy of advanced imaging modalities in identifying intervertebral disc extrusions in Dachshunds.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 150 Dachshunds suspected of having intervertebral disc extrusions (IVDE) underwent advanced imaging to confirm their condition. The study found that younger dogs, under 9 years old, were diagnosed with IVDE using non-contrast CT 94.7% of the time, while only 56% of dogs aged 9 years and older received the same diagnosis with this method. Older dogs were much more likely to need additional imaging techniques like CT myelography or MRI for accurate diagnosis. This highlights the importance of considering a dog's age when diagnosing IVDE, as older dogs may require more advanced imaging to identify the problem effectively.
People also search for: Dachshund back problems · intervertebral disc disease in older dogs · CT myelography for dogs · IVDE diagnosis in Dachshunds
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to ascertain whether patient age was a significant factor for the accurate identification of compressive intervertebral disc extrusions (IVDE) in Dachshunds using non-contrast computed tomography (CT). METHODS: This retrospective analysis encompassed 150 Dachshunds evaluated for suspected IVDE at a referral hospital in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. Each case underwent diagnostic evaluation by CT, either with or without myelography, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed by surgical intervention for an intervertebral disc extrusion. RESULTS: In the <9-year dog cohort, 94.7% (71/75) were diagnosed with IVDE via non-contrast CT and proceeded to surgery. In contrast, the ≥9-year dog cohort, only 56% (42/75) were diagnosed via non-contrast CT, with the remaining 44% (33/75) necessitating CT myelography or MRI for diagnosis. The odds of requiring CT myelography or MRI increased 13.95-fold (95% CI, 4.62-42.13) in Dachshunds aged 9 years or older. Furthermore, each additional year of age was associated with a 0.60 increase in the odds of undergoing these advanced imaging modalities (CT myelography or MRI) (95% CI, 0.49-0.74). CONCLUSIONS: Age significantly affected the efficacy of non-contrast CT in diagnosing IVDE in Dachshunds. Dogs aged 9 years and above were substantially more likely to require CT myelography or MRI due to the reduced visibility of disc extrusions on non-contrast CT. Veterinarians performing advanced imaging on older Dachshunds for suspected IVDE should be aware of the limitations of non-contrast CT in obtaining an accurate diagnosis and localisation of IVDE, and be prepared to perform either CT myelography or MRI if required.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39543841/