Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imaging signs of spinal narrowing in large breed dogs with joint
By Padley, Hannah Frances et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2022·Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Imaging characteristics of thoracolumbar spinal stenosis due to articular process hyperplasia and degenerative joint disease in six large breed dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of six large breed dogs, including German Shepherds and a Boxer, were brought in for worsening weakness and coordination problems in their back legs. They were diagnosed with spinal stenosis caused by abnormal growths in their spine and joint degeneration. All dogs underwent MRI scans, which confirmed the issues, and five of them had surgery to relieve the pressure on their spinal cords. After treatment, the dogs showed improvement in their mobility and overall condition.
People also search for: large breed dog back leg weakness · spinal stenosis in dogs treatment · German Shepherd mobility problems
Abstract
Previous studies have reported evidence that thoracolumbar articular process hyperplasia and degenerative joint disease may be a cause of stenotic myelopathy in large breed dogs; however, detailed descriptions of imaging characteristics are currently lacking. The aim of this retrospective, multi-center, case series report was to describe imaging findings in six large breed dogs diagnosed with thoracolumbar articular process hyperplasia and degenerative joint disease causing vertebral canal stenosis. All dogs presented with progressive paraparesis, proprioceptive ataxia of the pelvic limbs, and neuroanatomical localization of T3-L3 myelopathy. All dogs underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the thoracolumbar spine and had articular process malformations at T13-L1 (three German Shepherd dogs (GSD) and a Boxer dog) or T12-T13 (two mixed-breed dogs). Five cases were managed surgically. Findings provided more detailed imaging descriptions and supported previously published studies indicating that maldevelopment of articular processes and secondary degenerative changes can be a cause of thoracolumbar spinal stenosis and myelopathy in large breed dogs. While uncommon, this condition should be included as a differential diagnosis for large breed dogs presenting with a T3-L3 myelopathy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35188304/