Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Intervertebral ratios in Dobermans with neck spinal disease
By da Costa, Ronaldo C & Johnson, Jacqueline A·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2012·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Intervertebral and intravertebral ratios in Doberman pinscher dogs with cervical spondylomyelopathy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Doberman pinschers, some with cervical spondylomyelopathy (a spinal condition that can cause neck pain and weakness), were studied to see if certain measurements of their neck vertebrae could help identify those affected by the disease. Researchers took X-rays of 40 dogs, comparing 27 with the condition to 13 healthy ones. They found that the measurements did not effectively differentiate between the two groups, and factors like age and gender influenced the results. Ultimately, the study concluded that these measurements are not useful for diagnosing cervical spondylomyelopathy in Doberman pinschers.
People also search for: Doberman pinscher neck pain · cervical spondylomyelopathy in dogs · dog neck vertebrae measurements
Abstract
No screening method is currently available to differentiate dogs with and without cervical spondylomyelopathy. Intravertebral and intervertebral ratios are used in horses and can predict cervical vertebral malformation. Intervertebral ratios could be a useful screening method for canine cervical spondylomyelopathy. Our purpose was to compare cervical intervertebral and intravertebral ratios in normal vs. affected Doberman pinschers. Forty dogs were studied, 27 affected and 13 normal. Cervical radiographs were obtained in all dogs. The minimum intra- and intervertebral sagittal diameter ratios were established for each cervical vertebrae and disc space from C(2) to C(7) . Comparisons were made between groups and specific vertebral body and disc levels. The effect of gender, age, and method of measurement (analog or digital radiographs) was also studied. There was no difference in either the intervertebral or intravertebral ratio between normal vs. affected dogs. The ratios decreased progressively along the cervical spine, being smallest at C(6) -C(7) and C(7) , respectively. Age, gender, and method of measurement had a significant influence on both inter- and intravertebral ratios, with smaller ratios seen as dogs aged and in male dogs. Based on our results, inter- or intravertebral ratios have no value to distinguish between clinically normal Doberman pinschers and Doberman pinschers with cervical spondylomyelopathy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22702434/