Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How lumbar myelography helped 79 dogs with back issues
By McCartney, W T·Published in The Veterinary record·1997·Veterinary Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Lumbar myelography in 79 dogs, using different puncture sites.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In a study involving 79 dogs, veterinarians performed a procedure called lumbar myelography, which helps diagnose issues in the spine, either before surgery or to investigate neurological problems. For small dogs, the procedure was done in the lower back between the first and fifth lumbar vertebrae, while for larger dogs, it was done higher up between the last thoracic and second lumbar vertebrae. The study found that the procedure was easier and safer when done above a certain area of the spine, but it was unsuccessful in three overweight dogs. In 72% of the cases, the myelogram showed a problem, with the main issue preventing clear results being leakage of fluid around the spine. Overall, the procedure was effective in identifying spinal lesions in most dogs.
Abstract
Lumbar myelography was performed in 79 dogs either before spinal surgery or as part of an investigation of neurological disease. In small dogs the site of the puncture was between L1 and L5, avoiding the lumbosacral intumescence, whereas in large dogs the site was between T13 and L2. It was found that a lumbar puncture cranial to the lumbar intumescence was easier and caused no problems. The lumbar puncture was unsuccessful in three obese dogs. In 72 per cent of the cases the myelogram revealed a lesion, and the main cause of a non-diagnostic myelogram was epidural leakage.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9364714/