Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI shows spine joint angles and disc wear in dogs with cauda equina
By Rossi, F et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2004·Veterinary Clinic dell'Orologio, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Magnetic resonance imaging of articular process joint geometry and intervertebral disk degeneration in the caudal lumbar spine (L5-S1) of dogs with clinical signs of cauda equina compression.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 50 dogs, including 21 German Shepherds, showed signs of cauda equina compression, which can cause issues like difficulty walking or pain in the back end. Researchers used MRI to examine the shape of the joints in the lower back and the condition of the discs between the vertebrae. They found that the angle of the joints and the stage of disc degeneration were linked, with differences noted between German Shepherds and other breeds. Understanding these factors can help veterinarians better diagnose and treat dogs with back problems.
People also search for: dog back pain treatment · German Shepherd cauda equina syndrome · dog MRI for back issues
Abstract
The geometry of the lumbosacral region has been suspected to play a role in the development of degenerative lumbosacral stenosis in the dog. In this study, 50 dogs (21 German Shepherd dogs and 29 dogs of other breeds) with clinical signs of cauda equina compression were studied by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The orientation of the articular process joints in the L5-S1 region and the angle difference between two adjacent motion segments were calculated. Intervertebral disc degeneration of the same region was identified and classified in four stages. A positive association between MR-imaging stage and articular process joint angle difference in the transverse plane was found in the two groups of animals. German Shepherd dogs and dogs of other breeds had different geometry of the lumbosacral region with different articular process joint angles in the transverse plane and statistically different stages of disc degeneration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15487561/