Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI findings in a Boxer dog with lumbosacral discospondylitis
By Kraft, S L et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·1998·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Magnetic resonance imaging of presumptive lumbosacral discospondylitis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old male Boxer was brought in with severe back pain, muscle wasting in the hind legs, and trouble walking. The dog also had a urinary tract infection. X-rays showed some changes in the spine, but an MRI revealed more details, suggesting a condition called discospondylitis, which is an infection of the spine. The MRI helped the vet diagnose the problem before typical X-ray signs appeared. Treatment for discospondylitis often includes antibiotics and pain management, which can help the dog recover.
People also search for: Boxer dog back pain · discospondylitis treatment in dogs · dog muscle wasting and walking problems
Abstract
A three-year-old male Boxer dog had hyperesthesia, symmetrical epaxial, gluteal and hind limb muscular atrophy and rear limb ataxia. Neurological deficits included decreased conscious proprioception of the left hind limb, decreased withdrawal and increased patellar reflexes of both hind limbs. The dog had a urinary tract infection with positive culture for Staphylococcus intermedius. On survey radiography of the lumbosacral spine there was active bone proliferation spanning the L7 S1 intervertebral disc space with an epidural filling defect at the ventral aspect of the vertebral canal on epidurography. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), findings were similar to those described for human diskospondylitis including altered signal intensity and nonuniform contrast enhancement of the L7-S1 intervertebral disc, adjacent vertebral end plates and epidural and sublumbar soft tissues. Although skeletal radiography is usually sufficient to reach a diagnosis of discospondylitis, MRI of this patient made it possible to reach a presumptive diagnosis of discospondylitis prior to development of definitive radiographic abnormalities.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9491511/