Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Thoracic and lumbar spine defects in pugs with and without nerve
By Rohdin, C et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2018·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Presence of thoracic and lumbar vertebral malformations in pugs with and without chronic neurological deficits.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of pugs, some with and some without chronic neurological problems, were studied to see if congenital vertebral malformations (CVMs) were linked to their symptoms. Researchers found that nearly all the pugs had CVMs, regardless of whether they showed neurological deficits like weakness or coordination issues. The study did not find a clear connection between the type of CVM and the presence of neurological problems. This suggests that while CVMs are common in pugs, they may not always be the cause of neurological issues.
People also search for: pug neurological problems · congenital vertebral malformations in pugs · pug weakness treatment
Abstract
Congenital vertebral malformations (CVMs) are common in brachycephalic dogs such as the pug, and are often considered incidental findings. However, specific CVMs have been suggested to be associated with neurological deficits in pugs. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical importance of CVMs in the pug by comparing computed tomography studies of the thoracolumbar spine from pugs without neurological deficits with those from pugs with a confirmed T3-L3 spinal cord lesion and neurological deficits consistent with a chronic T3-L3 myelopathy. A total of 57 pugs were recruited into the study from Sweden (n=33), United Kingdom (n=21) and Norway (n=3); 30 with neurological deficits and 27 without. Focal T3-L3 pathology was confirmed in all pugs with neurological deficits by magnetic resonance imaging (n=29) and/or pathology (n=15). Computed tomography studies of the thoracolumbar spine from pugs with and without neurological deficits were compared to investigate possible associations between presentation of neurological deficits consistent with chronic T3-L3 pathology and signalment variables, presence of CVMs and type of CVMs. Congenital vertebral malformations were as common in pugs with, as in pugs without, neurological deficits. Regardless of neurological status, the majority of pugs (96%) presented with one or more CVM. An association between presence, or type of CVM in the T1-L3 vertebral column, and neurological deficits consistent with T3-L3 pathology could not be confirmed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30340656/