Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dachshund with neck and front leg birth defects and spinal dermoid
By Barrios, Natasha et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2014·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Spinal dermoid sinus in a Dachshund with vertebral and thoracic limb malformations.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 1.5-year-old Dachshund was brought in for severe neck pain, stiffness, and weakness in all four legs. The vet found that the dog had some unusual bone deformities in the neck and chest area, along with a type IV dermoid sinus (a skin-like cyst) in the chest. After performing surgery to remove the sinus, the dog showed significant improvement and was recovering well, with no signs of problems six months later.
People also search for: Dachshund neck pain · dog dermoid sinus treatment · congenital limb deformities in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dermoid sinus is an uncommon epithelial-lined fistula that may be associated with vertebral malformations. In humans, Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) is a rare condition characterized by congenital cervical vertebral fusion and may be associated with other developmental defects, including dermoid sinus. The present case report describes an adult Dachshund with cervical and cranial thoracic vertebral malformations as well as thoracic limb malformations resembling KFS with a concurrent type IV dermoid sinus. CASE PRESENTATION: A 1.5 year-old Dachshund with congenital thoracic limbs deformities and cervical-thoracic vertebral malformations presented with cervical hyperesthesia, rigidity of the cervical musculature and tetraparesis. Neurologic, radiographic, and computed tomography (CT) (2D, 3D, CT fistulography) examinations revealed skeletal anomalies, a dermoid sinus in the cranial thoracic region and epidural gas within the vertebral canal. Surgical resection and histopathological evaluation of the sinus tract were performed and confirmed a type IV dermoid sinus. The clinical signs progressively recovered postoperatively, and no recurrent signs were observed after 6 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical vertebral malformations associated with limbs anomalies have not been reported in dogs and may represent a condition similar to KFS in humans. KFS can occur concurrently with other congenital conditions including dermoid sinus and should be included among the complex congenital anomalies described in dogs.
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/24593884/