Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spinal epidural abscess causing paralysis in two dogs
By Dewey, C W et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1998·Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spinal epidural empyema in two dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed breed dog and a 7-year-old Labrador were brought in for sudden weakness and inability to walk. Both dogs showed signs of spinal cord compression due to a serious infection that caused pus to build up in the epidural space around their spines. Despite attempts to treat them with medication and draining the fluid, their conditions worsened, and unfortunately, both dogs were euthanized due to the severity of their illness. This rare condition highlights the importance of considering spinal infections in dogs that show signs of back pain and weakness.
People also search for: dog unable to walk · dog spinal infection treatment · signs of dog back pain
Abstract
Extensive, diffuse, epidural spinal cord compression was visualized myelographically in two dogs presented for rapid development of nonambulatory tetraparesis and paraplegia, respectively. Purulent fluid containing bacterial organisms was aspirated percutaneously under fluoroscopic guidance from the epidural space of each dog. One dog responded poorly to aggressive medical therapy, which included installation of an epidural lavage and drainage system. Both dogs were euthanized due to the severe nature of their disorder and the poor prognosis. Spinal epidural empyema (i.e., abscess) is a rare condition in humans and has not been reported previously in the veterinary literature. Spinal epidural empyema should be considered as a differential diagnosis in dogs presenting with painful myelopathies, especially when accompanied by fever.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9657164/