La discospondilite nel cane
Discospondilytis in the dog
Authors
Di Virgilio F., Aymeric Deneuche, Caraty J.
Servizio di Chirurgia e Anestesia – Centre Hospitalier Vétérinaire VET24
994 Avenue de la République 59700 Marcq en Baroeul – France www.Vet24.fr
Lorenzo Golini
NorthWest Surgeons Ltd, Delamere house, Ashville point, Sutton Weaver, Cheshire, WA73FW UK
Summary
Discospondylitis is an inflammatory disease of the intervertebral disc, adjacent endplates, and vertebral bodies. The most common cause of infectious discospondylitis in dogs are bacterial (mainly Staphylococus spp.) and some species of micetes.
These originate most often from the urinary tract and then spread to nearby structures hematogenously and/or via lymphatic vessels. Diagnosis of discospondylitis is usually made using X-rays, which show signs of endplates destruction and collapse of the disc space; rarely more than one disc is involved. Ideally bacteriological examination should be carried out from the affected disc, but also blood or urine culture could yield growth of the offending etiological agent. Treatment is initially with broad spectrum long-term antibiotics. Dogs that fail to respond or those that become extremely painful often require surgical intervention due to inherent presence of instability and a degree of spinal cord compression.
Keywords
dog, discospondilytis, back pain, vertebrae, neurology
