Risk factors for diskospondylitis in dogs after spinal decompression surgery for intervertebral disk herniation

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of and risk factors for development of postoperative diskospondylitis (POD) in dogs that underwent spinal decompression surgery for intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH). DESIGN Retrospective single cohort study. ANIMALS 372 dogs that underwent spinal decompression surgery for IVDH between January 2007 and January 2011. PROCEDURES Medical records of dogs were retrospectively reviewed. Data regarding signalment, type and anatomic site of IVDH, severity of neurologic signs, type of surgery, duration of anesthesia, esophageal temperature during surgery, and use of corticosteroid drugs were analyzed for associations with POD. RESULTS POD developed in 8 of 372 (2.2%) dogs. Univariate analysis revealed that German Shepherd Dogs had 9.8 times the odds of POD, compared with the odds for other breeds. In addition, dogs > 8.8 years of age, weighing > 20 kg (44 lb), or having disk protrusions were at higher risk of developing POD than were other dogs. The only factor that retained a significant association with POD after controlling for other factors in multivariate analysis was body weight > 20 kg. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Factors identified in this study may be useful for prediction of POD, an apparently uncommon outcome, in dogs undergoing spinal decompression surgery for IVDH. Dogs at higher risk than others, particularly those weighing > 20 kg, should be monitored carefully in the immediate postoperative period, and signs of worsening neurologic condition after initial improvement should be promptly investigated.

MRI and clinical findings in 133 dogs with recurrent deficits following intervertebral disc extrusion surgery

“…This is similar to the reported range of 16-69 days for dogs with discospondylitis following spinal decompression. [29][30][31] Of these three cases, only one case had evidence of a concurrent infection (urinary tract infection). The fourth dog had a spinal abscess at the surgical site and presented with marked spinal pain, but unlike the discospondylitis cases, it had neurological worsening 24 hours postoperatively.…”

Canine Breeds Predisposed to Develop Diskospondylitis: A Retrospective Study of 181 Cases (2009-2018)

“…Another retrospective study used all canines that had been admitted to the veterinary clinic as the control group during the study period (BURKERT et al, 2005) which would certainly justify the lower prevalence observed, compared with the present study. Some epidemiological aspects previously described were endorsed: (1) male dogs are more affected (HUROV et al, 1978;DAVIS et al, 2000;BURKERT et al, 2005;CANAL et al, 2016); (2) Large breeds are more susceptible (HUROV et al, 1978;DAVIS et al, 2002;HARRIS et al, 2013;CANAL et al, 2016); (3) The average age of dogs affected is five years old (HARRIS et al, 2013, CANAL et al, 2016, although older dogs (>10 years) are more prevalent (DAVIS et al, 2000;BURKERT et al, 2005). Interestingly, dogs between two to five years old have a 51% less chance of a spinal disorder being DS.…”

“…In humans, the presence of any endplate lesion has statistically and significantly been associated with the elderly (WANG et al 2012, AGUILAR-COMPANY et al, 2018, but has not been reported in children as observed in young dogs. In general, most studies suggest that DS is frequently associated to canine urinary tract and prostatic infections (BURKERT et al, 2005), common diseases of male and elderly dogs, but fungus (SCHULTZ et al, 2008), previous surgeries (THOMAS, 2000;CANAL et al, 2016;SHWARTZ et al, 2016) and previous infections from foci elsewhere in the body (ADAMO & CHERUBINI, 2001;KIRBERGER, 2016) have also been associated to DS. In humans, the risk factor includes advanced age, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, genitourinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, rheumatoid arthritis, immunosuppression and surgery (FRIEDMAN et al, 2002;AGUILAR-COMPANY et al, 2018).…”

Axis dorsal laminotomy in dogs: a retrospective analysis of 10 cases

“…In the authors’ opinion, this was caused by the underlying primary pathology rather than the technique used to access the vertebral canal. The median postoperative hospitalisation was five days, which is comparable to dogs having undergone decompressive surgery for intervertebral disc herniation22 and compared with seven days for cervical hemilaminectomy and laminectomy 14. Case 1 was re‐examined by the referring veterinary surgeon where all other examinations were performed by a board‐certified neurologist.…”