Successful medical management of an epidural abscess in a dog

Abstract

A seven‐month‐old entire male dobermann presented with acute onset neck pain and left thoracic limb lameness. The dog had a similar episode eight weeks before presentation that responded to meloxicam. A cervical spinal epidural abscess secondary to Staphylococcus pseudintermedius bacteraemia was diagnosed following investigations, including MRI of the cervical vertebral column and blood cultures. Treatment with cephalexin, gabapentin and meloxicam was started. The dog was doing clinically well one month later. A control MRI and radiographs of the cervical vertebral column showed evidence of discospondylitis and resolution of the primary lesion, therefore the treatment course with cephalexin was continued. Three months after initial presentation the clinical signs had resolved, radiographs showed improvement of the discospondylitis and antibiotics were stopped. Seven months later the dog continued doing well with no relapse.

Multicenter Study of Clinical Presentation, Treatment, and Outcome in 41 Dogs With Spinal Epidural Empyema

“…Most veterinary reports of SEE are single cases, with the largest case series comprising seven dogs (5). Of the 39 previously published canine SEE cases, 12 were managed conservatively (4,15,25,(41)(42)(43), 24 surgically (5-7, 14, 16-23), and 3 were not treated (3,4,24). Of the 12 conservatively treated dogs, only 2 had a poor outcome and were euthanized following respiratory arrest (4) and neurological deterioration (43).…”

Spinal epidural empyema in a dog as a suspected consequence of a post‐neutering infection

“…Isolation of infectious agents is frequently achieved via cytological examination and culture of the purulent material obtained from the epidural empyema during surgery or via needle aspiration of the epidural fluid as well as blood culture. 1,3,4,[12][13][14]17,20 To increase diagnostic yield of blood culture, three to four blood samples should be collected aseptically from different venipunture sites over 24 hours, with more than an hour elapsing between collection. 12,21 Sampling should be performed during the fever spike or at the time of drug trough concentration in case antibiotic therapy was already administered.…”

“…Spinal epidural empyema has been reported in dogs and cats, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] as a suppurative, septic process of the epidural space of the vertebral canal. 7,19 Occasionally, the purulent exudate in the epidural space can be present within a membrane, in which case it is defined as spinal epidural abscess.…”

“…7,19 Occasionally, the purulent exudate in the epidural space can be present within a membrane, in which case it is defined as spinal epidural abscess. [11][12][13][14] However, due to the challenge to differentiate these two entities, these terms are often used interchangeably. 12 We hereby describe a spinal epidural empyema in a young German shepherd dog.…”

“…[11][12][13][14] However, due to the challenge to differentiate these two entities, these terms are often used interchangeably. 12 We hereby describe a spinal epidural empyema in a young German shepherd dog. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of spinal epidural empyema as a presumed complication of routine neutering in a healthy canine patient.…”