What Is Your Diagnosis?

Abstract

HistoryAn 8-year-old neutered male Dachshund was evaluated at the Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital with a history of stranguria, pollakiuria, and incontinence for 3 weeks and signs of back pain and slowly progressive paraparesis for 2 weeks. The dog had been treated for cystitis and suspected prostatitis by the referring veterinarian, with a 1-week course of antimicrobials and meloxicam. The urinary incontinence persisted after treatment, but there was mild improvement in the stranguria and pollakiuria and a subjective decrease in the size of the prostate gland. Approximately 2 years earlier, a T12-T13 hemilaminectomy had been performed for treatment of Hansen type 1 intervertebral disk herniation. The signs of back pain and progressive paraparesis were believed to be the result of an episode of intervertebral disk disease, and cage confinement was initiated. Three days prior to referral, administration of meloxicam was discontinued, and treatment with tramadol and prednisone was initiated. The owner reported that the dog had been dribbling urine, was only able to urinate and defecate small amounts at a time, had begun trying to bite when picked up, and was weak in the pelvic limbs.Physical examination revealed severe signs of pain in the lumbar vertebral area and caudal aspect of the abdomen, an asymmetrically enlarged and painful prostate gland, pelvic limb paraparesis, conscious proprioceptive deficits in the pelvic limbs, and pelvic limb hyperreflexia. Anal tone and perineal reflexes were normal; the urinary bladder was distended, and urine was difficult to express. Abdominal radiography was performed to evaluate the prostate gland (Figure 1).Determine whether additional imaging studies are required, or make your diagnosis from Figure 1-then turn the page → Figure 1-Lateral (A) and ventrodorsal (B) radiographic views of the abdomen of an 8-year-old neutered male Dachshund evaluated because of a 3-week history of stranguria, pollakiuria, and signs of pain on palpation over the lumbar vertebral area (L3-L4 region).

Computed tomographic features of canine prostatic carcinoma

“…Of note, three of these dogs also had strongly suspected bony metastases. Mineralization of the medial iliac lymph nodes has been described in a single dog with PC 28 . Similar to the present study, this dog also had bony changes present: periosteal reaction along the ventral margins of the L4 through L7 and suspected lysis of the body of L5.…”

“…Mineralization of the medial iliac lymph nodes has been described in a single dog with PC. 28 Similar to the present study, this dog also had bony changes present: periosteal reaction along the ventral margins of the L4 through L7 and suspected lysis of the body of L5. Although the link between the mineralization of regional lymph nodes and suspected bony metastases is speculative, it is suggestive of a more aggressive disease.…”