Thoracolumbar myelopathies in pug dogs
Constrictive myelopathy (CM) involving a fibrous band around the spinal cord is a newly recognized disease in pug dogs. The objectives of this study were to identify the frequency of CM based on diagnostic imaging supplemented with necropsy, to determine whether a relationship exists between the sites of CM and other described T3-L3 myelopathies, and to determine the frequency of caudal articular process dysplasia (CAPD).
Thirty-two client-owned pug dogs diagnosed with chronic, progressive T3-L3 myelopathy based on neurological examination performed by a board-certified neurologist were included in this prospective study.
All dogs underwent computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reviewed by a board-certified radiologist. Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities were categorized into diseases; CM only, CM plus other non-CM condition(s), or non-CM condition. Sites of CAPD were reported on CT. Nineteen dogs underwent necropsy.
Results showed that magnetic resonance imaging revealed three dogs with CM only, 17 with CM plus at least 1 other myelopathy, 11 dogs with non-CM myelopathies only, and 1 with no MRI abnormalities. Nineteen of 32 dogs had >1 myelopathy diagnosis on MRI whereas 15/32 had >1 site of spinal cord compression. All dogs had CAPD at >1 site in the T3-L3 vertebral column on CT.
In conclusion, constrictive myelopathy affected more than half of pug dogs presenting with chronic thoracolumbar myelopathies. Most had multilevel disease, concurrent myelopathies, or both. There was no apparent relationship between anatomic locations of CAPD and most severe myelopathy or myelopathy type.
Ian J Wachowiak, et al “Thoracolumbar myelopathies in pug dogs.”J Vet Intern Med. 6 February 2023. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16639.
Comments
Related Articles
Copyright © 2025 - All Rights Reserved
ISSN 2768-198X
List
Add
Please enter a comment