Discospondylitis Flashcards
Who is usually affected by discospondylitis?
Young
Male
Large breed dogs
Who does vertebral physitis affect, and what can it cause?
Vertebral physitis occurs in skeletally immature dogs
May result in vertebral body collapse and secondary vertebral malformation
What does spondylitis refer to and is most frequently a result of?
Spondylitis refers to infection of the vertebral bone
Most frequently a result of direct inoculation of pathogens
What is discospondylitis?
A primary infeciton of the cartilagenous vertebral endplates with secondary involvement of the disc
What cab be the clinical signs of discospondylitis?
Non-specific, from malaise to severe neurological signs
- anorexia
- vomitus
- vertebral hyperesthesia or pain
What structures may contribute to pain?
Vertebral body
Vertebral endplate
Intervertebral disc
Dorsal longitudinal ligament
Meninges
What can cause the neurological signs?
Static spinal cord compression can sometimes be seen due to soft tissue reaction
However
Vertebral instability and subluxation may be responsible for the neurologic deficits
What are the sources of infeciton in discospondylitis
Autogenous
- hematogen spread
Iatrigenic
What can cause hematogen spread?
UVI
Abscesses
Open wound
respiratory tract infections
From the oral cavity
Traumatic injury with transient bacteremia
++
What is the most common causative agent?
Staphylococcus aureus
++
How can you confirm diagnosis?
Radiography
What are the common radiographic signs?
Vertebral endplate lysis
Disc space narrowing
Sclerosis
Spondylosis
If further imaging is needed, what would you choose and why?
MRI
will identify early changes that may not be seen in both radiography and CT
Which cases need surgical treatment?
Where vertebral instability or subluxation is diagnosed
