Feline Discospondylitis Study Guide

Overview and Clinical Importance

Discospondylitis (also spelled diskospondylitis) is an infection of the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral endplates, typically bacterial or fungal in origin. While considerably more common in dogs, feline discospondylitis is rare but clinically important and appears on NAVLE examinations as part of differential diagnosis for spinal pain and neurological dysfunction in cats.

The condition results from infection of the intervertebral disc space (discitis) and adjacent cartilaginous vertebral endplates (spondylitis). In cats, the lumbosacral junction (L7-S1) is most commonly affected, accounting for approximately 36-50% of all feline cases. Recognition of this condition is essential because early diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy typically result in favorable outcomes.

Etiology and Pathophysiology

Routes of Infection

The exact route of infection is often unknown in individual cases. The following mechanisms have been implicated in feline discospondylitis: