Discospondylitis (also spelled diskospondylitis) is infection of an intervertebral disc and the vertebral endplates on either side of it. Most cases in dogs are blood-borne bacterial infections that respond to months of antimicrobial treatment, but two causes change everything about management: Brucella canis, which is zoonotic and cannot be reliably cured, and disseminated Aspergillus infection, which carries a poor prognosis. A dog with back pain and no fever can still have it, which is why it is missed.
Key facts
Discospondylitis at a glance- Species and system: mainly dogs, especially larger breeds; rare in cats. Nervous system (vertebral column), presenting as spinal pain with or without cord or nerve-root signs.
- Cause: usually hematogenous bacteria; Staphylococcus spp. are isolated most often. Also Streptococcus, E. coli, Brucella canis and, less commonly, fungi such as Aspergillus.
- Typical patient: adult to older, medium-to-giant breed male dog; German Shepherds dominate the fungal cases.
- Classic presentation: spinal pain, stiffness and reluctance to move, often without fever; L7-S1 is the single most common site, and many dogs have more than one lesion.
- Zoonotic: B. canis infects people, so every affected dog is tested. It is not nationally reportable in the USA, but many states require reporting.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 6 tables, 3 figures, 3 self-test questions and 20 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.