Diskospondylitis

Question 1

What dogs are predisposed to diskospondylitis?

Answer 1

Young-middle aged

GSD, 
Labrador retriever,
Boxer, 
Rottweiler, 
Great Dane 

Males more than females

Question 2

What are the symptoms of discospondylitis?

Answer 2

Spinal pain (palpation)
Systemic ie fever, weight loss in 30%
Mild neurologic in 50%

Question 3

How is discospondylitis diagnosed and what are the specific findings?

Answer 3

Lysis of vertebral end plates
Sclerosis at margins of bone loss
Narrow disc space

Question 4

How do you isolate the organism?

Answer 4

Blood and urine culture identifies 50% of cases

Question 5

Treatment of discospondylitis?

Answer 5

Cephalexin/amoxyclav q8
plus quinolone for gram negative

Analgesia for 3-5 days (usually improves very quickly)
Cage rest to prevent fracture/luxation

Question 6

Follow up for discospondylitis

Answer 6

Clinical and radiographic evaluation every 3 weeks (the vertebrae fuse)

Question 7

When does treatment stop for discospondylitis?

Answer 7

Minimum 8 weeks antibiotics

Discontinue if no longer spinal pain on palpation and no radiographic lysis

Question 8

What would cause relapse of discospondylitis?

Answer 8

If infection caused by foreign body rather than haematogenous spread