Discospondylitis with pyometra in a dog

Kim, Haksang; Choi, Jihye; Jung, Joohyun; Chang, Jinhwa; Choi, Mincheol; Yoon, Junghee

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 2006;46(4):381-385.

Haksang Kim¹, Jihye Choi², Joohyun Jung¹, Jinhwa Chang¹, Mincheol Choi¹, Junghee Yoon¹

¹College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 Program for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University
²Haemaru Referral Animal Hospital

개에서 자궁축농증과 병발한 척추원반염 1례

김학상¹, 최지혜², 정주현¹, 장진화¹, 최민철¹, 윤정희¹

¹서울대학교 수의과대학 BK21 수의과학연구인력양성사업단
²해마루 2차진료동물병원

Abstract

Discospondylitis is an infection of intervertebral discs, associated end plates, and adjacent vertebral bodies causing destruction and proliferation. A 10-year-old intact female Rhodesian Ridgeback dog was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Seoul National University with paraparesis and severe pain at T13-L1 region for one week duration. The treatment with PDS for one week by referring veterinarian showed no clinical improvement. At time of presentation, clinical signs of the patient included depression, vaginal discharge, and fever. In T-L spine radiography, osteolytic change was found between caudal endplate of T13 and cranial endplate of L1. The affected vertebral bodies were shortened and intervertebral disc space was widened. In abdominal radiography, a dilated soft tissue opacity tubular structure was found in mid-caudal abdomen. The abdominal ultrasonography revealed the uterus dilated with echogenic fluid. The CT findings showed concentric lysis of T13-L1 endplates. The dog was diagnosed as diskospondylitis at T13-L1 and pyometra. Urine and blood were cultured, and Staphylococcus (S.) intermedius was identified. The patient had surgical treatment for pyometra but died for septicemia.

Key Words: diskospondylitis, dog, pyometra