Premium
INTERVERTEBRAL AND INTRAVERTEBRAL RATIOS IN D OBERMAN PINSCHER DOGS WITH CERVICAL SPONDYLOMYELOPATHY
Author(s) -
da Costa Ronaldo C.,
Johnson Jacqueline A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
veterinary radiology and ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.541
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1740-8261
pISSN - 1058-8183
DOI - 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2012.01945.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sagittal plane , radiography , intervertebral disc , cervical spine , cervical vertebrae , anatomy , intervertebral disk , nuclear medicine , radiology , surgery , lumbar
No screening method is currently available to differentiate dogs with and without cervical spondylomyelopathy. Intravertebral and intervertebral ratios are used in horses and can predict cervical vertebral malformation. Intervertebral ratios could be a useful screening method for canine cervical spondylomyelopathy. Our purpose was to compare cervical intervertebral and intravertebral ratios in normal vs. affected D oberman pinschers. Forty dogs were studied, 27 affected and 13 normal. Cervical radiographs were obtained in all dogs. The minimum intra‐ and intervertebral sagittal diameter ratios were established for each cervical vertebrae and disc space from C 2 to C 7 . Comparisons were made between groups and specific vertebral body and disc levels. The effect of gender, age, and method of measurement (analog or digital radiographs) was also studied. There was no difference in either the intervertebral or intravertebral ratio between normal vs. affected dogs. The ratios decreased progressively along the cervical spine, being smallest at C 6 – C 7 and C 7 , respectively. Age, gender, and method of measurement had a significant influence on both inter‐ and intravertebral ratios, with smaller ratios seen as dogs aged and in male dogs. Based on our results, inter‐ or intravertebral ratios have no value to distinguish between clinically normal D oberman pinschers and D oberman pinschers with cervical spondylomyelopathy.