chronic disease of thoracolumbar spine

what consideration should you make with a dog presenting for paraparesis

• neurologic disease

• orthopedic disease

• systemic diseases

a disease of the spinal cord is known as a __________

myelopathy

a disease of the nerve roots is known as a __________

radiculopathy

a disease of the nerves is known as a ___________

neuropathy

When performing a neurologic examination think of what 3 things in relation to spinal diseases

• reflex

• atrophy

• tone

A chronic UMN spinal lesion will display a what clnical signs

• Crossed extensor

• babinsky

neuromuscular diseases affect what parts of the body

• nerves

• muscles

• neuromuscular juntion

generally a neuromuscular disease will have generalized weakness with no ___________ and normal to decreased ___________

• ataxia

• reflexes

neuromuscular disease can be localized to what 3 causes

• neuropathy

• myopathy

• junctionopathy

Type 2 IVDD is caused by chronic fibroid degeneration of ____________

annulus fibrosis

unlike type 1 in type 2 the disc ___________

protrudes

What would be the classic clinical presentation of an type 2 IVDD dog

• large dog

• older

• non chondrodystrophic

• progressive

what diagnostic options do you have for type 2 IVDD

• radiography

• CT

• MRI

radiographs are not a _______ for type 2 IVDD

definitive diagnosis

A ___ would allow you to visualize compression using contrast

CT myelogram

The modality of choice for diagnosing type 2 IVDD is what?

MRI

what are the 3 types of spinal neoplasia

• extradural

• intradural extramedullary

• intramedullary

based on the picture match the spinal neoplasia to the number

1. intramedullary

2. extradural

3. intradural extramedullary

dogs with spinal neoplasia can have acute worsening what?

• fractures

• decoompensations

• hemorrhage

for spinal neoplasia you want to use ____________ as only a screening tool

radiographs

what areas of the body would you want to radiograph

• thoracic

• spinal

When weighing advanced imaging options for a spinal neoplasia ______ is preferred

MRI

CT is great for what type of spinal neoplasia

boney tumors

Outside of advanced imaging modalities what else can you do to diagnose spinal neoplasia

• CSF analysis

• fine needle aspirates

• biopsies

degenerative disease of spinal cord white matter is known as _________

degenerative myelopathy

Degenerative myelopathy will be _______ and affect the ______ nerve roots

• chronic

• dorsal

Degenerative myelopathy is similar to what human disease?

ALS

Degenerative myelopathy results in a genetic mutation of _____ which leads to diffuse _________ with demyelination

• SOD1

• axonal degeneration

Degenerative myelopathy starts ________ and ________ up and down the spinal cord

• T3-L3

• advances

A dog presents with LMN paraplegia but overtime develops thoracic limb weakness which is analogous for what disease of the spinal cord

Degenerative myelopathy

A 7 year old dog presents with chronic hindlimb paraplegia with developing thoracic paresis, but no pain over the last 8 months, what is the top differential for this dog?

Degenerative myelopathy

When attempting to diagnose degenerative myelopathy what must you do?

• MRI

• CSF

Does a dog with an positive SOD1 test mean it will develop degenerative myelopathy

no

Degenerative lumbosacral stenosis can develop from what?

• type 2 IVDD at L7-S1

• ligamentous proliferation

• articular facet proliferation

Degenerative lumbosacral stenosis is considered a ____________

rediculopathy

A dog with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis will present with what?

• no ataxia

• cauda equina signs

• large dog

• paraparetic

What nerves are most likely affected in a dog with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis

• sciatic

• pudendal

• caudal

A bacterial or fungal infection of intervertebral disc and end plates is known as what?

Discospondylitis

The most frequent cause of discospondylitis is what?

brucella

Discospondylitis most often affects the ________ area and causes intense ____________ even with no palpation

• lumbosacral

• pain

A dog presents with discospondylitis what would you notice on his radiographs to confirm this diagnosis

lysis of adjacent endplates

When deciding what diagnostics to run to diagnose discospondylitis the initial ones should focus on __________ while the advanced should focus on what?

• screening for infection

• imaging

What is the best imaging strategy for discospondylitis

CT