Spinal hyperostosis in humans and companion animals

Comparison of Two Mesotherapy Protocols in the Management of Back Pain in Police Working Dogs: A Retrospective Study

This study aimed to compare 2 protocols for the management of back pain in police working dogs. Twenty animals were signaled based on history, trainer complaints, physical and radiographic examination consistent with back pain. In a retrospective study, 2 groups were considered: GM, treated with a solution comprising a combination of lidocaine, dexamethasone, and tiocolchicoseide; and GT, treated with the same solution, with the addition of Traumeel LT. Response to treatment, measured by the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI, divided into pain interference score - PIS, and pain severity score - PSS) and Hudson Visual Analogue Scale (HVAS), was evaluated before treatment (T0), after 15 (+15d) days and 1 (+30d), 2 (+60d), 3 (+90d), 4 (+120d), 5 (+150d) and 6 (+180d) months. Results were compared using an independent samples t-test or a Paired Samples t-test. Comparing results for each moment with T0 within each group, differences where observed only in GM at +15d (P < .01 for PIS and P < .01 for PSS), +30d (P = .04 for PIS and P < .01 for PSS), +60d (P = .03 for PIS and P = .02 for PSS) and +90d (P = .02 for PSS). Treatment was successful in reducing PSS (reduction of ≥1) in 8/10 animals of GM at +15d (80%), 8/10 at +30d (80%), 5/10 at +60d (50%), 4/10 at +90d (40%), 3/9 at +120d (33.3%) and 2/9 at +150d -+ 180d (22.2%). In GT, treatment was successful in 1/10 at +15d -+30d (10%), 2/10 at +60d (20%) and 1/10 at +90d (10%). No differences were observed with HVAS any time point for either intervention or when comparing groups in each moment. The protocol used in GM produced significant improvements, while the addition of Traumeel did not, rather reducing the effect of treatment in working dogs with back pain. Further studies are required.

Interpreting pathologies in extant and extinct archosaurs using micro-CT

Palaeopathology offers unique insight to the healing strategies of extinct organisms, permitting questions concerning bone physiology to be answered in greater depth. Unfortunately, most palaeopathological studies are confined to external morphological interpretations due to the destructive nature of traditional methods of study. This limits the degree of reliable diagnosis and interpretation possible. X-ray MicroTomography (micro-CT, XMT) provides a non-destructive means of analysing the internal three-dimensional structure of pathologies in both extant and extinct individuals, at higher resolutions than possible with medical scanners. In this study, we present external and internal descriptions of pathologies in extant and extinct archosaurs using XMT. This work demonstrates that the combination of external/internal diagnosis that X-ray microtomography facilitates is crucial when differentiating between pathological conditions. Furthermore, we show that the use of comparative species, both through direct analysis and from the literature, provides key information for diagnosing between vertebrate groups in the typical pathological conditions and physiological processes. Micro-CT imaging, combined with comparative observations of extant species, provides more detailed and reliable interpretation of palaeopathologies. Micro-CT is an increasingly accessible tool, which will provide key insights for correctly interpreting vertebrate pathologies in the future.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis of the spine in a nine-year-old cat

A nine-year-old intact female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for paraparesis, ataxia and severe spinal hyperaesthesia. Neurological examination indicated a T3-L3 spinal cord segment lesion. Computed tomography of the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral vertebral column was performed. This showed contiguous smooth new bone formation ventral and lateral to the vertebrae extending from the cranial thoracic area to the lumbosacral junction and appearing similar to canine diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. There was also marked dorsolateral stenosis of the vertebral canal at the level of T4-T5 because of degenerative changes of the facet joints. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first published report of feline diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with prominent appendicular bone proliferation in a dog

This report described radiographic and CT features of atypical diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in a 5 year-old, female Shih-tzu showing marked proliferative bone lesions in the appendicular skeleton with minor spinal changes. Continuous or flowing bony bridge formation of vertebrae is used as the gold standard for diagnosing diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. However, this criterion seems not to be suitable for appendicular type diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, as in the present case. Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis is a progressive skeletal disease, and thus, enthesophytosis and the multiple bony proliferations at insertion sites of ligaments and tendons to appendicular bones in a lamellar or trabecular pattern were considered diagnostic features of the appendicular type of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Dorsal vertebral column abnormalities in dogs with disseminated idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH)

Although disseminated idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) most often affects the ventral aspect of the vertebral column, this study evaluated the occurrence, nature and clinical relevance of dorsal vertebral column abnormalities in 10 dogs with DISH for which CT or MRI and a complete neurological examination were available. Dorsal vertebral column abnormalities were present in eight dogs and included articular process hypertrophy (n=7 dogs), periarticular new bone formation (n=1), pseudoarthrosis between spinous processes (n=4) and thickening of the dorsal lamina (n=4). These dorsal vertebral abnormalities caused clinically relevant vertebral canal stenosis in six dogs and were the only cause of clinical signs in four of these dogs. Although the lumbosacral joint was not affected by DISH, these six dogs demonstrated lumbosacral vertebral canal stenosis and clinical signs of cauda equina compression, which included paraparesis (n=5 dogs), lumbosacral pain (n=4), urinary incontinence (n=4), faecal incontinence (n=1) and urinary and faecal incontinence (n=1). There is a possible association between DISH and hypertrophy of dorsal vertebral structures, potentially resulting in vertebral canal stenosis. Although these changes occurred at segments fused by DISH, they predominantly affected adjacent non-affected segments.