CT myelography of the T11-L2 region was performed in 8 large-breed dogs with a clinical diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy (DM) and 3 large-breed dogs that were clinically normal. CT myelographic characteristics were recorded for each dog, at each disc level. Area measurements of the spinal cord, dural sac, vertebral canal, and vertebral body were recorded at 4 slice locations for each disc level. Mean area ratios were calculated and graphically compared, by slice location and group. In all dogs, CT myelography identified morphologic abnormalities that were not suspected from conventional myelograms. Characteristics observed with higher frequency in DM versus normal dogs were: spinal stenosis, disc protrusion, focal attenuation of the subarachnoid space, spinal cord deformity, small spinal cord, and paraspinal muscle atrophy. Mean spinal cord: dural sac, spinal cord: vertebral canal, dural sac: vertebral canal, and vertebral canal:vertebral body ratios were smaller in DM versus normal dogs at more than one disc level. Some CT myelographic characteristics in DM dogs were similar to those previously reported in humans, dogs and horses with stenotic myelopathy.
Animals ; Dog Diseases/*radiography ; Dogs ; Female ; Lumbar Vertebrae/radiography ; Male ; Myelography/*veterinary ; Spinal Cord Diseases/radiography/*veterinary ; Thoracic Vertebrae/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*veterinary

A non-ambulatory dog with tetraparesis following a pain episode that had evolved over 2 months was submitted for medical treatment and diagnosed with intervertebral disk disease at C3-C4 and dorsal extradural compression at C1-C2 and C3-C4 using myelography and computed tomography. The dog experienced ambulation recovery after 15 days of treatment with only electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, with marked improvement occurring after only 10 treatments. Six months of followup demonstrated that the dog was stable and had no recurrence of symptoms. Therefore, it was concluded that the combination of electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine was responsible for motor rehabilitation.
Animals ; Cervical Vertebrae/*pathology ; Dog Diseases/*drug therapy/*therapy ; Dogs ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*therapeutic use ; Electroacupuncture/methods/*veterinary ; *Intervertebral Disk ; Myelography/veterinary ; Spinal Cord Compression/radiography/therapy/*veterinary ; Spinal Diseases/drug therapy/therapy/*veterinary ; Treatment Outcome