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Case Reports
. 2021 Sep;35(5):2421-2426.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.16257. Epub 2021 Aug 27.

Acquired cervical scoliosis in two dogs with inflammatory central nervous system disease

Lydia Poad  1 , Steven De Decker  1 , Joe Fenn  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Acquired cervical scoliosis in two dogs with inflammatory central nervous system disease

Lydia Poad et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Acquired cervical scoliosis previously has been reported in dogs as a clinical sign associated with Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia but has not been described with inflammatory central nervous system disease. A 9-month-old Flat-Coated Retriever was presented with an acute onset of cervical scoliosis with no other neurological deficits. Magnetic resonance imaging identified a focal, poorly defined intramedullary lesion within the cranial cervical spinal cord. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis indicated mononuclear pleocytosis consistent with a diagnosis of meningomyelitis of unknown etiology. A second dog, a 3-year-old female spayed German Shepherd, developed an acute onset of cervical scoliosis with mild generalized proprioceptive ataxia 2 months after commencing immunosuppressive corticosteroid treatment for presumed steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis. Magnetic resonance imaging at the time of diagnosis disclosed a similar intramedullary lesion within the cranial cervical spinal cord, with a neutrophilic pleocytosis on CSF analysis. Both dogs were treated with immunosuppressive dosages of prednisolone, along with cytosine arabinoside in the first dog, with resolution of cervical scoliosis seen in both. To our knowledge, this is the first report of acute onset acquired, reversible cervical scoliosis in dogs with presumed immune-mediated meningomyelitis.

Keywords: gray matter; meningomyelitis of unknown etiology; spinal cord; steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis; torticollis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Photographs of dog 1 at the onset of cervical scoliosis dorsal view (A) and front view (B). Note the marked curvature of the neck toward the left
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
T2‐weighted sagittal (A) and transverse magnetic resonance images of the cervical spine of dog 1 showing an intramedullary hyperintensity (red arrows) at the level of cranial C2 vertebral body (A). The lesion is asymmetrical, affecting predominantly dorsal column gray matter (B)
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
T2‐weighted sagittal (A) and transverse magnetic resonance images of the cervical spine of dog 2 showing an intramedullary hyperintensity (red arrows) extending from the level of the foramen magnum to mid‐C2 vertebral body (A). The lesion is asymmetrical, affecting predominantly dorsal column gray matter (B)
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Photographs of dog 2 at the onset of cervical scoliosis. As for dog 1, note the marked curvature of the neck toward the left
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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