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. 2022 Nov 4:9:1043610.
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1043610. eCollection 2022.

Brucella canis discospondylitis in 33 dogs

Christina Long  1 , Elisabeth Burgers  2 , Christina Copple  2 , Laura Stainback  3 , Rebecca A Packer  4 , Kelli Kopf  5 , Jessica Schmidt  1 , Samantha Emch  5 , Rebecca Windsor  1
Affiliations

Brucella canis discospondylitis in 33 dogs

Christina Long et al. Front Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical and imaging findings of 33 dogs with Brucella canis discospondylitis (BDS).

Animals: 33 client owned dogs from four veterinary specialty hospitals within Colorado and Arizona with at least one positive B. canis test and spinal diagnostic imaging.

Procedures: Retrospective review of signalment, physical and neurological examination findings, laboratory results, B. canis serology, and diagnostic imaging of 33 dogs with BDS. All imaging was reviewed by a board-certified veterinary neurologist. Radiographs were reviewed by a board-certified veterinary radiologist blinded to MRI and CT findings.

Results: 31/33 (94%) dogs were <5 years old (median = 2.5 years, mean = 2.9 years, range 0.5-10 years). 21/29 (72%) dogs had signs of nonspecific pain, spinal pain, or lameness for >3 months (median = 6 months, mean = 8.2 months, range 5 days-4 years). Fever was seen in only 4/28 (14%) dogs. Multifocal lesions were evident on radiographs in 21/29 (72%) dogs and MRI in 12/18 (67%) dogs. Smooth, round, central end-plate lysis, defined as "hole punch" lesions, were identified radiographically in 25/29 (86%) dogs. Vertebral physitis or spondylitis without discitis was evident on MRI in 7/18 (39%) dogs.

Clinical relevance: Dogs with BDS typically present at a young age with a long duration of clinical signs. Identification of radiographic "hole punch" lesions and MRI evidence of vertebral physitis, spondylitis, and paravertebral inflammation without discitis should increase suspicion for BDS. BDS may be increasing in frequency in the southwestern United States, and dogs with signs of chronic spinal pain and/or lameness should be screened for B. canis.

Keywords: brucellosis; discitis; infection; osteomyelitis; vertebra.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A,B) Lateral radiographs exemplifying typical “hole punch” lesions (red arrows).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A–C) Examples of “hole punch” lesions on MRI.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Lateral radiograph (A) and STIR MRI (B) demonstrating vertebral physitis and osteomyelitis without obvious discitis at L4-5. Lateral STIR imaging at T11-L1 (C) and C4-5 (D) from two dogs with osteomyelitis without significant intervertebral disc involvement.
Figure 4
Figure 4
MRI STIR cervical sagittal (A) and axial paravertebral lesions at T6 (B) and C5 (C).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Lateral radiograph (A), CT (B), STIR sagittal MRI (C), T2 sagittal MRI (D) demonstrating lesions at T13-L1 and L2-3.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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