Front Matter

Chapter 17 Diagnosis of and Treatment Options for Disorders of the Spine 437

DISH describes excessive ossification of the
spine that occurs along the juncture of the ven­
tral longitudinal ligament. This poorly under­
stood ossification can occur at numerous places
where ligament, tendon, or muscle attach to
bone (entheses) but is most often appreciated on
the spine. DISH can readily be distinguished
from spondylosis in that there is significant bony
production with DISH along the entire length of
the vertebral body, intervertebral spaces, and
contiguous vertebrae that follows the course of
the ventral longitudinal ligament (Figure 17.17).
The causes of these conditions are unknown
and neither condition has a strong association

with intervertebral disc disease. Both condi­

tions can occur concurrently.

Kranenburg and colleagues (2011) have

published a retrospective study of 2041 dogs

outlining the variations and breed specificity

of these conditions in the canine. There is a

strong potential for DISH having a genetic

predisposition as the prevalence in the canine

purebred population is 3.8%, but 40.6% in the

Boxer breed (Hansen, 1951; Kranenburg et al.,

2010). DISH is easy to diagnose radiographi­

cally, and the inherent decreased spinal flexi­

bility can be clinically significant, affecting

gait, posture, and performance.

Figure 17.16 Lateral radiograph of the lumbar spine. The exostoses of the vertebral bodies (arrows) are spondylosis.
They arise from the ventral ridges of bone cranial and caudal to the disc space. These changes are common and most
often are said to be incidental findings. Note also the tremendous degeneration of the articular facets in this dog.
Whether either of these changes would cause serious limitations in the active dog is not known.

Figure 17.17 Lateral radiograph of the lumbar spine demonstrating severe diffuse idiopathic skeletal hypersotosis
(DISH) (arrows). Although this condition is not supposed to be associated with intervertebral disc disease, this dog had
multiple disc prolapses. This dog was only 2 years old at the time of these radiographs and was extremely limited by this
condition. These multiple bony changes resulted in the dog being euthanized at 4 years of age.