Front Matter

442 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

pathology has been limited. When looking at
static evaluations of intervertebral disc disease, it
is common to find a poor association between the
extent of the clinical signs and the disease deter­
mined by imaging, particularly when the clinical
signs are limited (Adams et al., 1995). It is reason­
able to assume that dynamic studies will deter­
mine potential and actual compressive conditions
with greater accuracy in the future.
Video fluoroscopy and kinematic studies
allow one to appreciate the forces involved and
the dynamic ranges of not only the interverte­
bral discs but the spinal cord as well (Medical
Legal Art, 2009). A general overview of interver­
tebral disc disease in the dog is available else­
where (Coates, 2000).

Trauma

The most common traumatic injury to the spi­
nal cord is acute intervertebral disc herniation.
The second most common is blunt trauma to
the spine that is most often the result of an auto­
mobile‐related injury. The treatment protocols
are similar, based predominately on an accurate
diagnosis and neurological evaluation.
In the veterinary literature, traumatic injuries
to the spine are most often assigned severity
based upon the spinal cord damage imposed by
that injury. Very little attention has been given
to ligamentous, muscular, and paraspinal struc­
tural damage that leads to decreased perfor­
mance in the absence of neurological deficits.
Although rest, rehabilitation modalities, core
strengthening, and stretching would seem to be
therapeutic, there is little hard evidence pro­
moting any one treatment course or program.
Based on the previous discussion and the type
of activity being performed, special attention
needs to be directed to prevention and rehabili­
tation in the area from T9 to L7 across breed
conformations (Kranenburg et al., 2011).

Neoplastic disease

Neoplasms of the vertebrae themselves fall
within similar categories as seen elsewhere in
the body. Primary bone tumors such as osteo­
sarcoma can affect the vertebrae. They do not
seem to be as aggressive as those affecting the

long bones. Histiocytic sarcomas, lymphosar­

comas, hemangiosarcomas, and multiple mye­

lomas are common soft tissue neoplasms that

often affect the vertebrae. CT and MRI each

have their own advantages and disadvantages

and at times both are necessary to make an

accurate diagnosis. Treatment is based on a his­

topathological diagnosis. The biological behav­

ior of these neoplasms and the results of various

combinations of treatments are becoming better

understood.

Treatment protocols for neoplasms within

the spinal canal involving the spinal cord are

based on whether the neoplasm is causing com­

pression and/or invading the neural tissue and

whether it is primary or metastatic. Routine

surveys of the chest and abdomen for meta­

static disease are part of a thorough evaluation.

Surgical decompression, tumor resection or

biopsy, radiation therapy, and/or chemother­

apy all have their successes and failures. It is

difficult to guide a decision based upon the lack

of statistically relevant studies.

Common noncompressive spinal cord

conditions

Vascular disease of the spinal cord

Vascular anomalies have been reported in the

dog but they are extremely rare. In one review

only eight cases could be found (Westworth &

Sturges, 2010).

Hematomyelia is a poorly understood condi­

tion that describes hemorrhage within the

spinal cord. In dogs, hematomyelia is often sec­

ondary to trauma, and may be due to release of

vasoactive substances causing vascular collapse

or primary hemorrhage alone. Experiments

with injections of blood into rat spinal cords do

not seem to simulate the total liquefaction of

the spinal cord that is the hallmark of hemato­

myelia (Leep Hunderfund & Wijdicks, 2009). In

most cases, the cranial and caudal dissemina­

tion of the spinal cord hemorrhage and destruc­

tion occurs at or near the time of injury and at

the trauma site. There have been circumstances

where the process of hematomyelia begins days

after the initial trauma.

The most common spinal cord vascular event

is a spinal cord embolic phenomenon called