Prevalence, MRI findings, and clinical features of lumbosacral intervertebral disc protrusion in French Bulldogs diagnosed with acute thoracic or lumbar intervertebral disc extrusion

Claudia La Rosa, Simona Morabito, Andrea Carloni, Tommaso Davini, Carlotta Remelli, Swan Specchi, Marco Bernardini

Background: Lumbosacral intervertebral disc protrusion (IVDP) is common in large breed dogs. Congenital vertebral malformations (CVMs) are more common in brachycephalic dogs, especially in French Bulldogs (FBs). The prevaluence of IVDP in FBs with CVMs and with thoracic or lumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) is not known.

Study: The study aims to evaluate the frequency and impact of lumbosacral IVDP and CVMs on the neurological examination and localization of FBs with acute IVDE.

Methods: The study is a retrospective case series of 80 FBs diagnosed with thoracic or lumbar IVDE based on MRI and clinical records from a veterinary hospital in Italy. The MRI and radiographs of the lumbosacral junction were reviewed for the presence and severity of IVDP, cranial intervertebral foraminal stenosis, nerve root involvement, and CVMs. The dogs were divided into two groups based on the location of IVDE and the status of the withdrawal reflex of the pelvic limbs.

Results: The prevalence of lumbosacral IVDP among FBs was 91.3%, with 45.0% showing concurrent cranial intervertebral foraminal stenosis and 28.8% showing concurrent nerve root involvement. Lumbosacral IVDP was asymptomatic in 56.2% of the dogs, while 15.1% had a decreased or absent withdrawal reflex as a possible consequence of chronic IVDP. CVMs were detected in 10 dogs (12.5%). Lumbosacral IVDP was frequent in both groups, regardless of the location of IVDE and the status of the withdrawal reflex. Lumbosacral pain was rare (5.5%) and often masked by thoracic or lumbar pain due to IVDE.

Limitations: The study has some limitations due to its retrospective nature, such as the lack of standardization of the MRI protocols, the absence of clinical follow-up, and the possible underestimation of CVMs due to the imaging modalities used.

Conclusions: The study supports the hypothesis that lumbosacral IVDP is common in FBs presenting with thoracic or lumbar IVDE and may cause neurological deficits that may interfere with the accurate localization of acute IVDE. Therefore, FBs need to be carefully examined at the level of the lumbosacral junction even when they present with thoracic or lumbar IVDE.

Disclaimer: The summary generated in this email was created by an AI large language model. Therefore errors may occur. Reading the article is the best way to understand the scholarly work. The figure presented here remains the property of the publisher or author and subject to the applicable copyright agreement. It is reproduced here as an educational work. If you have any questions or concerns about the work presented here, reply to this email.