Do asymptomatic cats get IVDE?

AJVR 2024

February 12, 2025

David Schmid, Valentina Lanzillotta, Richard Evans, et al.

Background
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a well-documented condition in dogs but relatively rare in cats. IVDD in cats has been reported as an incidental finding in necropsy studies, yet its prevalence and severity along the entire feline spine remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, grade, and regional differences of IVDD in asymptomatic cats and evaluate the effects of age, sex, and neuter status.

Methods
Sixty cadavers of asymptomatic cats were analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They were divided into three age groups: young (1–6 years), middle-aged (6–12 years), and old (≥12 years). The intervertebral discs (IVDs) were graded using a modified Pfirrmann grading system. Statistical analyses included cumulative link mixed models to evaluate the influence of spinal region, age, sex, and neuter status on IVDD.

Results
-A total of 1,544 IVDs were evaluated, with 15.2% graded as Pfirrmann 3 or higher (moderate to severe degeneration). Grades 4 and 5, indicating severe degeneration, were rare (5.3% and 0.4%, respectively).

-Older cats had significantly higher odds of IVDD, especially in the thoracic and cervical regions, compared to young cats.

-The thoracic spine had the highest prevalence of IVDD, followed by the cervical and lumbar regions.

-No significant effects of sex or neuter status on IVDD prevalence were observed.

Limitations
The study excluded cats with clinical signs of IVDD, potentially underestimating the prevalence of structural and functional disc abnormalities. The small sample size of intact animals limited the ability to assess the effects of sex and neuter status.

Conclusions
IVDD is a common age-associated condition in cats, particularly in the thoracic and cervical spine. Despite its high prevalence, severe degeneration is uncommon, and clinical IVDD appears to differ in distribution from areas most affected by degeneration. Future studies are needed to explore the biochemical and biomechanical mechanisms underlying these findings.

Typical examples of a sagittal T2 weighted spin echo MRI images of the cervical (A), thoracic (B), and
lumbar (C) spine of a middle-aged cat, with corresponding distribution (%) of PF grades for each spinal level calculated based on a population of middle-aged cats (n = 20). White arrowheads indicate C2-C3, T1-T2, and L1-L2, respectively.

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