Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging findings in relation to body weight in dogs with thoracolumbar disease.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the incidence of MRI lesions between dogs weighing < 15 kg (33 lb) and dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg.

ANIMALS: 494 dogs with clinical signs of thoracolumbar disease.

PROCEDURES: Electronic medical records of affected dogs that underwent MRI of the thoracolumbar vertebral column between January 2016 and July 2018 were reviewed. Data extracted included age, body weight, breed, sex, MRI findings, and lesion location. Data were compared between dogs weighing < 15 kg and dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg.

RESULTS

Of dogs weighing < 15 kg, 94.4% (371/393) were chondrodystrophic breeds. Only 24.8% (25/101) of dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg were chondrodystrophic breeds. Lesions consistent with intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) had an overall incidence of 87.2% (431/494). In dogs weighing < 15 kg, the incidence of IVDD was 94.7% (372/393), compared with 58.4% (59/101) in dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg. Dogs weighing < 15 kg had a significantly higher incidence of IVDD lesions in the T12-13 segment, compared with dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg. Dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg were 11.9 times (95% CI, 5.1 to 27.9) and 7.4 times (95% CI, 2.3 to 23) as likely to have a neoplastic lesion and fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy, respectively, compared with dogs weighing < 15 kg.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: IVDD was the most common MRI finding in the study population. Dogs weighing ≥ 15 kg had a higher incidence of nonintervertebral disk lesions, compared with dogs weighing < 15 kg.