title: A lumbosacral transitional vertebra in the dog predisposes to cauda equina syndrome.
abstract: The association between the occurrence of a lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV) and the cauda equina syndrome (CES) in dogs was investigated. In 4000 control dogs without signs of CES, 3.5% had an LTV, while in 92 dogs with CES, 16.3% had an LTV. The lesion causing CES always occurred between the last true lumbar vertebra and the LTV. Dogs with an LTV were eight times more likely to develop CES than dogs without an LTV. German Shepherd dogs were eight times more likely to develop CES compared with other breeds. Male dogs were twice as likely to develop CES than females. Dogs with an LTV develop CES 1-2 years earlier than dogs without an LTV.
authors.affiliation: Section of Diagnostic Imaging and Radio-Oncology, Department of Small Animal Clinics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland. mflueckiger@vetclinics.unizh.ch
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Flückiger
authors.forename: Natascha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Damur-Djuric
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hässig
authors.forename: Joe P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steffen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity