Prevalence of urinary tract infection in dogs after surgery for thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion.
BACKGROUND
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common complication in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Dogs with acute intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) have similar risk factors for UTI when compared with human SCI patients and have a high perioperative prevalence of UTI.


OBJECTIVE
Determine the prevalence of UTI in dogs for 3 months after surgery for thoracolumbar IVDE and identify risk factors for development of UTI.


METHODS
Twenty-five dogs treated surgically for 26 acute disc extrusions.


METHODS
Prospective study. Urinalysis and urine culture were performed perioperatively. At home, owners monitored urine with dipsticks every 48 hours for 1 month then once a week until 3 months. Dogs returned for assessment of motor function, urinalysis, and urine culture at 1 and 3 months after surgery. Presence of UTI over the 3-month period was correlated to potential risk factors.


RESULTS
Ten dogs (38%) developed 12 UTIs over the 3-month period, with the majority occurring between weeks 1 and 6; 60% of the UTIs were occult. Hematuria in the absence of pyuria or UTI was a common finding in the perioperative period. Sex, breed, and ambulatory status influenced the risk of developing a UTI.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high prevalence of UTIs, many of which are occult, in the 3 months after surgery for thoracolumbar IVDE. These dogs should be routinely monitored for UTI with urine culture regardless of urinalysis results.
Olby
N J
NJ
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. natasha_olby@ncsu.edu
MacKillop
E
E
Cerda-Gonzalez
S
S
Moore
S
S
Muñana
K R
KR
Grafinger
M
M
Osborne
J A
JA
Vaden
S L
SL
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*