title: Prevalence of urinary tract infection in dogs after surgery for thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. natasha_olby@ncsu.edu
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Olby
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: MacKillop
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerda-Gonzalez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Muñana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grafinger
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Vaden
mesh_terms: 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*