In people, abnormalities in vertebral column conformation, such as kyphoscoliosis, induce degenerative changes in adjacent intervertebral disc (IVD) structure and composition. It was hypothesised that canine IVDs adjacent to a vertebral malformation undergo early degeneration. In a blinded retrospective study, thoracic IVD degeneration was evaluated in 14 dogs on magnetic resonance images using Pfirrmann's grade. IVDs adjacent to a vertebral malformation had higher grades of degeneration than non-adjacent IVDs (P < 0.0001). There was an age-dependency, with dogs between 1 and 4 years showing higher grade of degeneration in adjacent than non-adjacent IVDs (P < 0.0001). Conversely, in older dogs, all IVDs - including the non-adjacents - showed degenerative signs, possibly due to normal aging. These results suggest that congenital vertebral malformation results in early degeneration of adjacent IVDs.
Keywords: Congenital Vertebral Malformation; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration; Kyphoscoliosis; Kyphosis; Scoliosis.
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