QUESTION

Hi, I have a question re definitions of illness. I am confused as to whether my dog has spondylosis or spondylytis - neither descriptions on the net seem to exactly fit the description I've been given. I'm told spurs have begun to grow from her lower vertebrae, and sometimes after vigorous or awkward activity they prick into her nerves and cause great pain. It's distressing! My vet says they will gradually fuse over with age and so will not always cause this pain. I have Metacam for the flare-up times. Can you clarify what condition she has? And does this mean no ball-catching (or leaping onto the couch!) for some time? Hope you can help me.

Lisa Southgate, Australia

ANSWER

Dear Lisa,
I think I can probably solve your queries by applying lay-mans terms to spondylosis and spondylitis.

They, in my opinion, are the same condition as each other at different stages.

Spondylosis is the spurs that are forming between the vertebral bodies that eventually lead to fusion of the spine.

Spondylitis is when you have an inflamed spondylosis lesion.

So the dog always has spondylosis but when it flares up and is painful it is classed as spondylitis indicating the inflammation.

Some people will refer to spondylitis only when you are dealing with infection in the disk space but in my opinion this would be an infectious spondylitis rather than an inflammatory one.

Dogs with spondylosis/spondylitis in my opinion should be exercised and this keeps the muscles developed and reduces flare-ups but exercise should be on a lead only or swimming when the lesion is inflamed If no exercise is done then the spinal muscles will weaken and thus increase pressure on the spine and increase frequency of flare-ups I would be using Metacam for 2-3 weeks only and settle the inflammatory process then stop and restart again at the next flare-up which will occur. If you are dealing with a disk problem then the exercise is absolutely forbidden in the first few weeks whilst the disk material settles or it can lead to further extrusion of material onto the spinal cord and paralysis but this is written in your reply more for others so they do not interpret wrongly.

Paul Wilson