Page 72 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

66 Section I: Diagnostics and Planning

A B
Figure 6.8 A 13‐year‐old male Shetland sheepdog presented for severe lumbosacral pain. (A) Left lateral thoracic radiograph exhibiting an incidental focal
thoracic nodule dorsal to the carina. (B) Sagittal T2‐weighted MRI of the caudal vertebral column showing moderate intervertebral disc protrusion and
decreased disc signal intensity at L7–S1.

A B

Figure 6.9 CT of the thoracolumbar region in a 12‐year‐old female Jack Russell Terrier dog presenting acute paraplegia. (A) Sagittal reformatted image showing
severe bone lysis of the T10 vertebra, shortening of the vertebral body length, and minimally displaced compression fracture. (B) Transverse image showing mul-
tifocal pulmonary nodules. Final histopathological diagnosis was primary vertebral osteosarcoma with vertebral pathological fracture and pulmonary metastasis.
concurrently, and for assessing the patient’s general health Although abdominal ultrasound can be complementary to radi-
status for surgical and anesthetic risk evaluation purposes. ography, since the combination of both imaging modalities results
Accordingly, abdominal ultrasound is strongly recommended in more information relating to size, shape, and position of organs,
in animals older than 6 years, and those with suspected spinal ultrasound alone provides accurate information regarding the out-
neoplasia, trauma, infectious disease, or other comorbidities line and architecture of tissues [29]. Ultrason ography can be per-
(Figures 6.11 and 6.12). Metastatic carcinomas, particularly formed anywhere along the abdominal wall, the only impediment
those arising from the mammary gland, prostate and urinary being bone and gas‐filled structures, which should be avoided. If a
bladder, have a predilection to metastasize to the vertebral col- general examination is to be performed, a systematic approach is
umn with lumbar and thoracic vertebrae predominantly required. Possible abnormalities include the presence of abdominal
affected [28]. masses (from enlargement of one or more of the intraabdominal