Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection in Dogs after Surgery for Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Extrusion |
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Authors: | NJ Olby E MacKillop S Cerda‐Gonzalez S Moore KR Muñana M Grafinger JA Osborne SL Vaden |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC;2. Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, Pittsburgh, PA;3. Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY;4. Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH;5. Triangle Veterinary Emergency Clinic, Durham, NC;6. Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. |
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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. Objectives: Determine the prevalence of UTI in dogs for 3 months after surgery for thoracolumbar IVDE and identify risk factors for development of UTI. Animals: 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 and Clinical Importance: 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. |
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Keywords: | Incontinence Micturition Spinal cord injury |
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