Prevalence and clinical features of thoracolumbar intervertebral disc‐associated epidural hemorrhage in dogs

BackgroundIntervertebral disc‐associated epidural hemorrhage (EH) in dogs is a poorly understood neurological condition.ObjectiveTo compare the clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes, and clinical outcome of dogs with acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation (TL‐IVDH) with and without EH.AnimalsOne hundred sixty client‐owned dogs that underwent MRI and hemilaminectomy for acute TL‐IVDH at a private practice in Colorado, including 63 dogs with EH and 97 dogs without EH.MethodsRetrospective review of medical record data from 160 dogs presenting sequentially to a single practice with acute TL‐IVDH that underwent MRI and hemilaminectomy surgery.ResultsSixty‐three of 160 (39%) dogs had confirmed EH. French Bulldogs were significantly overrepresented (23/63; odds ratio OR]: 4.1; 95% confidence interval CI]: 1.8‐9.0; P < .001) of the EH cases. Dogs with EH were more likely to present with clinical signs less than 48 hours than were dogs without EH (24‐48 vs 48‐72 hours; OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.2‐4.6; P = .02) and were more likely to be nonambulatory on presentation (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.0‐4.1; P = .04). Dogs with EH were more likely to have <50% cross‐sectional spinal cord compression than dogs without EH (OR: 2.3 vs. 0.4; 95% CI: 1.2‐4.4 and 0.2‐0.9, respectively), longer longitudinal spinal cord compression (3 spaces vs 1 space, P < .001), and greater intrinsic spinal cord change (grade 3/severe vs grade 1/mild; P < .001) based on MRI. The location of the intervertebral disc herniation in French Bulldogs with EH was more likely to be thoracolumbar (OR: 10.8; 95% CI: 2.1‐55.7; P = .03).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceFrench Bulldogs have a high prevalence of intervertebral disc‐associated EH. Dogs with EH have a shorter clinical course and are more likely to be nonambulatory on initial presentation.