Determining the prevalence and risk factors for positive bacterial culture in canine discospondylitis: 120 cases

Identification of the aetiologic agent in canine discospondylitis is infrequent; and risk factors for a positive bacterial culture have not previously been reported.

Medical records at three institutions were searched to identify clinical features of dogs with discospondylitis diagnosed via radiography or cross-sectional imaging. Inclusion in this retrospective case-control study required culture of one or more samples. Multivariable binary logistic regression identified features associated with a positive culture.

Fifty (42%) of 120 dogs had one or more positive culture results obtained from either urine (28/115), blood (25/78), intervertebral disc aspiration (10/34) or cerebrospinal fluid (1/18). A positive culture was associated with higher bodyweight (p = 0.002, odds ratio [OR] = 1.054, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.019-1.089), more sample types cultured (p = 0.037, OR = 1.806, 95% CI: 1.037-3.147) and institution (p = 0.021). The presence of possibly associated preceding events (e.g., surgery), pyrexia, number of disc sites affected and serum C-reactive protein result, among other features, were not statistically significant.

All isolates cultured were included since differentiation of true aetiologic agents from contaminants was not possible without histological confirmation and culture from surgical or postmortem biopsies.

Clinical features typically associated with infection were not identified as risk factors for positive culture in canine discospondylitis. The statistical significance of the institution suggests that standardisation of sampling protocols is necessary.