Cervical intervertebral disc disease and caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy in a Beagle Hound

A 10 year-old, male castrated beagle hound presented to Cornell University Hospital for Animals with intermittent episodes of acute severe cervical pain and a left forelimb root signature. A complete neurologic evaluation demonstrated cervical pain and a left forelimb posture consistent with spinal cord/nerve root compression or entrapment. Radiography and myelography were consistent with cranial cervical spinal cord compression secondary to intervertebral disc protrusion (C2-3), concomitant with a separate, dynamic, compressive lesion of the caudal cervical spinal cord (C6-7), secondary to a redundant dorsal longitudinal ligament. Linear traction of the caudal cervical spine caused a near complete resolution of myelographic findings at th 6th - 7th cervical intervertebral disc space. Computed tomography (CT) further characterized the myelographic findings, showing lateral and ventral attenuation of the contrast column and spinal cord between ventral laminar arch and the dorsal longitudinal ligament (C6-7) and extruded disc material (C2-3). Surgical intervention consisted of a C2-3 ventral decompression and C6-7 distraction and fusion with cancellous bone graft and instrumentation. The patient demonstrated progressive improvement of neurologic status to recovery of near normal function several days after surgical intervention. Intervertebral disc disease is common in the beagle hound. For the occurrence of caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy (Wobbler's syndrome), Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers are over-represented; to the author's knowledge, this disease has not been reporte in the beagle hound