C-reactive protein in dogs with suspected bacterial diskospondylitis: 16 cases (2010–2019)

• Published in: Veterinary record open Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. e000386 - n/a
• Main Authors: Nye, George, Liebel, Francois-Xavier, Harcourt-Brown, Tom
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States British Veterinary Association 01.01.2020; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group; Wiley
• Subjects: acute phase response; Antibiotics; Ataxia; Back pain; Companion or Pet Animals; Diagnostic tests; Diarrhea; Disease; Dogs; Females; Gait; Infections; Medical records; neuroimaging; neurology; Proteins; Signs; Urine; Urogenital system; acute phase response; neurology; neuroimaging
• ISSN: 2052-6113; 2399-2050; 2052-6113
• DOI: 10.1136/vetreco-2019-000386

ObjectivesC-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein used in multiple canine inflammatory conditions including steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis, immune-mediated polyarthritis and bronchopneumonia. The aim of this study was to assess whether serum CRP is elevated in cases of diskospondylitis.MethodsMedical records from 2010 to 2019 were searched to identify dogs diagnosed with diskospondylitis based on findings consistent on CT or MRI and with CRP tested.ResultsA total of 16 dogs met the inclusion criteria. All cases had back pain. Fourteen cases had elevated CRP, with a median value of 100.7 mg/l (reference range for CRP values: 0–10 mg/l), 12 were pyrexic and six had leucocytosis. The two dogs with normal CRP were normothermic and did not have leucocytosis. CRP was measured four to six weeks into antimicrobial treatment in eight of 14 dogs and was normal in all cases. One dog developed a suspected bacterial empyema diagnosed on MRI; this occurred two weeks after antibiotic treatment was discontinued based on a normal CRP level at follow-up.ConclusionsSerum CRP is elevated in cases of diskospondylitis and may be clinically more useful to screen dogs with back pain than pyrexia or leucocytosis alone. Further long-term clinical evaluation in a prospective study is needed to assess its use as a treatment monitoring tool and in decision making.