Dog Spinal Cord Infection

According to the "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook," canine spinal cord infections aren't common. But they share symptoms with other spinal cord disorders. Treatment depends on what caused the infection.

  1. Causes

    • Veterinary website PetPlace.com lists bacterial infections, the canine distemper virus, and toxoplasmosis--a parasitic disease--among the causes of spinal cord infections. These infections can inflame the spinal cord membranes.

    Signs

    • Spinal cord disorders usually create issues in one or more of a dog's legs. These disorders can also affect the tail, either by itself or with the limbs.

    Diagnosis

    • Veterinarians who suspect a spinal cord infection will do a complete neurological workup, including reflex testing. A cerebrospinal fluid analysis, which is a test of the dog's spinal fluid, shows whether infection is present.

    Treatments

    • Drs. Delbert Carlson and James Giffin, authors of the "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook," recommend a long-term course of antibiotics for dogs with bacterial infections in the spinal cord. A vet may need to surgically drain an abscess. Viruses such as distemper have no treatment; a dog must fight off a virus on its own with support from the vet and the dog owner.

    Considerations

    • Spinal cord infections can cause permanent damage, particularly in canine distemper cases. The owner may have to euthanize a paralyzed dog.