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