CALCIFICATION OF INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS IN THE DACHSHUND - A RADIOGRAPHIC STUDY OF 115 DOGS AT 1 AND 5 YEARS OF AGE

The vertebral columns of 115 dachshunds were x-rayed at 1 and 5 years of age. This sample represented 5.7% of all dachshunds registered with the Norwegian Kennel Club in the period 1986-1988. Air dogs were clin ically normal at the commencement of the study. At 1 year of age calci fied intervertebral discs were identified in 34 (29.6%) of the dogs an d the number of calcified discs in each individual varied from 1 to 7 with a mean of 2.7. At 5 years of age calcified discs were identified in 66 (57.4%) of the dogs and the number of calcified discs in each in dividual varied from 1 to 11 with a mean of 3.2. Of all dogs in which calcified discs were identified at 1 year of age, 33 (97.1%) were foun d to have calcified discs also at 5 years of age. Of 92 calcified disc s identified in the dogs at 1 year of age, 29 (31.5%) were not calcifi ed 4 years later. Of 211 calcified discs identified in the dogs at 5 y ears of age, 148 (70.1%) were not calcified 4 years before. From 1 to 5 years of age, signs of spinal disease were registered in 12 (35.3%) of the dogs in which calcified discs were identified at 1 year of age, and in 7 (8.6%) of the dogs in which calcified discs were not identif ied at 1 year of age. Of all dogs in which one or more calcified discs had disappeared during the study-period, signs of spinal disease were registered in 9 (75.0%).