MULTIPLE DISCOSPONDYLITIS ASSOCIATED WITH ASPERGILLUS SPECIES INFECTION IN A DOG

Multiple discospondylitis was diagnosed in a four-year-old, neutered f emale German shepherd dog which had suffered intermittent pain of the axial skeleton for 10 months, which was followed by the sudden onset o f paraplegia associated with the rupture of an affected disc. After su rgical and medical management the dog began to improve but then deteri orated as a result of a pathological fracture of the fifth lumbar vert ebra. A histological examination revealed fungal hyphae at the sites a ffected radiographically and they were identified by immunohistochemis try as Aspergillus species. No fungal hyphae were identified in other tissues. This is the first report of canine mycotic discospondylitis i n the United Kingdom.