As. Lieb et al., TETRAPARESIS DUE TO VERTEBRAL PHYSEAL FRACTURE IN AN ADULT DOG WITH CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM, Journal of Small Animal Practice, 38(8), 1997, pp. 364-367
A four-year-old male affenpinscher was referred for evaluation of hind
limb weakness that had progressed to tetraparesis over a period of fou
r weeks. Neurological examination was suggestive of a cervical spinal
cord lesion. Radiographic examination revealed diffuse skeletal immatu
rity with open physes and epiphyseal dysplasia in long bones and verte
brae, consistent with a diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism. Total
and free serum T-4 concentrations were very low, indicative of hypothy
roidism. Survey radiographs of the cervical spine revealed a dorsally
displaced Salter-Hards type I fracture of the cranial portion of the f
ourth cervical vertebra with the endplate present in the vertebral can
al. Although signs of transverse myelopathy are uncommon in dogs with
congenital hypothyroidism, they may be associated with either interver
tebral disc protrusion or endplate displacement into the vertebral can
al secondary to the epiphyseal abnormalities associated with congenita
l hypothyroidism.