Discospondylitis is a bacterial infection of the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebrae causing significant spinal pain that requires prompt treatment.
Discospondylitis causes intense spinal pain that is often severe enough to cause complete immobility and profound depression in affected dogs. The vertebral infection involves bone, disc material, and sometimes surrounding soft tissues in an intensely painful inflammatory process. Dogs with discospondylitis may scream in pain when touched and adopt hunched postures to minimize spinal movement. The zoonotic potential of Brucella canis-associated discospondylitis adds a public health dimension requiring careful household management and appropriate medical screening of exposed humans. Long-term antibiotic treatment (6-12 weeks) is necessary for adequate infection control, and monitoring through regular MRI or CT ensures resolution and guides duration of therapy.