Spondylosis

Spondylosis (Image sourced from Bristol Biomed Image Archive with permission)

• Often in bulls and dogs, occurs also in horses, cats and pigs
• Osteophyte formation on ventral aspect of vertebrae
  • Often around lumbar region
  • Adjacent to intervertebral spaces
  • Varies in size - small spurs -> 'bridges' between vertebrae
  • May extend over few vertebrae
• Pathogenesis:
  • Repeated abnormal movement between joints -> stress
  • -> Degeneration of annulus fibrosis
  • -> Osteophyte formation
• In dogs usually no symptoms
• In bulls may cause inability to mount
• In severe cases repeated damage may progress to recurrent posterior weakness and ataxia in conjuction with fractures of spondylitic and vertebral bone