Use of C‐reactive protein concentration in evaluation of diskospondylitis in dogs

BACKGROUND: C‐reactive protein (CRP) is a positive acute phase protein that increases in many inflammatory conditions of dogs. Serum CRP concentration has important diagnostic and prognostic utility in humans with vertebral osteomyelitis. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To determine if a correlation exists between serum CRP concentration and clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in dogs with diskospondylitis, and if CRP predicts prognosis. ANIMALS: Eighteen client‐owned dogs with MRI diagnosis of diskospondylitis. METHODS: Retrospective study evaluating signalment, clinical signs, neurologic examination findings, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, serum globulin concentration, serum CRP concentration, radiographic findings, MRI findings, bacterial culture results, and outcome in dogs with diskospondylitis. RESULTS: Serum CRP concentration was significantly more sensitive than were fever and leukocytosis for predicting the presence of diskospondylitis. Serum CRP concentration was more sensitive than neutrophilia and hyperglobulinemia. No difference in serum CRP concentration was found between dogs with single or multiple lesions, nor between dogs with or without empyema, muscular involvement or spinal cord compression. No association was found between serum CRP concentration and positive bacterial culture. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: C‐reactive protein is a sensitive, but nonspecific biomarker for diskospondylitis which may prove useful as an adjunctive diagnostic test in patients with suspicious clinical signs and may help predict prognosis.