Presence of thoracic and lumbar vertebral malformations in pugs with and without chronic neurological deficits

A total of 57 pugs were recruited into the study from Sweden (n = 33), United Kingdom (n = 21) and Norway (n = 3); 30 with neurological deficits and 27 without. Focal T3-L3 pathology was confirmed in all pugs with neurological deficits by magnetic resonance imaging (n = 29) and/or pathology (n = 15). Computed tomography studies of the thoracolumbar spine from pugs with and without neurological deficits were compared to investigate possible associations between presentation of neurological deficits consistent with chronic T3-L3 pathology and signalment variables, presence of CVMs and type of CVMs. Congenital vertebral malformations were as common in pugs with, as in pugs without, neurological deficits. Regardless of neurological status, the majority of pugs (96%) presented with one or more CVM. An association between presence, or type of CVM in the T1-L3 vertebral column, and neurological deficits consistent with T3-L3 pathology could not be confirmed.