The differential diagnosis of disc disease.

The differentiation of disc disease from other diseases that result in signs related to varying degrees of proprioceptive ataxia, paresis to paralysis, digital hypesthesia to anesthesia, and spinal hyperpathia is a common problem facing the veterinarian. Classification of the differential diagnoses of disc disease based on neuroanatomic localization facilitates diagnosis because each category shares historical, clinical, and neurologic examination features. These features, as well as the distinguishing ones used in the differential diagnosis of disc disease, will be reviewed.