Gamble Kristopher Brian, Jones Jeryl C, Biddlecome Amanda, Bridges William C
Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Class of 2022, University of Georgia.
J Vet Behav. 2020 Jul-Aug;38:38-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2020.05.011. Epub 2020 May 19.
Lumbosacral (LS) stenosis is a cause of lower back pain, loss of mission readiness, and early retirement in military working dogs (MWDs). Aims of the present two-part study were to evaluate a sample of German Shepherd MWDs using standard clinical criteria for LS pain, standard qualitative computed tomographic (CT) criteria for LS stenosis, novel quantitative CT criteria for LS stenosis, and novel behavioral classification criteria for LS pain. Data were retrieved from archives of a tertiary referral MWD hospital. Study 1 was a retrospective, observational, two-group design with a hypothesis that there would be a significant difference in the percentage of affected German Shepherd MWDs with multilevel stenosis (affecting ≥ 3 vertebrae) between LS pain groups, based on standard clinical and qualitative CT criteria. Study 2 was a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional, two- and three-group study design with a hypothesis that quantitative CT measurements would significantly differ between LS pain groups, assigned based on 3 classification systems. The 1st classification system used standard clinical criteria, while the 2nd and 3rd novel classifications included behavioral signs of LS pain. The following quantitative CT measures were recorded without knowledge of behavioral classification: vertebral foramen area, vertebral foramen volume, vertebral foramen fat area; and ratios of vertebral foramen area/vertebral body area (foramen area ratio), cranial vertebral foramen area/caudal vertebral foramen area (cranial:caudal foramen area ratio), and vertebral fat area/vertebral body area (fat area ratio). Study 1 findings did not support the hypothesis in that there was no significant difference in the percentage of dogs affected with multilevel stenosis between LS pain groups ( = 0.6567). Findings for study 2 supported the hypothesis in that dogs with LS pain were significantly more affected by multilevel stenosis ( = 0.0273). Significant differences occurred between LS pain groups in select vertebral locations for all measurements ( ≤ 0.05) except vertebral foramen area and vertebral foramen volume ( > 0.05). Comparisons using novel quantitative CT measures and behavioral classification criteria identified significant differences between LS pain groups that were not detected using standard qualitative criteria. These novel quantitative and behavioral classification criteria may be helpful in future research on causes for early retirement in German Shepherd MWDs.
腰骶部（LS）狭窄是导致军犬（MWD）下背部疼痛、任务准备状态下降和提前退役的一个原因。本两部分研究的目的是使用腰骶部疼痛的标准临床标准、腰骶部狭窄的标准定性计算机断层扫描（CT）标准、腰骶部狭窄的新型定量CT标准以及腰骶部疼痛的新型行为分类标准，对一组德国牧羊犬军犬进行评估。数据取自一家三级转诊军犬医院的档案。研究1是一项回顾性观察性两组设计，其假设是，根据标准临床和定性CT标准，腰骶部疼痛组中患有多节段狭窄（影响≥3个椎体）的德国牧羊犬军犬的百分比存在显著差异。研究2是一项回顾性观察性横断面两组和三组研究设计，其假设是，根据3种分类系统划分的腰骶部疼痛组之间，定量CT测量结果将存在显著差异。第一种分类系统使用标准临床标准，而第二种和第三种新型分类包括腰骶部疼痛的行为体征。在不知道行为分类的情况下记录了以下定量CT测量值：椎孔面积、椎孔体积、椎孔脂肪面积；以及椎孔面积/椎体面积比值（孔面积比值）、颅侧椎孔面积/尾侧椎孔面积比值（颅侧：尾侧孔面积比值）和椎孔脂肪面积/椎体面积比值（脂肪面积比值）。研究1的结果不支持该假设，因为腰骶部疼痛组之间患有多节段狭窄的犬只百分比没有显著差异（P = 0.6567）。研究2的结果支持该假设，因为患有腰骶部疼痛的犬只受多节段狭窄的影响明显更大（P = 0.0273）。除椎孔面积和椎孔体积外（P > 0.05），所有测量值在选定的椎体位置上，腰骶部疼痛组之间均存在显著差异（P ≤ 0.05）。使用新型定量CT测量值和行为分类标准进行的比较发现，腰骶部疼痛组之间存在显著差异，而使用标准定性标准未检测到这些差异。这些新型定量和行为分类标准可能有助于未来对德国牧羊犬军犬提前退役原因的研究。
