Concurrent spontaneous compressive pneumorrhachis and intradiscal vacuum phenomena at multiple vertebral malformation sites in a dog

Abstract A 6‐year‐old, male, neutered French bulldog was presented for acute, progressive, non‐painful, non‐ambulatory paraparesis, localising to the T3–L3 spinal cord segments. Thoracolumbar magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extra‐dural, right dorsolateral, well‐defined, round, signal‐void area in T1W, T2W and gradient echo sequences at T10–T11, moderately compressing the spinal cord. No evidence of intervertebral disc extrusion was found. Ventral and/or median vertebral body aplasia/hypoplasia were detected at multiple vertebrae between T5 and T11 causing kyphosis centred at T9–T11, with concurrent marked spondylosis. A computed tomography scan of the spine confirmed the malformations and pneumorrhachis described and revealed concurrent gas content within the T9–T10 and T10–T11 congenitally abnormal intervertebral disc spaces. A conservative approach resulted in the recovery of ambulation. One‐month follow‐up revealed only mild, persistent neurological deficits. Recheck computed tomography identified full resolution of the pneumorrhachis but persistent vacuum phenomena. The dog had no relapse for 6 months, before suddenly dying from an unrelated event.