Dogs diagnosed with non-compressive discs were significantly older, likely to vocalize at the initial manifestation of clinical symptoms, exhibited spinal hyperesthesia during the initial exam, have a lesion at C1 - C5 and tended to be ambulatory upon discharge from the hospital compared to dogs with
ischemic myelopathy.
A high number of English Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Whippets were represented in
the ischemic myelopathy group.
Although the mean age for dogs with non-compressive discs was significantly greater than dogs with
ischemic myelopathy, it is not a reliable factor that can be used to differentiate the two conditions.
* J. Fenn et al. «Comparison of Clinical Signs and Outcomes Between Dogs with Presumptive
Ischemic Myelopathy and Dogs with Acute Non-Compressive Nucleus Pulposus Extrusion».
A retrospective study * was undertaken to compare the clinical signs and outcomes of dogs diagnosed with presumptive
ischemic myelopathy (aka Fibro - Cartilagenous Embolus or FCE) or presumptive acute non - compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ie a non-compressive disc hernia or «traumatic disc»).
Fibrocartilaginous embolism and
ischemic myelopathy in a 4 month old German Shepherd Dog C. E. Doige and J.M. Parent Can Journal of Comp Med 47:499, 1983