Table 1.

Summary of the main findings of previous case reports describing feline discospondylitis

Case report	Signalment (age, sex, breed)	Duration, clinical and neurological findings, haematology (Hm) and serum biochemistry (Sb) findings	Microbial culture results (Cultures), concurrent comorbidities (CCM) and associated findings (AF)	Antibiotic treatment (Tx) and outcome
Norsworthy (1979) 10	2-year-old ME Persian	Duration: 5 days Clinical findings: lethargy, anorexiaNeurological findings: progressive paraparesis	Cultures: none	Tx: none
			CCM: none describedAF: none described	Outcome: euthanasia
Malik et al (1990) 11	15-year-old ME DSH	Duration: 5 weeksClinical findings: inappetence, respiratory signs (ocular and nasal discharge), pyrexiaNeurological findings: pelvic limb ataxia progressing into paraplegiaHm: segmented neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphocytopenia and eosinopenia; Döhle bodies were present in many of the neutrophils	Culture (at necropsy) – from paravertebral abscess: Streptococcus canis in large numbers, Actinomyces viscosus in moderate numbers and a small number of Escherichia coli	Tx: previous treatment with amoxicillin–clavulanic acid by referring veterinarian for 1 weekOutcome: spontaneous death
			CCM: suspected concomitant respiratory tract infection, paravertebral abscess, chronic meningomyelitis of the overlying spinal cord
Watson and Roberts (1993) 12	13-year-old FN DSH	Duration: 2 weeksClinical findings: anorexia, dehydration, emaciationNeurological findings: hyperaesthesia of the lumbar spine	Cultures – urine: E coliCCM: concurrent chronic pyelonephritisAF: none described	Tx: ampicillinOutcome: initial improvement but euthanasia 2 months later
		Sb: elevated urea and creatinine
Aroch et al (1999) 13	1-year-old MN DSH	Duration: 1 month Clinical findings: back pain, pyrexia, anorexia, lethargy and dehydrationNeurological findings: paraparesis, proprioceptive deficit, upper motor neuron bladderHm: leukocytosis with neutrophiliaSb: hyperglobulinaemia	Cultures – blood, urine, CSF: all negative; E coli (at necropsy)CCM: meningomyelitis of the overlying spinal cord, haemorrhages on the paravertebral musclesAF: none described	Tx: initially amoxicillin (short courses), then amoxicillin–clavulanic acid (2 weeks) and enrofloxacin; worsened while hospitalised
				Outcome: progressive despite antibiotic therapy and euthanasia in 6 days
Packer et al (2005) 14	8-month-old MN Scottish Fold	Duration: 2 weeksClinical findings: reluctance to ambulateNeurological findings: pelvic limb lameness, severe lumbosacral hyperaesthesiaSb: hypercalcaemia	Cultures – urine: Enterococcus species (aerobic conditions) and Clostridium perfringens (anaerobic conditions); blood, CSF negativeCCM: sublumbar abscessAF: none described	Tx: enrofloxacin and ampicillin for 8 weeksOutcome: good at 10 weeks
Hill et al (2015) 15	6.5-year-old MN Siamese	Duration: 6 monthsClinical findings: gallop rhythm; otherwise unremarkableNeurological findings: lumbar hyperaesthesia, pelvic limb ataxia, tail paresis	Cultures: FNA and urine negativeCCM: none describedAF: none described	Tx: amoxicillin–clavulanic acid for 2 months
				Outcome: no further painful episodes at 11 months
Kemelman et al (2019) 16	20-month-old male Maine Coon	Duration: 1 monthClinical findings: increased level of aggression, decreased appetite and activity, obstipation, heart gallop rhythm; otherwise unremarkable	Cultures: surgical biopsy negativeCCM: none describedAF: none described	Tx: amoxicillin–clavulanic acid 20 mg/kg for 6 weeks
				Outcome: complete resolution at 12 months
		Neurological findings: lumbar hyperaesthesia
Liatis et al (2020) 17	8-year-old MN DSH	Duration: 1 monthClinical findings: low tail carriage and tail painNeurological findings: tail paresis with proximal movement and marked pain on palpation of the proximal third of the tailSb: hyperproteinaemia (88 g/l [RI 60–85]) with moderate hyperglobulinaemia	Cultures: intervertebral space aspirates and urine negativeCCM: none describedAF: none described	Tx: 6-week course of antibiotics (12.5 mg/kg clindamycin PO q24h, 20 mg/kg cefalexin PO q12h)
				Outcome: complete resolution at 3 weeks

ME = male entire; DSH = domestic shorthair; FN, female neutered; CSF = cerebrospinal fluid; FNA = fine-needle aspirate; MN = male neutered; RI = reference interval