A 17-year-old mongrel dog and 12-year-old Shiba Inu dog presented with ataxia and paresis of the pelvic limbs, respectively. Gas accumulation within the spinal canal adjacent to the herniated disc was suspected in both cases. Since the gas remained accumulated for a prolonged period, hemilaminectomy was performed to decompress the spinal cord. The bulged external lamina of the dura matter was removed and histopathologically examined. Granulomatous inflammation and hyperplasia of fibrous connective tissues was noted, suggesting that the gas was encapsulated and the fibrous nodules made reabsorption difficult. Clinical signs resolved post-surgery. This is the first report describing histopathological features of pneumorrhachis in dogs. The accumulated gas was successfully removed by surgery. Postoperative course remained uneventful in both cases.

No abstract

ABSTRACT. We examined the number of ribosomal gene (rDNA) loci in the metaphase spreads of 54 dogs by FISH method. We found that in 16 dogs (30%) one or two loci were missing. The total number of rDNA loci was varied from 5 to 7 in males and from 4 to 6 in females. As the male dog consistently bears the rDNA on the Y chromosome, the polymorphism of the rDNA locus was ascribed to the absence of autosomal rDNA loci. Indeed, the frequency of polymorphism is almost equivalent in both sexes in the beagle. In one female beagle dog, remarkable intense fluorescence signals were observed at the four autosomal loci, indicating the in situ amplification of rDNA.