Fibrocartilaginous embolism in dogs.

Fibrocartilage embolism originating from the intervertebral disk nucleus pulposus may induce acute spinal cord infarction. The main characteristics of this syndrome (acute, nonprogressive transverse myelopathy) are well known by the clinician. However, the impression that this disease is more commonly encountered in giant breeds of dogs, with intumescence involvement and loss of nociception may have been skewed relative to published data. A review of the vascularization peculiarities of the spinal cord explains the still hypothetical pathogenesis and helps to understand the diversity of the clinical presentation.