Comparison of computed tomography and surgical findings and investigation of their associations with outcomes for dogs with sublumbar abscesses

OBJECTIVE To describe and compare the results of preoperative CT and surgical findings in dogs with sublumbar abscesses and investigate potential associations between these variables and the outcome of abscess recurrence. ANIMALS 51 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES A retrospective, records-based study was performed of dogs undergoing surgery for treatment of sublumbar abscesses diagnosed by use of CT between January 2010 and December 2018. Signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathologic data, CT findings, surgical techniques and findings, duration of hospitalization, postoperative treatment, and complications were recorded. Long-term follow-up was performed through telephone interviews. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate associations between the variables of interest and abscess recurrence. RESULTS 51 dogs met the study inclusion criteria; 48 were included in outcome analysis. The CT findings agreed with surgical findings for identification of a migrating vegetal foreign body for 39 of 51 (77%) dogs. All dogs survived to hospital discharge; I dog died of hemoabdomen 3 days after surgery, and 6 had minor (surgical wound) complications reported. Abscess recurrence developed in 12 of 48 (25%) dogs with a median time to recurrence of 6 months. Identification of diskospondylitis on CT examination was the only investigated factor significantly associated with recurrence; odds of recurrence in dogs with this finding were 8.4 times those for dogs without this finding. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Our results suggested dogs with sublumbar abscesses have a good prognosis after surgery, although recurrence can develop. Preoperative identification of diskospondylitis was significantly associated with abscess recurrence in this study sample.