Successful Treatment of Diskospondylitis: A Rare Disease in A Young Cat

One-year Maine Coon cat, Freya,  has always been active. In the words of her pawrent, “She loves racing through the house, playing with her toys, wrestling with her Australian Shepherds and napping with her fellow feline siblings.” That’s why it was especially concerning when she was quieter than usual, resting more and crying out when picked up. Radiographs taken during a visit to her primary care indicated that diskospondylitis at T13-L1 might be a concern, so she was put on Gabapentin to control the pain and the antibiotic Clindamycin. She was also referred to Veterinary Neurology & Imaging of the Chesapeake (VNIoC) for a neurology consult.

At the initial neurology consult, Dr. Julianna Mannix noted that Freya had mild spinal pain when palpated but no other neurological deficits. While diskospondylitis  is uncommon in cats, Dr. Mannix recommended continuing to treat her for the disease with Clindamycin, given her radiographs and response to treatment, and tapering off the Gabapentin as her pain decreased. Full spinal radiographs (including cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine) were taken as a reference for future monitoring. The radiologist report confirmed diskospondylitis (static) at her T13-L1 disc space (see circled area in the image below). 

Since starting Clindamycin, Freya has improved and is currently back to normal and playing, eating, drinking, urinating, and defecating normally.  She has been completely weaned off the Gabapentin.

At her four-month check-up, we took radiographs to recheck for any progressive signs of diskospondylitis and saw clear healing/healed diskospondylitis at T13-L1 (see circle area on the image below) with no other new areas of the disease. 

Since Freya had grown, her antibiotic dose was increased, with the recommendation to continue it for five more months. At her nine month recheck, we will determine whether  continuing the antibiotic for a full year is necessary or if the nine months was sufficient to clear the disease.

Freya’s family is thrilled with her progress. “We are incredibly grateful to the entire team at VNIoC for the exceptional care they gave, and continue to give Freya, during her wild journey with diskospondylitis. Their expertise, compassion, and dedication gave us confidence and hope through an incredibly scary time. They treated her like one of their own, and we can’t thank everyone enough for helping her find, and stay on, the road to recovery. We will always be grateful for the care and dedication to helping Miss Freya.”