Intervertebral disk disease in 10 cats

The medical records of 10 cats diagnosed with intervertebral disk disease were reviewed. No apparent sex or breed predilection was found. The mean age of cats in the study was 9.8 years. Clinical signs included back pain, difficulty ambulating, and incontinence. Radiographs revealed narrowed disk spaces, mineralized intervertebral disks, and evidence of extradural compression on myelography or computed tomography. All intervertebral disk herniations occurred in the thoracolumbar spine, with a peak incidence at the fourth to fifth lumbar (L4-L5) intervertebral disk space. Eight cats had Hansen's type I intervertebral disk herniation. Surgery was performed in seven cats. All cats judged to have an excellent outcome had undergone surgical decompression.