Osteomyelitis
What is osteomyelitis?
Osteomyelitis is an acute or chronic infection of the bone
and bone marrow characterized
by pain, high fever, and an abcess at the site of infection. The
infection, which may be
caused by a variety of microorganisms, reaches the bone through
an open wound or
fracture or through the bloodstream.
What causes osteomyelitis?
Osteomyelitis is due to bone contamination that comes from
an outside source, or from "seeding"
through the blood stream. A bone fracture in which there is a
skin wound, or a penetrating wound
such as a gunshot injury often result in bone infection. Other
penetrating foreign material, bite or
claw wounds, teeth and gum infections, ear infections and nail
infections may predispose bone to
developing an infection. Dogs with prosthetic orthopedic implants
or large bone grafts are also
prone to osteomyelitis. Diseases that suppress the immune system
will also predispose a dog to
acquiring osteomyelitis.
What are signs of osteomyelitis?
Episodes of intermittent lameness that respond to antibiotic
therapy, lameness associated with a
fever, draining tracts, persistent skin ulcers, and leg swelling
are often seen in animals with a bone infection. Bone infections
of the spine may cause pain and neurologic (nerve) deficits such
as weakness or paralysis.
How is osteomyelitis diagnosed?
Your veterinarian may suspect osteomyelitis after examining your pet, but will probably run several tests to confirm the diagnosis and underlying cause. A complete blood count may indicate the presence of infection. Radiographs (X-rays) are necessary to confirm the presence, location, and severity of infection. Samples of any draining fluid (or of the bone itself) are generally taken for microbiology culture to determine the type of infection present. The germs growing in the culture are then tested to determine the best medication for treatment.
How is osteomyelitis treated?
Long-term antibiotic treatment (often four to eight weeks)
is required to treat a bone infection. In chronic long-standing
bone infections, surgery is often required to any remove dead
bone and to locally treat the infected bone. The removal of foreign
bodies and loose implants and the
stabilization of non-healed fractures are also often necessary.
What is the prognosis for animals with osteomyelitis?
The prognosis is based on the severity, type, and the duration of the infection. Mild to moderate bone infections with minimal bony changes and no fractures can usually be treated in four to eight weeks. Antibiotics alone will not be sufficient to treat long-standing bone infections, which may recur weeks or months after the last antibiotic treatment. Aggressive surgical intervention is required to cure chronic infections.
The majority of the information in this page is has been taken from VetMedCenter.com. For further information about this useful source of informtion follow the link or look, on the internet, at www.vetmedcenter.com.