Abstract

Abstract: Intervertebral disc disease is a very common problem in dogs. The disease causes pain and paralysis and leads to the death of many dogs annually. The disease is intimately associated with disc degeneration and calcification, but the precise mechanisms by which these pathological processes are linked remain a mystery. Most studies to date have focused on imaging changes and histopathology of affected discs, but here we take a novel approach exploring the use of a number of different techniques associated with mineralogy and materials science, including atomic force microscopy and scanning and electron microscopy, and assessing the information they are able to provide. Our results have allowed us to generate some testable hypotheses which could ultimately help to unravel the way in which disc degeneration and disease are linked, and lead to novel methods of prevention and treatment.

Speaker: Viviana graduated as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2019 at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Then worked as a general practitioner and junior neurologist in different veterinary practices for three years. Started the PhD at the Department of Veterinary Medicine in 2021, under the supervision of Dr. Paul Freeman and Dr. Lisa Alves. The research was funded by Dachshund Rescue UK and investigates the mechanisms and clinical impact of intervertebral disc disease in dogs.