Ankylosing Spondylosis (Parrot Beaks)

Ankylosing spondylosis goes by several names: deforming spondylosis, ossifying spondylosis, but perhaps the most curious one is "parrot beaks." A very curious name acquired due to the shape of the lesions it causes.

These distinctively shaped lesions mainly appear in the lumbar area of the dog's spine, but what are they? Why do they appear? And above all, what should I do if my dog has parrot beaks? We explain all the details.

What Is Ankylosing Spondylosis?

Ankylosing spondylosis is a degenerative process affecting the dog's spine. It affects the intervertebral ligament and adjacent vertebrae. It's not inflammatory nor infectious in nature. It's characterized by the appearance of osteophytes, which are bone tissue growths at the base of the vertebrae, and due to their shape, they were given the name "parrot beaks."

But in the most severe cases, these "parrot beaks" keep growing, eventually forming bridges between two or more vertebrae, preventing their movement and, in some cases, affecting the spinal cord or nerve roots.

Why Do Parrot Beaks Appear?

The cause is unknown, but it's believed that tension building up in the area could cause micro-tears in the intervertebral ligament, encouraging the appearance of fibrous tissue and later the invasion of bone cells in the areas under the most stress.

What has been proven is that this disease mostly affects large breeds and overweight dogs, being more common in the Boxer, Great Dane, and some herding breeds. Most commonly, it appears from 8 years of age onward. A slightly higher prevalence has also been described in females, especially those with multiple pregnancies, as well as in athletic dogs.

How to Know If My Dog Has Ankylosing Spondylosis?

It's worth noting this disease often goes unnoticed, but dogs with no symptoms, even if they have the disease, wouldn't need treatment. However, the symptoms we may observe in many other dogs are:

• Stiffness, hunching, and difficulty moving.
• Pain in the area.
• Behavioral changes associated with pain, such as: less energy, lethargy, apathy, listlessness, and even aggression.

• If the spinal cord is affected, progressive paralysis, paresis (partial paralysis), ataxia (coordination difficulty), or paraplegia can occur.

If we notice any symptom in our dog, it's important for it to be assessed by the vet. A spinal X-ray is usually enough to confirm or rule out the disease. But to assess whether the spinal cord is affected, other additional tests such as a CT scan or MRI may be needed.

What Is the Treatment for Parrot Beaks?

As we've seen, if your dog has no pain or any other symptom, it doesn't need medical treatment, but you can follow the same prevention recommendations as healthy dogs: avoiding being overweight and obesity, moderate exercise, and supplementing its diet with chondroprotectants.

On the other hand, dogs with pain or other symptoms need treatment established by their vet, which will include pain relievers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and chondroprotectants, along with rest, and if possible, rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

Finally, the most severely affected dogs presenting with spinal cord or nerve root compression will need decompressive surgery performed by a specialist.