Magnetic resonance imaging of dogs with cervical disease revealed a higher proportion of intervertebral disk disease in small dogs and neoplasia in large dogs.

Dog body weight is a strong predictor of cervical disease type, guiding pre-MRI client discussions.

This retrospective observational study evaluated 270 dogs that underwent cervical MRI at a tertiary referral hospital over a five-year period (2019–2024), comparing the distribution of cervical lesion types between small dogs (< 15 kg) and large dogs (≥ 15 kg). Small dogs demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of intervertebral disk disease (IVDD; 82.9% vs. 61.1%), with large dogs having 68% lower odds of IVDD (OR 0.32; 95% CI, 0.18–0.57). Notably, no significant weight-based association with IVDD was found within the chondrodystrophic subgroup. Large dogs had 4.5 times higher odds of cervical neoplasia (OR 5.3; 95% CI, 2.1–15) and increasing odds of cervical spondylomyelopathy with weight (OR 1.11 per kg; 95% CI, 1.06–1.16). Small dogs showed significantly lower median body weights in cases of atlantoaxial instability (AAI; median 5.2 kg vs. 11.0 kg in unaffected dogs) and had 97% higher odds of congenital abnormalities compared to large dogs (OR 0.03 for large dogs; 95% CI, <0.001–0.24). These findings provide clinically relevant pre-imaging diagnostic guidance, enabling veterinarians to more accurately counsel clients regarding the likelihood of specific cervical pathologies based on body weight. Incorporating weight as a primary triage factor may improve diagnostic efficiency and help set appropriate expectations before advanced imaging is pursued.

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