International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA) Practice Exam

Spondylosis is a degenerative change of the spine driven by bone spur formation, especially along the ventral border of adjacent vertebral bodies. Over time these osteophytes can grow and bridge across the intervertebral space, producing the characteristic ventral bridging seen on radiographs. This osteophytosis and bridging are the hallmark features, distinguishing spondylosis from inflammatory joint disease (which would involve joint capsule inflammation), from sacroiliac joint fusion (which affects a different joint region), or from soft tissue swelling (which implies edema rather than bone spur formation). In many animals, especially older ones, this change is a common incidental radiographic finding and may be mild or asymptomatic, though it can be associated with stiffness.