Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LTV) are abnormally formed vertebrae of congenital origin. Dogs with LTV are predisposed to premature degeneration of the lumbosacral spine and hip dysplasia due to a weakened sacroiliac attachment. Moreover, LTV has been discussed as a cause of cauda equina syndrome. To date, LTV remain poorly understood and a diagnostic standard is yet to be established. This study examines prevalence, types and breed predispositions for LTV in the canine population in Berlin. The diagnostic value of laterolateral radiographs of the lumbosacral region, in addition to ventrodorsal radiographs, was also evaluated. The prevalence of LTV was assessed by reviewing ventrodorsal pelvic radiographs of 1030 dogs. LTV were detected in 95 (9.2%) dogs. The prevalence was higher in Pugs (63.6%) and Jack Russel Terriers (27.6%) than in the other breeds. The most common type of LTV was type II (37.9%), showing separation of the first sacral segment from the sacrum, the presence of a rudimentary intervertebral space between the first sacral segment and the rest of the sacrum, and symmetrically formed transverse processes. Laterolateral radiographs were available for 66 of 95 dogs with LTV and provided evidence of a rudimentary intervertebral disc space between the first and second sacral vertebrae in all cases of LTV type II and III (100%). The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the condition. Furthermore, they demonstrate that laterolateral radiographs are a valuable addition to standard ventrodorsal radiographs and should be included in routine LTV screening protocols to provide a complete evaluation

The drainage consolidation method has been efficiently used to deal with soft ground improvement. Nowadays, it has been suggested to use a new sand soil which is a composite of sand and recycled glass waste. The permeability performance of glass-sand soil was explored to judge the feasibility of glass-sand soil backfilled in the drainage consolidation of sand-drained ground. For comparison purposes, different mix proportions of recycled glass waste, fineness modulus, and glass particle size were analyzed to certify the impact on the permeability coefficient and the degree of consolidation. The numerical results show that adding a proper amount of recycled glass waste could promote the permeability performance of glass-sand soil, and the glasssand soil drain could be consolidated more quickly than a sand drain. Experiments showed that glass-sand soil with the a 20% mix of recycled glass waste reveals the optimum performance of permeability.