This study aimed to identify dogs with presumptive diagnosis of cervical intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) submitted to clinical management and to evaluate the outcomes. Data were obtained from the medical records of patients with neurological dysfunction assisted at a University Veterinary Hospital from 2006 to 2017. In addition to the patients’ records, dog owners responded to a questionnaire on the success of therapy. Four hundred and thirteen neurological records were evaluated, and 164 met the inclusion criteria of the study. The most common breed was Dachshund, followed by mongrels. Classification of neurological dysfunction in the study sample was as follows: 15.9% with grade I, 25.6% with grade II, 26.8% with grade III, 8.5% with grade IV, and 23.2% with grade V. Outcome was satisfactory in 71.6% of the dogs and unsatisfactory in 28.4% of them. Recurrence was observed in 27.7% of those with satisfactory outcomes. The clinical treatment of dogs with thoracolumbar IVDD is satisfactory, particularly for animals with milder disease grades (I, II, and III). There is possibility of recurrence with conservative therapy and clinical signs may be more severe.

No abstract

A 14-year-old female Dachshund was referred to a veterinary hospital with a history and signalment of head pressing, compulsive walking, and right circling. At ophthalmologic examination, a mature cataract and absence of photomotor reflex in the right eye were observed. The neurological exam revealed multifocal encephalic signs. At necropsy, a conical solid tan mass was observed involving the right optic nerve throughout its extension to the optic chiasm. Histopathological findings confirmed a retrobulbar papillary meningioma, considered rare and seldom included as differential diagnosis in patients with neurological signs.

The aim of this report was to describe a case of aortic thrombosis (AT) secondary to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Although, different types of neoplasms are described as possible causes of aortic thrombosis, CLL was not yet considered. The dog showed signs of lameness that worsened with exercise. The diagnosis of AT was made by ultrasound examination. The diagnosis of CLL was made by necropsy, which showed the presence of small lymphocytes with the appearance of mature lymphocytes in the bone marrow, spleen, liver and kidneys. The importance of including CLL in the possible causes of AT in dogs, in addition to the suspicion of AT in cases of neuromuscular disease, was highlighted.

RESUMO Este estudo retrospectivo teve como objetivo demonstrar as modalidades fisioterapêuticas empregadas no tratamento de cães com doença do disco intervertebral (DDIV) toracolombar após descompressão cirúrgica da medula espinhal, bem como relatar os fatores que determinaram as alterações das modalidades. Foram incluídos 30 cães que apresentavam sinais neurológicos desde paraparesia ambulatória a paraplegia com dor profunda na primeira sessão de fisioterapia. As modalidades utilizadas nos protocolos de todos os pacientes foram a crioterapia, massagem, alongamento passivo, movimentação passiva articular, estímulo do reflexo flexor e estimulação elétrica neuromuscular. A inclusão ou exclusão de exercícios terapêuticos, como a tipoia corporal, a plataforma proprioceptiva circular, a natação, a hidroesteira, os obstáculos e a caminhada em colchão, foi de acordo com a evolução clínica e a adaptação de cada paciente. Oitenta por cento (80%) dos cães alteraram o grau de disfunção neurológica antes de iniciar a fisioterapia e 93% retornaram à habilidade de caminhar (paraparesia ambulatória) ao final da fisioterapia. O número de sessões e o tempo de recuperação foram maiores quanto pior foi o grau de lesão do paciente.

Background: Hypothyroidism in dogs can cause lethargy, weight gain, dermatological signs and, uncommonly, neurological signs. These may involve the peripheral or central nervous system, leading to a decreased level of consciousness, central or peripheral vestibular disease, epileptic seizures, cognitive dysfunction, facial nerve paralysis, laryngeal paralysis, and polyneuropathy. There are few cases reported in the literature relating hypothyroidism and central vestibular disease. The aim of this study was to report a case of a stroke secondary to hypothyroidism that resulted in central vestibular syndrome in a dog.Case: A 13-year-old female Pitbull, weighting 37 kg, was referred to a Veterinary University Hospital with a two weeks history of dyspnea, coughing and walking difficulty. On neurological examination, the animal presented vertical nystagmus, somnolence, non-ambulatory tetraparesis, decreased postural reaction in all limbs and normal spinal reflexes. The laboratory exams revealed a mild leukocytosis and increased creatinine, glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Due to historical, clinical, neurological and laboratory tests findings, the animal was diagnosed with central vestibular syndrome secondary to an intracranial neoplasm. Clinical treatment was instituted with corticosteroids, however the animal did not respond and died. On necropsy, the heart was enlarged and coronary arteries were thicker. No macroscopic changes were found in the brain. On histological analysis, the coronary arteries were congest by lipids that almost occluded the arterial lumen. The same alteration were found in splenic and renal arterioles, and in the brain’s leptomeninges. Also in the brain, it was observed perivascular infiltration of mononuclear cells and focal gliosis. The thyroid was atrophied and fibrosed bilaterally. Therefore, those changes were compatible with atherosclerosis secondary to hypothyroidism.Discussion: Neurological sings secondary to hypothyroidism are uncommon. From 116 dogs with hypothyroidism, only 22 (19%) had neurological presentations. The majority was associated with peripheral nervous system showing polyneuropathy and cranial nerve dysfunction. When associated with central nervous system the most common sings are pathological nystagmus, postural reaction deficits, tetraparesis, hemiparesis, and paradoxical vestibular diseases. These signs are similar to the findings in the case reported here, characterizing it as a central vestibular disease. Different from humans, dogs have a natural resistance against atherosclerosis, however, hypothyroidism can result in lipids metabolic deficits, increasing its plasma levels. In this report, the arterial lesion and ischemia secondary to atherosclerosis, especially in the brain steam, have led to the neurological presentation. The dog also had hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, which are related to hypothyroidism. As high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are common findings in hypothyroidism, it is important to evaluating blood levels of those lipids in dogs with central vestibular diseases, even though there are no others endocrinal signs. This case shows that, even though central vestibular disease is not a common neurological presentation in hypothyroidism, it is always important to considerer this metabolic affection as a precursor and a differential diagnosis to central vestibular disease.

The objective of this study was to verify the clinical recovery of dogs that underwent ventral slot surgical decompression with lateralized compressions of the cervical spinal cord caused by intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Twenty patients were selected in different degrees of neurological dysfunction with definitive diagnosis of lateralized compression by cervical IVDD. Postoperative clinical recovery was assessed in patients who had undergone at least two months of the surgical procedure. There was a satisfactory recovery in 19 dogs (95%) and unsatisfactory recovery in another (5%), showing a significant clinical improvement (p<0.05) in the use of this technique in lateralized compression cases. The ventral slot promotes satisfactory clinical recovery of dogs with lateralized compression of the spinal cord caused by cervical IVDD and may be indicated as a surgical alternative.

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar em quais projeções foi possível identificar compressão da medula espinhal em cães com doença do disco intervertebral (DDIV) cervical e propor um sequenciamento das projeções a ser realizado no exame mielográfico dessa região. Foram avaliadas quatro projeções mielográficas (lateral, ventrodorsal e oblíquas esquerda e direita) de 41 pacientes diagnosticados com DDIV cervical. Em 40 pacientes (97,5%), foi possível identificar compressão da medula espinhal na projeção lateral; em 22 (53,6%), nas oblíquas; e em 11 (26,8%), na ventrodorsal (P<0,05). Havia lateralização da compressão em 22 (53,6%) pacientes; 100% delas (n=22) foram detectadas pelas projeções oblíquas e 50% (n=11) pela ventrodorsal. Em 10 (24,4%) cães, foi observado mais que um local de compressão, tendo as projeções ventrodorsal e oblíquas auxiliado na definição do local de compressão em 50% e 70%, respectivamente. Pode-se concluir que todas as projeções mielográficas estudadas permitem identificar compressão na medula espinhal em cães com DDIV cervical, sendo a incidência lateral a que mais a revelou, seguida das oblíquas e da ventrodorsal, estabelecendo-se, assim, uma proposta de sequenciamento das projeções mielográficas a serem realizadas para essa região.