Idiopathic generalised tremor syndrome in dogs

Abstract

Background Idiopathic generalised tremor syndrome (IGTS) causes tremor and often vestibulocerebellar signs. Previous publications on IGTS in dogs are restricted to case reports or lack exclusion of structural causes. Methods Medical records of 75 dogs diagnosed with IGTS that had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain were collected retrospectively. Results Crossbreeds were affected most commonly (41.3%), followed by West Highland white terriers (14.7%) and cocker spaniels (10.7%). A higher proportion of females were affected than males (68.0%). Median age of the affected dogs was 17 months (range 6–121 months), and median bodyweight was 9.15 kg (range 2.9–26 kg). All dogs presented with tremors and most experienced concomitant neurological signs (93.3%). Seventeen (22.7%) were hyperthermic and 31 (41.3%) had gastrointestinal signs. MRI of the brain was normal in most of the cases, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis frequently revealed mild pleocytosis. All animals were treated with prednisolone, and 39 (51.3%) also received diazepam. Median follow‐up time was 13 months (range 0–134 months). The overall outcome was good, although 16 (21.3%) patients were reported to have relapsing clinical signs and 10 (13.2%) patients experienced persistent mild clinical signs. Conclusions IGTS should be suspected in any dog with generalised tremor and vestibulocerebellar signs with younger and smaller dogs more commonly affected.

Bruxism in awake dogs as a clinical sign of forebrain disease: 4 cases

“…We propose the use of the term bruxism to describe the clinical sign of involuntary, vertical or lateral, clenching or grinding of the teeth by bracing or thrusting of the mandible, which is mainly audible as a characteristic squeaky or crunching sound and possibly visible with minor or no obvious movement of the jaw. Bruxism should not be confused with teeth chattering, which describes involuntary vertical movement of the jaw that can be a rhythmic mandibular tremor in corticosteroid‐responsive tremor syndrome 65 or an episodic mandibular tremor in middle‐aged to old dogs that might be attributed to a trigemino‐trigeminal reflex 24 and which we have observed in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Likewise, AB should not be confused with nonrhythmic movements (e.g., mandibular twitches as part of oroalimentary automatisms in epileptic seizures, jaw chomping as a sign of rapid eye movement behavioral sleep disorder or peripheral nerve hyperexcitability twitches in intoxications) 11,24,66 or mandibular myoclonus, which refers to a shock‐like jerk of the mandible (e.g., neurological sequela of distemper) 24 .…”