MRI and clinical findings in 133 dogs with recurrent deficits following intervertebral disc extrusion surgery.

Background: Recurrence of neurological signs following surgery for intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) is reported, yet many cases lack MRI-confirmed diagnosis. This study describes the MRI and clinical findings in dogs presenting with recurrence of neurological signs following surgical treatment of IVDH.

Methods: Medical records of dogs that underwent decompressive surgery for IVDH followed by a subsequent MRI within 12 months were retrospectively reviewed.

Metabolic fingerprinting of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy receiving a ketogenic medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil.

Consumption of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) has been shown to improve seizure control, reduce behavioural comorbidities and improve cognitive function in epileptic dogs. However, the exact metabolic pathways affected by dietary MCT remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to identify changes in the metabolome and neurotransmitters levels relevant to epilepsy and behavioural comorbidities associated with the consuming of an MCT supplement (MCT-DS) in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE).

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy in a family of mixed breed dogs associated with a novel RETREG1 variant.

Background: Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSANs) are a group of genetic disorders affecting the peripheral nervous system. Two different associated variants have been identified in dogs: 1 in Border Collies and 1 in Spaniels and Pointers.

Objectives: Clinically and genetically characterize HSAN in a family of mixed breed dogs.

Aquaporin-4 protein expression in normal canine brains.

Background: Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is in growing recognition as potential marker for cancer progression, differentiation and therapeutic intervention. No information is available about AQP4 expression in the normal canine brain. The aim of this histopathological study is to confirm the presence of AQP4 by immunohistochemistry technique in a group of non-pathological canine brains and to describe its expression and distribution across the brain.

Medium-chain triglycerides dietary supplement improves cognitive abilities in canine epilepsy.

Objective: Cognitive impairments (CI) have recently been identified in canine epilepsy patients. A medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) enriched diet has been demonstrated to improve cognition in aged dogs and seizure control in canine epilepsy. This study evaluates the short-term effects of MCT-oil consumption on cognitive abilities in dogs with epilepsy, a naturally occurring animal model.

A multicenter randomized controlled trial of medium-chain triglyceride dietary supplementation on epilepsy in dogs.

Background: Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) enriched diet has a positive effect on seizure control and behavior in some dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE).

Objective: To evaluate the short-term efficacy of MCTs administered as an add-on dietary supplement (DS) to a variable base diet to assess seizure control and antiseizure drug's (ASD) adverse effect profiles.

Animals: Twenty-eight dogs with International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force Tier II (IVETF) level diagnosis of treated IE with 3 or more seizures in the last 3 months were used.

Effect of radiotherapy on freedom from seizures in dogs with brain tumors.

Background: Seizures are a common presenting sign in dogs with brain tumors.

Hypothesis/objectives: To investigate the effect of radiotherapy on freedom from brain tumor-associated seizures and survival time in dogs.

Animals: Thirty-two client-owned dogs with brain tumor-associated seizures; 18 received medical treatment and radiotherapy, 14 received medical treatment alone.

Prognostic Factors for Recovery of Vision in Canine Optic Neuritis of Unknown Etiology: 26 Dogs (2003-2018).

Optic neuritis (ON) is a recognized condition, yet factors influencing recovery of vision are currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify prognostic factors for recovery of vision in canine ON of unknown etiology. Clinical databases of three referral hospitals were searched for dogs with presumptive ON based on clinicopathologic, MRI/CT, and fundoscopic findings.

Cerebral gliosarcoma with perivascular involvement in a cat.

Case Summary: A 5-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat presented with an 18-month history of facial tics, and progressive general ataxia, weakness, lethargy and anorexia of 2 weeks' duration. MRI of the brain showed a well-defined heterogeneous hyperintense mass on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images, with central hypointensity in the rostral commissure and septum pellucidum, and perilesional hyperintensity in fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, suggestive of perilesional oedema. Gross examination in a transverse section of the brain at the level of the septum pellucidum revealed a 0.

A double-blinded randomised dietary supplement crossover trial design to investigate the short-term influence of medium chain fatty acid (MCT) supplement on canine idiopathic epilepsy: study protocol.

Background: Epilepsy is the most common brain disease in dogs. Recently, diets have been reported to have a positive impact on seizure activity and behaviour in various species including dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Historically, classic high fat ketogenic diets (KD) and medium chain triglycerides (MCT) KD have been successfully used to manage drug-resistant epilepsy.

Meningeal carcinomatosis and spinal cord infiltration caused by a locally invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma in a cat.

Case Summary: A 12-year-old domestic shorthair cat was presented with acute non-painful hindlimb proprioceptive ataxia localising to T3-L3 spinal cord segments. MRI revealed paravertebral muscular hyperintensity on T2-weighted images at the level of T7-T8 vertebrae. The cat improved on conservative management but deteriorated 3 months later.

Congenital Malformations Resembling VACTERL Association in a Golden Retriever.

A 2 mo old golden retriever presented with malformation of the left thoracic limb and a small circular indentation of the skin in the cranial thoracic spine. Radiographs showed a cleft between the second and fifth metacarpal bones of the left thoracic limb compatible with ectrodactyly and spina bifida affecting T4 and T5 vertebrae. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine showed dorsal reposition of the spinal cord and a tract connecting from the dura mater to the skin.

Traumatic spinal cord injury caused by suspected hyperflexion of the atlantoaxial joint in a 10-year-old cat.

Case Summary: A 10-year-old cat presented 5 days after a traumatic event with acute recumbency followed by some clinical improvement. The neuroanatomical localisation was the C1-C5 spinal cord segments. Initial survey radiographs, including lateral flexed views, showed no convincing abnormalities.

Acute motor and sensory polyganglioradiculoneuritis in a cat: clinical and histopathological findings.

Polyneuropathies can have a variety of clinical presentations and tend to be rare in cats. In this report we describe a 6-year-old domestic shorthair cat with an acute and rapidly progressive onset of lower motor neuron and sensory signs affecting the spinal and cranial nerves. Histopathological examination revealed moderate-to-severe multifocal inflammatory infiltrates at the ventral and dorsal nerve roots, and dorsal spinal ganglia at the level of the L4 and cauda equina.

Ventral occipito-atlanto-axial fluid-filled lesion causing dynamic spinal cord compression in a cat.

Cystic lesions affecting the vertebral canal or spinal cord have rarely been reported in cats. A 3-year-old female neutered domestic longhair cat presented for evaluation of a 2-year-history of episodes of ataxia and paresis affecting all limbs. Neurological examination was consistent with a lesion in the C1-C5 spinal cord segments.

Pituitary metastasis of pancreatic origin in a dog presenting with acute-onset blindness.

Pituitary metastases have rarely been recorded in dogs, and to date, none of those reported have been of pancreatic origin. MRI findings are available for only one of those cases. Herein the authors present an 11 yr old English springer spaniel diagnosed with pituitary metastasis of pancreatic origin with a 24 hr history of blindness and only a single lesion on MRI.

Questionnaire-based behaviour analysis of Cavalier King Charles spaniels with neuropathic pain due to Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia.

Chiari-like malformation (CM)/syringomyelia (SM) is a disease complex recognised in Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCSs) that can lead to neuropathic pain (NeP). In humans, NeP is associated with anxiety, depression and reduced quality of life (QoL). In this study, databases of three specialist veterinary centres were searched and CKCS breed societies and health forums were contacted to identify CKCS with an imaging diagnosis of CM/SM.

Spondylosis deformans and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (dish) resulting in adjacent segment disease.

Spondylosis deformans and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) are usually incidental findings and in most dogs are either asymptomatic or associated with mild clinical signs. Severe spondylosis deformans and DISH can result in complete bony fusion of consecutive vertebral segments. One of the recognised complications following vertebral fusion in human patients is the development of adjacent segment disease, which is defined as degenerative changes, most commonly degenerative intervertebral disc disease, in the mobile vertebral segment neighboring a region of complete vertebral fusion.

Dorsal spinous process impingement syndrome ('kissing spine') in a cat: imaging appearance and surgical management.

Spinal pain is an important clinical presentation in feline patients, but the underlying causes can often be difficult to elucidate. Dorsal spinous process impingement syndrome ('kissing spine' or in human patients 'Baastrup syndrome') is a significant cause of spinal pain in equine and human patients and radiographically is characterised by a close approximation of adjacent spinous processes with reactive bone sclerosis affecting these spinous processes. In this report we describe the first reported case of dorsal spinous process impingement syndrome in a cat causing spinal pain, and successful surgical management of the syndrome.

Significance of surface epithelial cells in canine cerebrospinal fluid and relationship to central nervous system disease.

Background: The term "surface epithelium" is used to describe cells, including meningeal, choroid plexus, ependymal, and endothelial cells, that are found in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and are difficult to distinguish cytologically. We hypothesized that the presence of surface epithelial cells in canine CSF was associated with specific diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).

Objectives: In this retrospective study the frequency of surface epithelial cells in CSF from dogs with neurologic disease was investigated along with the potential association with age, specific type of CNS disease, and CSF total nucleated cell count (TNCC) and protein concentration.