Generalized myoclonic epilepsy with photosensitivity in juvenile dogs caused by a defective DIRAS family GTPase 1.

The clinical and electroencephalographic features of a canine generalized myoclonic epilepsy with photosensitivity and onset in young Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs (6 wk to 18 mo) are described. A fully penetrant recessive 4-bp deletion was identified in the DIRAS family GTPase 1 () gene with an altered expression pattern of DIRAS1 protein in the affected brain. This neuronal gene with a proposed role in cholinergic transmission provides not only a candidate for human myoclonic epilepsy but also insights into the disease etiology, while establishing a spontaneous model for future intervention studies and functional characterization.

Comparison of oral administration of lomustine and prednisolone or prednisolone alone as treatment for granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis or necrotizing encephalitis in dogs.

Objective: To compare oral administration of lomustine and prednisolone with oral administration of prednisolone alone as treatment for granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME) or necrotizing encephalitis (NE) in dogs.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Animals: 25 dogs with GME and 18 dogs with NE (diagnosis confirmed in 8 and 5 dogs, respectively).

Partial lateral corpectomy of the thoracolumbar spine in 51 dogs: assessment of slot morphometry and spinal cord decompression.

Objective: To report slot morphometry, degree of spinal decompression, and factors influencing decompression after partial lateral corpectomy (PLC) of the thoracolumbar spine in dogs with intervertebral disc disease.

Study Design: Case series.

Animals: Dogs (n=51) with predominantly ventrally located spinal cord compression.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings in histologically confirmed Pug dog encephalitis.

The purpose of the study was to describe magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of histologically confirmed necrotizing encephalitis in four Pugs and to compare those findings with MR imaging characteristics of necrotizing encephalitis in other breeds. All dogs had the following common findings: lesions restricted to the forebrain, both cerebral hemispheres diffusely but asymmetrically affected, lesions affected gray and white matter resulting in loss of distinction between both, most severe lesions in occipital and parietal lobes, lesions were irregularly T2-hyperintense and T1-isointense to slightly T1-hypointense, and no cavitation. There were various degrees of contrast enhancement of brain and leptomeninges.

Use of albumin quotient and IgG index to differentiate blood- vs brain-derived proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid of cats with feline infectious peritonitis.

Background: Inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) is a frequent condition in cats but etiology often remains unsolved. Routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis can be extended through the calculation of the albumin quotient (Q(alb)), a marker of the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and IgG index, an estimate of intrathecal IgG synthesis.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to validate nephelometric methods for CSF protein analysis, and to use the Q(alb) and IgG index to discriminate blood- and brain-derived immunoglobulin fractions in cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

Use of anti-coronavirus antibody testing of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis involving the central nervous system in cats.

Objective: To assess the use of measuring anti-coronavirus IgG in CSF for the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) involving the CNS in cats.

Design: Prospective study.

Sample Population: CSF and serum samples from 67 cats.

Euthyroid sick syndrome in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy before treatment with anticonvulsant drugs.

Euthyroid sick syndrome is a common finding in dogs and is attributable to nonthyroidal illness or treatment with any of a variety of drugs such as phenobarbital. In dogs with epilepsy, treatment with anticonvulsant drugs can lead to subnormal plasma thyroid hormone concentrations despite normal thyroid function. One-hundred thirteen dogs with seizure activity were retrospectively evaluated to determine the influence of idiopathic epilepsy (IE) on thyroid hormone concentrations.