Presumed acquired neuromyotonia of unknown cause in a cat with hyperthyroidism.

Case Summary: A 16-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat with methimazole-treated hyperthyroidism presented with a chronic progressive history of a stiff gait progressing to recumbency. A neurological examination revealed continuous excessive muscle tone with myokymia, which exacerbated with exercise and persisted during general anaesthesia. An electromyographic study revealed myokymic discharges in all tested muscles, as well as complex repetitive discharges, fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves.

Case series: Cervical far-lateral and combined cervical far lateral/foraminal intervertebral disk extrusions in 10 dogs.

Far-lateral intervertebral disk extrusions (IVDEs) have been reported infrequently in dogs in veterinary literature, mostly affecting the caudal lumbar intervertebral disks. We describe the clinical findings, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, treatment, and outcome in 10 dogs with cervical far-lateral IVDEs. Patient databases of 3 small animal hospitals and 1 veterinary teleradiology service were retrospectively searched for patients in which imaging studies (CT or MRI) identified the presence of intervertebral disk material outside the limits of the intervertebral foramen.

Generalized myokymia, or neuromyotonia, or both in dogs with or without spinocerebellar ataxia.

Background: KCNJ10 and CAPN1 variants cause "spinocerebellar" ataxia in dogs, but their association with generalized myokymia and neuromyotonia remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the association between KCNJ10 and CAPN1 and myokymia or neuromyotonia, with or without concurrent spinocerebellar ataxia.

Animals: Thirty-three client-owned dogs with spinocerebellar ataxia, myokymia neuromytonia, or a combination of these signs.

Missense Variant in Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers Affected by Cerebellar Degeneration-Myositis Complex (CDMC).

We investigated two litters of distantly related Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers (NSDTR), of which four puppies were affected by cerebellar signs with or without neuromuscular weakness. The phenotype was termed cerebellar degeneration—myositis complex (CDMC). We suspected a heritable condition and initiated a genetic analysis.

Fast three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography of the canine lumbar spinal cord vascular supply: A feasibility study.

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is the noninvasive spinal cord vascular imaging modality of choice in human medicine. The aim of this exploratory, prospective, descriptive study was to assess the feasibility of fast three-dimensional (3D) contrast-enhanced (CE) MRA for visualization of spinal vascular structures in the canine lumbar region. Fourteen canine patients weighing > 5 kg were included.

Inherited Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy in a Border Collie, Interest of Oclacitinib for the Control of Self-Mutilation.

Sensory and autonomic neuropathy was diagnosed in a five-month-old Border Collie puppy, who presented with progressive self-mutilation, proprioceptive ataxia and urinary incontinence. In the Border Collie, sensory neuropathy is different from what is observed in acral mutilation syndrome, as the genetic mutation is linked to an inversion disrupting the gene. Diagnosis was based on history, clinical signs and genetic testing.

Idiopathic generalised tremor syndrome in two cats.

Two male neutered domestic shorthair cats were evaluated for generalised tremors. On neurological examination both cats showed whole-body tremors, worsening with stress. A mainly cerebellar disorder was suspected.

Evolution of clinical signs and predictors of outcome after conservative medical treatment for disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy in dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the evolution of clinical signs and their correlation with results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and to assess potential prognostic variables after conservative medical treatment for disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (DA-CSM) in dogs.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Animals: 21 client-owned dogs with DA-CSM.

Reference values and clinical application of magnetic peripheral nerve stimulation in cats.

Magnetic stimulation of radial (RN) and sciatic (SN) nerves was performed bilaterally in 40 healthy cats. Reference values for onset latency and peak-to-peak amplitude of magnetic motor evoked potentials (MMEPs) were obtained and compared with values of electric motor evoked potentials (EMEPs) in 10/40 cats. Onset latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes of the MMEPs of three cats with polyneuropathy (PNP) were compared to the reference values.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation in Doberman Pinschers with clinically relevant and clinically irrelevant spinal cord compression on magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: To evaluate the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation for differentiating between clinically relevant and clinically irrelevant cervical spinal cord compression on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Design: Validation study.

Animals: Clinically normal Doberman Pinschers without (n = 11) and with (6) spinal cord compression on MRI and 16 Doberman Pinschers with disk-associated wobbler syndrome (DAWS).

Intraobserver and interobserver agreement for results of low-field magnetic resonance imaging in dogs with and without clinical signs of disk-associated wobbler syndrome.

Objective: To determine interobserver and intraobserver agreement for results of low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in dogs with and without disk-associated wobbler syndrome (DAWS).

Design: Validation study.

Animals: 21 dogs with and 23 dogs without clinical signs of DAWS.

Myokymia and neuromyotonia in 37 Jack Russell terriers.

The clinical and clinicopathological characteristics, treatment and outcome of vermicular muscle contractions (myokymia) and generalized muscle stiffness (neuromyotonia) in 37 Jack Russell terriers were evaluated retrospectively. Thirty dogs were affected by both disorders, whereas seven were presented with myokymia and never developed neuromyotonia. Clinical signs started at the mean age of 8 months.

Low-field magnetic resonance imaging findings of the caudal portion of the cervical region in clinically normal Doberman Pinschers and Foxhounds.

Objective: To determine the spectrum and frequency of abnormalities for low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations of clinically normal Doberman Pinschers and Foxhounds.

Animals: 37 clinically normal dogs (20 Doberman Pinschers and 17 Foxhounds).

Procedures: For each dog, MRI of the cervical vertebrae (sagittal, dorsal, and transverse T1- and T2-weighted images) was performed.

Assessment of motor pathways by magnetic stimulation in human and veterinary medicine.

Magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive and painless technique for studying the motor pathways in medical neurology. A time-varying magnetic field induces an electrical field in conducting objects, such as nervous tissue. The technique can be applied to nerve roots and peripheral nerves or to the motor cortex of the brain in human and veterinary medicine.

Surgical treatment of a canine intranasal meningoencephalocele.

Objective: To report the clinical signs, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of an intranasal meningoencephalocele in a dog.

Study Design: Case report.

Animal: Female Border collie, 5 months old.

Effects of sedative and hypnotic drug combinations on transcranial magnetic motor evoked potential, bispectral index and ARX-derived auditory evoked potential index in dogs.

Relationships between onset latency and peak-to-peak amplitude of magnetic motor evoked potentials (MMEP) after transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), together with the electroencephalographic parameters bispectral analysis index (BIS) and the autoregressive model with exogenous input (ARX)-derived auditory evoked potential index (AAI) were explored during different sedative and hypnotic drug combinations in six dogs. TMS was performed under sedation with acepromazine/methadone or medetomidine and after a single bolus injection of propofol or etomidate. Data for BIS and AAI were continuously collected during the periods of treatment with the hypnotic drugs.

Magnetic stimulation of the radial nerve in dogs and cats with brachial plexus trauma: a report of 53 cases.

Brachial plexus trauma is a common clinical entity in small animal practice and prognostic indicators are essential early in the course of the disease. Magnetic stimulation of the radial nerve and consequent recording of the magnetic motor evoked potential (MMEP) was examined in 36 dogs and 17 cats with unilateral brachial plexus trauma. Absence of deep pain perception (DPP), ipsilateral loss of panniculus reflex, partial Horner's syndrome and a poor response to MMEP were related to the clinical outcome in 29 of the dogs and 13 of the cats.

Magnetic stimulation of peripheral nerves in dogs: a pilot study.

A model for magnetic stimulation of the radial and sciatic nerves in dogs was evaluated. Onset-latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes of magnetic and electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve were compared, and the effect of the direction of the current in the magnetic coil on onset-latencies and peak-to-peak amplitude of the magnetic motor evoked potential was studied in both nerves. The results demonstrate that magnetic stimulation is a feasible method for stimulating the radial and sciatic nerves in dogs.