Multiplex analysis of cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs after ischemic stroke reveals elevations in chemokines CXCL1 and MCP-1.

Introduction: Neuroinflammation that occurs in the brain after stroke has been shown to be important to disease pathogenesis and outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate a large number of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in dogs with clinically-confirmed, naturally occurring stroke.

Materials And Methods: Fifteen dogs with a clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke and ten healthy control dogs were included in the study.

Incidence and risk factors for surgical site infection following enucleation in dogs.

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSI) increase morbidity, increase treatment costs, and can delay onset of necessary adjunctive therapy. The goal of this retrospective study was to determine the incidence of and risk factors of SSI after enucleation in dogs.

Methods: Medical records were searched at one veterinary teaching hospital and identified 280 dogs that underwent enucleation and had an adequate follow-up to assess SSI.

Differential T-cell responses in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin compared to healthy controls.

Meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO) is a common disorder in dogs that results in mononuclear inflammation in the brain and/or spinal cord. MUO is presumed to be autoimmune but specific immunological aberrations have not been identified. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate T cell production of two cytokines commonly implicated in autoimmune disease, interferon-gamma (IFNg) and interleukin-17 (IL17).

Treatment With Cytarabine at Initiation of Therapy With Cyclosporine and Glucocorticoids for Dogs With Meningoencephalomyelitis of Unknown Origin Is Not Associated With Improved Outcomes.

Meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO) is a common disorder of dogs that results in significant morbidity and mortality. The ideal treatment regimen is not known but a second immunosuppressive agent is often utilized in combination with glucocorticoids to increase efficacy and reduce side effects. Recently, a benefit to using a cytosine arabinoside (CA) constant rate infusion (CRI) at the time of diagnosis has been demonstrated.

Screening for Viral Nucleic Acids in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Dogs With Central Nervous System Inflammation.

Central nervous system (CNS) inflammation is a common cause of neurological dysfunction in dogs. Most dogs with CNS inflammation are diagnosed with presumptive autoimmune disease. A smaller number are diagnosed with an infectious etiology.

Feasibility of Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation (gammaCore VET™) for the Treatment of Refractory Seizure Activity in Dogs.

Idiopathic epilepsy is the most common chronic neurologic condition in dogs. Approximately 20-30% of those dogs are refractory to standard medical therapy and commonly experience side effects from antiepileptic drugs. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) has been frequently used in human medicine as an adjunct seizure therapy with low incidence of adverse events.

A Pilot Study on the Safety of a Novel Antioxidant Nanoparticle Delivery System and Its Indirect Effects on Cytokine Levels in Four Dogs.

Acute spinal cord injury consists of a primary, traumatic event followed by a cascade of secondary events resulting in ongoing cell damage and death. There is great interest in prevention of these secondary effects to reduce permanent long-term neurologic deficits. One such target includes reactive oxygen species released following injury, which can be enzymatically converted into less harmful molecules by superoxide dismutase and catalase.

Poliomyelomalacia in three dogs that underwent hemilaminectomy for intervertebral disk herniation.

Case Description: 3 dogs were examined because of a sudden onset of signs of pain (1 dog) or paraparesis (2 dogs).

Clinical Findings: Neurologic findings consisted of myelopathy affecting the lumbar intumescence (1 dog) and T3-L3 myelopathy (2 dogs). In all dogs, MRI revealed spinal cord compression caused by L3-4 disk herniation.

Cladophialophora encephalitis in an alpaca.

A 4-year-old Huacaya hembra was evaluated for acute neurologic signs including recumbency and a left head tilt. Cranial nerve examination revealed a left ear droop, muzzle deviation to the right, mydriasis of the left eye, an absent menace response, bilateral absent pupillary light reflex when light was directed into the left eye, and bilateral horizontal nystagmus with fast phase to the right. Multifocal intracranial lesions were suspected.

Canine histiocytic sarcoma presenting as a target lesion on brain magnetic resonance imaging and as a solitary pulmonary mass.

A 6-year-old spayed female miniature schnauzer presented with generalized seizures and progressive multifocal intracranial neurologic disease. Thoracic radiographs and computed tomography (CT) revealed a large solitary pulmonary mass within the right cranial lung lobe. On brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a solitary intraparenchymal mass within the left piriform lobe had a "target" appearance on both pre- and postcontrast sequences.

BAYLISASCARIS PROCYONIS LARVA MIGRANS IN TWO CAPTIVE NORTH AMERICAN BEAVERS (CASTOR CANADENSIS).

Baylisascaris procyonis larva migrans was diagnosed in two North American beavers ( Castor canadensis ) belonging to a zoological park in Clarke County, Georgia. Both beavers presented with neurological signs. One beaver died naturally and despite attempted treatment, the other beaver was euthanatized because of severe clinical signs and poor prognosis.

Canine spinal cord glioma.

Spinal cord glioma is uncommonly reported in dogs. We describe the clinicopathologic and diagnostic features of 7 cases of canine spinal cord glioma and briefly review the veterinary literature on this topic. The median age at presentation was 7.

Identification of risk loci for necrotizing meningoencephalitis in Pug dogs.

Due to their unique population structure, purebred dogs have emerged as a key model for the study of complex genetic disorders. To evaluate the utility of a newly available high-density canine whole-genome array with >170,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), genome-wide association was performed on a small number of case and control dogs to determine disease susceptibility loci in canine necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME), a disorder with known non-Mendelian inheritance that shares clinical similarities with atypical variants of multiple sclerosis in humans. Genotyping of 30 NME-affected Pug dogs and 68 healthy control Pugs identified 2 loci associated with NME, including a region within dog leukocyte antigen class II on chromosome 12 that remained significant after Bonferroni correction.

Broadly reactive pan-paramyxovirus reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis for the detection of Canine distemper virus in a case of canine meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology.

Despite the immunologic protection associated with routine vaccination protocols, Canine distemper virus (CDV) remains an important pathogen of dogs. Antemortem diagnosis of systemic CDV infection may be made by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or immunohistochemical testing for CDV antigen; central nervous system infection often requires postmortem confirmation via histopathology and immunohistochemistry. An 8-month-old intact male French Bulldog previously vaccinated for CDV presented with multifocal neurologic signs.