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.

Spinocerebellar ataxia in the Bouvier des Ardennes breed is caused by a KCNJ10 missense variant.

Background: In Belgian Malinois, a KCNJ10 variant causes progressive spinocerebellar degeneration.

Hypothesis/objectives: Describe the clinical, diagnostic, pathological and genetic features of spinocerebellar degeneration in the Bouvier des Ardennes breed.

Animals: Five affected Bouvier des Ardennes puppies with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), 8 healthy related dogs, and 63 healthy unrelated Bouvier des Ardennes.

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.

Phenobarbital or potassium bromide as an add-on antiepileptic drug for the management of canine idiopathic epilepsy refractory to imepitoin.

Imepitoin has recently been approved in Europe for the management of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Currently, there is no evidence-based information available on the efficacy of antiepileptic drugs used as additions to the therapeutic regimen in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy that are not well controlled with imepitoin. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of phenobarbital or potassium bromide (KBr) as add-on antiepileptic drugs for controlling dogs refractory to a maximum dose of imepitoin (30 mg/kg twice daily).

Evaluation of the effect of oral omeprazole on canine cerebrospinal fluid production: A pilot study.

Administration of omeprazole by ventriculo-cisternal perfusion or intravenously has been shown to decrease cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production in dogs and rabbits. Oral omeprazole has consequently been recommended to reduce CSF production in dogs with conditions in which clinical signs may be attributable to an accumulation of CSF in the central nervous system (e.g.

Recording of cord dorsum potentials in calves.

Cord dorsum potentials are sensory evoked potentials being used to assess proximal sensory nerve, dorsal nerve root and spinal cord dorsal horn function. The purpose of the present study was to establish normal values for onset latency, peak latency and peak-to-peak amplitude of cord dorsum potentials after saphenous nerve stimulation in 15 healthy calves. Under general anesthesia, the saphenous nerve was stimulated in the periphery and cord dorsum potentials were recorded from the interarcuate space L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-L6 and L6-S1.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis of the spine in a nine-year-old cat.

A nine-year-old intact female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for paraparesis, ataxia and severe spinal hyperaesthesia. Neurological examination indicated a T3-L3 spinal cord segment lesion. Computed tomography of the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral vertebral column was performed.

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.

Bilateral obturator neuropathy caused by an intrapelvic fibrosarcoma with myofibroblastic features in a dog.

A nine-year-old female Rottweiler presented with a 6-week history of progressive impairment of hindlimb adduction. Clinical examination showed abduction of both hind legs when walking on a smooth surface, pain at the medial surface of the left thigh, and an intrarectal palpable mass at the pelvic floor. Electromyography demonstrated fibrillation potentials in the adductor muscles on both sides.

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.

Clinical and electrophysiological characterization of myokymia and neuromyotonia in Jack Russell Terriers.

Background: Generalized myokymia and neuromyotonia (M/NM) in Jack Russell Terriers (JRTs) is related to peripheral nerve hyperexcitability syndrome in humans, a symptom complex resulting from diverse etiologies.

Objective: Clinical and electrodiagnostic evaluation is used to narrow the list of possible etiological diagnoses in JRTs with M/NM.

Animals: Nine healthy JRTs and 8 affected JRTs.

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.

Muscle potentials evoked by magnetic stimulation of the sciatic nerve in unilateral sciatic nerve dysfunction.

Magnetic stimulation of the sciatic nerve and subsequent recording of the muscle-evoked potential (MEP) was performed in eight dogs and three cats with unilateral sciatic nerve dysfunction. Localisation of the lesion in the sciatic nerve was based on the history, clinical neurological examination and on results of electromyography examination. Aetiology of the sciatic nerve lesion was diverse.

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.

Inspiratory stridor secondary to palatolingual myokymia in a Maltese dog.

A nine-year-old male Maltese dog was presented with an eight-month history of inspiratory stridor leading to exertional dyspnoea and cyanosis. Myokymic contractions in the palatolingual muscles were noticed and confirmed by electromyography. Brain computer tomography-scan showed ventricular dilatation.

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.