Publications by authors named "Steven De Decker"
Background: Spinal arachnoid diverticulum (SAD) is considered a rare disease in cats. Previous reports mainly classified SAD in cats as acquired.
Hypothesis/objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the signalment, clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging findings, and outcome in a group of cats with SAD.
Background: Little is known regarding the comorbidities and prognostic factors associated with the long-term outcome of ischemic stroke in dogs. Although poststroke epilepsy is a well-recognized syndrome in people, it is unclear if this phenomenon also occurs in dogs.
Hypothesis/objective: Document comorbidities, long-term outcome (survival and stroke recurrence), and occurrence of epileptic seizures associated with ischemic stroke.
Background: Tremors have been reported as a neurological sign in cats with hepatic encephalopathy due to congenital portosystemic shunts (HE-CPSS) or postattenuation neurological syndrome (PANS).
Methods: The clinical records of cats diagnosed with HE-CPSS and manifesting tremors between 2003 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed to characterise the clinical features of the tremors.
Results: Nineteen cats with HE-CPSS were included, of which 17 manifested tremors at admission and two had PANS.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the prevalence of discospondylitis, an inflammation of the vertebrae, in English and French bulldogs, finding significantly higher rates in these breeds compared to others.
- - It reveals that a majority of the affected bulldogs displayed congenital vertebral body malformations, suggesting a strong association between the two conditions.
- - Notably, affected bulldogs presented symptoms at a much younger age, with a median of around 1 year, unlike other breeds that typically presented much later at about 7 years.
Article Synopsis
- - Traumatic atlantoaxial hyperflexion in cats is rare, with limited case reports, and can cause acute neurological symptoms influenced by other spinal cord conditions.
- - A study focused on eight young male domestic shorthair cats showed they experienced sudden onset nonpainful tetraparesis, often after a road traffic accident.
- - MRI results revealed a specific spinal lesion in all cases, and while half the cats showed neurological improvement, some were euthanized due to lack of progress.
Article Synopsis
- - The study focuses on episodic mandibular tremor (EMT) in dogs, characterized by brief episodes of teeth chattering, and aims to detail clinical signs, MRI findings, and outcomes for affected dogs.
- - Researchers analyzed data from 11 hospital dogs and 31 survey respondents and found that EMT episodes are usually rapid and can be triggered by excitement, mainly affecting the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed, with a median age of 3 years.
- - The findings indicate that EMT may appear similar to movement disorders or pain, and a significant number of affected dogs had concurrent medical conditions, though no brain diseases were found in those further investigated.
The conformation of spinal arachnoid diverticula (SAD) and their clinical implications are poorly characterized in dogs. This retrospective cross-sectional study describes different SAD conformations in dogs and aims to identify if there is an association between SAD conformation and clinical features, localization, syringomyelia (SM) presence, concurrent vertebral condition, treatment option, and short as well as long-term outcome. Sixty-two dogs were included (12 cervical and 50 thoracolumbar SAD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Intervertebral disc herniation is widely recognized as the most common cause of myelopathy in dogs older than 2 years; however, the prevalence of various causes of myelopathy in younger dogs has not been reported.
Hypothesis/objectives: To describe the prevalence, clinical presentation, and etiology of myelopathy in dogs aged 18 months or less. Secondarily, to investigate which clinical features were associated with each of the most common etiologies.
Background: Meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) comprises a group of noninfectious inflammatory diseases affecting the central nervous system of dogs. Previous studies have reported individual risk factors for survival but prognostication for MUO remains challenging.
Objectives: Identify clinical prognostic variables in dogs with MUO.
Introduction: Canine meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) is a debilitating disease associated with high mortality. The prognostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for predicting survival at 12 months and long-term relapse remains uncertain.
Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study evaluating the prognostic value of different MRI variables using multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards analysis.
Small brachycephalic dog breeds, such as the French bulldog, English bulldog and pug have become increasingly popular. These breeds are predisposed to a variety of vertebral and spinal malformations, including hemivertebra, caudal articular process dysplasia, transitional vertebra, cranial thoracic vertebral canal stenosis, spinal arachnoid diverticulum and meningeal fibrosis. Recent studies have provided new insights into the prevalence, anatomical characteristics, pathophysiology and treatment of these conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Limited information is available regarding intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) and its treatment in cats.
Objectives: Describe outcomes after surgical or conservative treatment of cats with thoracolumbar and lumbosacral IVDH.
Animals: Ninety-two cats from 2 referral populations (2012-2022) with compressive IVDH between the T3 and S1 vertebrae.
Background: Although idiopathic episodic head tremor (IEHT) in dogs is well-known, little is known about structural brain lesions causing structural episodic head tremor (SEHT).
Hypothesis/objectives: Describe semiology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and outcome of dogs with IEHT or SEHT. We hypothesized that structural lesions affecting the middle cranial fossa or mesencephalic aqueduct could lead to SEHT.
Once-a-day oral treatment with phenobarbital in cats with presumptive idiopathic epilepsy.
J Feline Med Surg
September 2023
Objectives: Phenobarbital (PB) q12h is the most common treatment recommendation for cats with recurrent epileptic seizures. Medicating cats may be challenging and result in decreased quality of life for both cat and owner. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate treatment with oral PB q24h in cats with presumptive idiopathic epilepsy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Dystonia is a common component of the movement disorder paroxysmal dyskinesia (PD) in dogs. However, the incidence of dystonic head tremor (DHT) in these dogs has not previously been evaluated.
Methods: The medical records of dogs presenting with PD between 2021 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed, and those with available video footage and the presence of a head tremor were selected for further analysis.
Background: Limited recent data exists regarding discospondylitis in dogs.
Hypothesis/objectives: (i) Describe the signalment, clinical and imaging findings, etiologic agents, treatment, and outcome of dogs with discospondylitis, (ii) determine diagnostic agreement between radiographs, CT, and MRI with regard to the presence of discospondylitis and its location, and (iii) determine risk factors for relapse and progressive neurological deterioration.
Animals: Three hundred eighty-six dogs.
Background: The chondrodystrophic body type predisposes miniature dachshunds to thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE). However, the relationship between thoracolumbar IVDE and the relative lengths of the thoracic and lumbar vertebral columns has not yet been evaluated.
Methods: This prospective multicentre study included 151 miniature dachshunds with (n = 47) and without (n = 104) thoracolumbar IVDE.
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.
Article Synopsis
- Canine discospondylitis is often tricky to diagnose regarding the infectious agent involved, and little research has explored what factors lead to positive bacterial cultures in dogs with this condition.
- In a study looking at 120 dogs, 42% had positive cultures from samples like urine and blood, with weight and the number of samples taken being significant factors for these positive results.
- The findings suggest that common signs of infection don't predict culture positivity, indicating a need for better standardization in sampling methods across veterinary institutions.*
Background: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability can be assessed quantitatively using advanced imaging analysis.
Hypothesis/objectives: Quantification and characterization of blood-brain barrier dysfunction (BBBD) patterns in dogs with brain tumors can provide useful information about tumor biology and assist in distinguishing between gliomas and meningiomas.
Animals: Seventy-eight hospitalized dogs with brain tumors and 12 control dogs without brain tumors.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between meningeal enhancement (MgE) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis results, their individual association with bacteriology results from affected ear samples and whether these test results influenced clinicians' therapeutic choice in cats with otitis media and interna (OMI).
Methods: This was a multicentre retrospective study carried out over an 8-year period. Cats diagnosed with OMI, with or without a nasopharyngeal polyp, leading to peripheral vestibular signs were included.