Feline orofacial pain syndrome (FOPS): a retrospective study of 113 cases.

Feline orofacial pain syndrome (FOPS) is a pain disorder of cats with behavioural signs of oral discomfort and tongue mutilation. This report describes the findings from a case series of 113 cats including 100 Burmese. FOPS is suspected to be a neuropathic pain disorder and the predominance within the Burmese cat breed suggests an inherited disorder, possibly involving central and/or ganglion processing of sensory trigeminal information.

Chiari-like malformation in the Griffon Bruxellois.

Objectives: This study describes Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia in the Griffon Bruxellois and establishes if skull radiographs are useful for disease prediction.

Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging from 56 Griffon Bruxellois dogs was assessed for Chiari-like malformation and cerebrospinal fluid pathway abnormalities. Skull radiographs were obtained in 33 dogs.

Chiari-like malformation with syringomyelia in the Cavalier King Charles spaniel: long-term outcome after surgical management.

Objective: To evaluate long-term success of cranial cervical decompression for management of canine Chiari-like malformation with syringomyelia (CM/SM).

Study Design: Retrospective clinical study.

Animals: Cavalier King Charles spaniels (n=15).

Syringomyelia in cavalier King Charles spaniels: the relationship between syrinx dimensions and pain.

Objectives: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that pain associated with syringomyelia in dogs is dependent upon size and involvement of the dorsal part of the spinal cord.

Methods: Masked observers determined syrinx dimensions and precise location within the spinal cord on magnetic resonance images of 55 cavalier King Charles spaniels with syringomyelia. After removal of masking, syrinx size and location were compared between the cohorts of dogs that exhibited pain with those that did not.

Pathophysiology and treatment of neuropathic pain associated with syringomyelia.

The pain behaviour expressed by dogs with syringomyelia suggests that they experience neuropathic pain, probably due to disordered neural processing in the damaged dorsal horn. As such it is likely that conventional analgesic medication will be ineffective. In this review, physiological and pathological pain processing through the dorsal horn is summarised and mechanisms by which syringomyelia could result in a persistent pain state are discussed.

Coexistence of occipital dysplasia and occipital hypoplasia/syringomyelia in the cavalier King Charles spaniel.

Concurrent occurrence of occipital dysplasia and occipital hypoplasia in two dogs is described in this report. Occipital hypoplasia results in reduced volume of the caudal fossa, leading to overcrowding of the neural structures and, in severe cases, development of syringomyelia. In occipital dysplasia, there is a failure of complete ossification of the supraoccipital bone.

Syringomyelia: current concepts in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.

Syringomyelia is a condition that results in fluid-containing cavities within the parenchyma of the spinal cord as a consequence of altered cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. This review discusses the history and the classification of the disorder, the current theories of pathogenesis, and the advanced imaging modalities used in the diagnosis. The intramedullary pulse pressure theory (a new pathophysiologic concept of syringomyelia) also is presented.

Neurological diseases of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.

Several neurological syndromes have been described in Cavalier King Charles spaniels and many of the conditions have similar clinical signs. The current knowledge of these syndromes is reviewed in this article, with the aim of enabling the general practitioner to formulate a differential diagnosis and plan for diagnostic tests and treatment. Specifically, the article discusses and contrasts the most common conditions seen, Including occipital hypoplasia/syringomyelia, episodic collapse, epilepsy and vestibular disorders.

Inherited occipital hypoplasia/syringomyelia in the cavalier King Charles spaniel: experiences in setting up a worldwide DNA collection.

Inherited diseases commonly emerge within pedigree dog populations, often due to use of repeatedly bred carrier sire(s) within a small gene pool. Accurate family records are usually available making linkage analysis possible. However, there are many factors that are intrinsically difficult about collecting DNA and collating pedigree information from a large canine population.

Inheritance of occipital bone hypoplasia (Chiari type I malformation) in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Occipital bone hypoplasia with foramen magnum obstruction and secondary syringomyelia (SM) is a common condition in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) that is similar to human Chiari type I malformation. A worldwide family tree of more than 5,500 CKCSs spanning a maximum of 24 generations was established by obtaining pedigree information from 120 dogs diagnosed with SM secondary to occipital bone hypoplasia. The ongoing study showed 6 of 8 great grandparents of all affected dogs could be traced back to 2 female ancestors so that all 8 were descended from one or the other or both.

Hereditary aspects of occipital bone hypoplasia and syringomyelia (Chiari type I malformation) in cavalier King Charles spaniels.

A database of over 1300 cavalier King Charles spaniels spanning 20 generations was established by obtaining pedigree information from 45 dogs with syringomyelia secondary to occipital bone hypoplasia. These data were supplemented with published information from the breed club. The incidence of syringomyelia was very high in certain families and lines which had been extensively inbred.