Neurology

Question 1

Causes of seizures

Answer 1

Extracranial - toxins (rule out on history/ bloods), endocrine (rule out on biochem)

Intracranial - structural (MRI), epilepsy (usually presents in younger animals, with a history of multiple seizures)

Question 2

Idiopathic vestibular syndrome (dogs)

Answer 2

Older dogs, ‘stroke’ reported by O

Clinical signs - head tilt, nystagmus, positional strabismus, ataxia

Otoscope - check optic nerve, tilt head up to look for positional nystagmus if not visible

Acute onset, stabilises in a few days, gradual improvement in a few weeks

Can be left with episodic ataxia or persistent head tilt

Question 3

Idiopathic vestibular syndrome ddx

Answer 3

Otitis interna/ media, neoplasia in bulla region, trauma, toxicity, vascular accident (‘stroke’), hypothyroidism

Question 4

Vestibular disease in cats

Answer 4

4 years, breeds Siamese/ Burmese