Non-infectious neurological diseases

Question 1

List some non-infectious neurological diseases

Answer 1

1. Cerebrocortical necrosis
2. Lead intoxication
3. Milk fever
4. Ketosis/pregnancy toxaemia
5. Salt poisoning
6. Grass staggers
7. Copper deficiency
8. Hypovitaminosis A
9. Nerve paralysis
10. Hepatic encephalopathy
11. Congenital disorders

Question 2

What neurological non-infectious diseases affect new-borns?

Answer 2

1. Bacterial meningoencephalitis
2. Cerebellar disease
3. Hydrocephalus
4. Hydrancephaly

Question 3

What can cause lead intoxication?

Answer 3

• Lead in plants
• Lead in feed components
• Battery compounds
• Lead based paints

Question 4

What is the pathogenesis of lead intoxication?

Answer 4

1. Binds to RBC
2. Inhibits sugars in nervous tissue

Question 5

What is the lethal dose of lead?

Answer 5

• ACUTE - 0.2-0.4g/kg
• Daily - 6-7mg/kg or 300ppm

Question 6

What are the clinical signs of acute and subacute lead intoxication?

Answer 6

DEATH IN 12-96 HOURS due to respiratory and CNS failure

Question 7

What are the clinical signs of chronic lead intoxication?

Answer 7

• Numbness
• Inappetence
• Staggering, tremors, convulsions
• Opisthotonis, constriction of pupil, eyelid twitching
• Gametogenic

Question 8

How do we diagnose lead intoxication?

Answer 8

• Blood levels - 0.35ppm
• Liver levels - 10ppm
• Kidney cortex levels - 10ppm

Question 9

How do we treat lead intoxication?

Answer 9

• Increase GIT motility
• Thiamine
• Supportive

Question 10

List some drugs that increase GIT motility

Answer 10

• 2-3% sodium suphate
• Magnesium sulphate - IV
• Ca-EDTA

Question 11

When does nerve paralysis most commonly occur?

Answer 11

Following a traumatic calving

Question 12

Obturator nerve damage

Answer 12

Incoordination of hind limbs on sound footing

Severe abduction on slippery surfaces

Question 13

Peroneal nerve damage

Answer 13

Flexion of the hock and dorsal suface of the hoof may contact the ground

Question 14

Tibial nerve damage

Answer 14

Flexion of the hock

Slight knucling of the fetlock

Affects BOTH limbs

Question 15

Ulnar nerve damage

Answer 15

Stand on front limb at the fetlock joint

Question 16

Radial nerve damage

Answer 16

Partial paralysis

Inability to extend limb

Dropped elbow

Question 17

Femoral nerve damage

Answer 17

Inability to extend stifle

Inability to weight bear

Dog-sitting posture

Rapid atrophy

Question 18

What causes bacterial meningoencephalitis?

Answer 18

Secondary septicaemia from E coli in newborns

Question 19

What are the clinical signs of bacterial meningoencephalitis?

Answer 19

• Depression
• Fever
• Hyperirritability - hyperaesthesia
• Opisthotonus
• Convulsions
• Compa
• Muscle rigidity
• Omphalo-phlebitis

Question 20

How do we treat bacterial meningoencephalitis?

Answer 20

ANT (penicillin or aminoglycosides) - rarely effective

Question 21

What causes cerebellar disease?

Answer 21

Neonatal or post-natal infection wtih BVDB or bluetongue

Question 22

What are the clinical signs of cerebellar disease?

Answer 22

• Lack of voluntary movement control
• No strength
• Intenetion head tremors
• Ataxia
• Hypo/jypermetria
• Spasticity

Question 23

How do we treat cerebellar disease?

Answer 23

None

Question 24

What causes hydrocephalus?

Answer 24

• Autosomal recessive trait
• Vitamin A deficiency

Question 25

What are the clinical signs of hydrocephalus?

Answer 25

• Stillbirth
• Blindness
• Depression
• Death in first few days of life

Question 26

What is hydrancephaly?

Answer 26

Absence of a cerebral hemisphere in the cranium

Question 27

What causes hydrancephaly?

Answer 27

Intra-uterine viral infections, e.g. BVDV and bluetongue

Intrauterine trauma

Question 28

What are the clinical signs for hydrancephaly?

Answer 28

• Blindness
• Depression
• Cerebellar signs
• Arthrogryposis