The Neurological Examination (BSAVA 2017)

Question 1

Specific complaint information to obtain from the owner

Answer 1

• Duration
• Onset
• Evolution
• Pain
• Lateralisation of signs
• Medication response

Question 2

Evolution description

Answer 2

• Static
• Progressive
• Regressive
• Wax and wane
• Episodic

Question 3

Observation / Hands-off examination

Answer 3

• Mental status
• Behaviour
• Body posture and position at rest
• Gait
• Involuntary movements

Question 4

Mental status description

Answer 4

• Alert
• Confused
• Obtunded
• Stuporous
• Comatose

Question 5

Body postures

Answer 5

• Head tilt
• Head turn
• Spinal curvature
• Wide-based stance
• Decerebrate
• Decerebellate
• Schiff-Sherrington

Question 6

Gait description

Answer 6

• Ataxia
• Paresis/plegia (mono/hemi/para/tetra)
• Circling
• Lameness

Question 7

Cranial nerves’ assessment

Answer 7

• Facial symmetry
• Palpebral
• Corneal
• Oculovestibular
• Jaw tone
• Gag reflex
• Tongue
• Menace response
• Nasal stimulation
• Pupil size (light/dark)
• Pupillary light reflex
• Nystagmus (spontaneous/positional)
• Strabismus (permanent/positional)

Question 8

Postural reactions’ assessment

Answer 8

• Proprioceptive positioning
• Hopping
• Wheelbarrowing
• Extensor postural thrust
• Visual placing
• Tactile placing

Question 9

Spinal reflexes’ assessment

Answer 9

• Withdrawal
• Extensor carpi radialis
• Patellar
• Gastrocnemius
• Perineal
• Tail movement
• Cutaneous trunci

Question 10

General information to obtain from the owner

Answer 10

• Confirmed age
• Sibling numbers and health
• How long has the owner cared for the pet
• Vaccinated status (diseases vaccinated for and time since last vaccination)
• Travel history
• Parasites treatments (including fleas and worms)
• Environment
• Health of other animals in the same household
• Diet, including supplementary therapies
• Medical or surgical history
• Allergies

Question 11

System health information to obtain from the owner

Answer 11

• Appetite and thirst
• Vomiting/Regurgitation/Diarrhoea/Coughing/Sneezing
• Urinary and faecal incontinence
• Bodyweight change
• Exercise intolerance
• Assessment of vision

Question 12

Types of onset

Answer 12

• Acute (minutes-hours)
• Subacute (days)
• Chronic (weeks/months)
• Episodic (animal returns to normal between episodes)

Question 13

Hands-on examination

Answer 13

• Cranial nerves
• Postural reactions
• Spinal reflexes, muscle tone and size
• Sensory evaluation