Veterinary Medicine - Neurology Flashcards
(202 cards)
Dogs or Cats - Which of the 2 is more likely to suffer from Symptomatic Epilepsy?
Cats
50-60% of Epilepsy cases in cats are symptomatic, as opposed to dogs who in the majority of cases suffer from Idiopathic Epilepsy
Symptomatic Epilepsy - Causes
Congenital (e.g. Hydrocephalus \ Lyssaencephaly \ Storage diseases)
Inflammatory (e.g. MUE \ SRME), Infectious (e.g. Neospora \ Toxoplasmosis \ CDV \ FIP \ Rabies\ FIV \ FeLV \ Ehrlichiosis \ Aspergillosis \ Cryptococcosis \ Protothecosis \ Bacterial)
Metabolic (e.g. Hyperammonemia \ Hypoglycemia \ Hypocalcemia \ Thiamine Deficiency)
Vascular event (e.g. Septic emboli \ Thrombus \ Hemorrhagic stroke)
Trauma
Toxins (e.g. Organic phosphates \ Methylxanthines \ Methyl aldehyde \ Permethrin)
Neoplasia
Idiopathic Epilepsy - What percentage of patients are refractory to treatment
20-30%
What are the 2 main objectives of anti-epileptic treatment in terms of neurophysiology?
- Making the epileptic center fire less frequently (by decreasing Glutamate concentration)
- Making the surrounding brain tissue less excitable (by increasing GABA concentration)
What drug can we give to epileptic dog owners to administer during a generalized tonic-clonic seizure? When should they administer it? Route of administration?
Diazepam (Valium)
After 3 minutes of seizuring
Rectally
What is the Definition of Status Epilepticus?
In 2 cases:
1) Grand mal seizure lasting >5 minutes
2) Two or more seizures in 24 hours without full recovery in between.
What is the definition of Cluster Seizures
Two or more sequential seizures WITH full recovery in between
After a suspected seizure - When is it recommended to perform a neurological exam? (or at the very least a recheck) Why?
48-72h After the event
In severe seizures - There can be residual neurological deficits do to diffuse metabolic changes in the brain, that can cause diffuse \ bilateral symmetric deficits that are possibly temporary
*However - if before or after 72h unilateral \ asymmetric deficits are seen - probability of Symptomatic epilepsy is high (e.g. Neoplasia, Infarct, Infectious diseases etc.)
What is the difference between neurological deficits seen after Symptomatic Seizures as opposed to seizures due to Idiopathic Epilepsy?
Idiopathic - Diffuse \ Bilateral symmetric, Temporary deficits
Symptomatic - Can be anything - Diffuse\Multi-focal\Focal\Symmetric\Asymmetric - But in most cases it will remain until the underlying issue is resolved
Idiopathic Epilepsy - Signalment
Dogs \ Cats - 6 Months - 6 Years old
What are some appropriate diagnostic testing that can be done to try and rule out Symptomatic Epilepsy? (Name some indications for each test)
-Blood pressure (Vascular events)
-CBC
-Panel (Hypoglycemia \ Hypocalcemia \ Urea \ Hyperglobulinemia \ Liver Functions)
-Bile Acids \ Ammonia
-Abdominal US (e.g. Liver shunting, Neoplasia)
-Screening for infectious diseases (e.g. CDV \ Neospora \ Toxoplasmia \ Cryptococcus \ Aspargillosis \ FIV \ FeLV)
-Choline Esterase Levels (Organic phosphates poisoning)
-Coagulation panel\TEM\TEG (Hemorrhagic stroke/Thrombus)
-X-Rays (Metastasis / Granulomas)
-CSF (e.g. Inflammation, Infections)
-MRI \ CT (e.g. Neoplasia, Abscesses, Granulomas, Congenital anomalies, Inflammation, Vascular events)
When is there an indication to start anti-epileptic treatment?
1) More than one seizure a month
2) Status epilepticus
3) Severe \ Violent seizures (even if infrequent\Not status epilepticus
What are the goals that define a successful anti-epileptic treatment
1) Reduction of >50% in frequency of seizures
2) No more than one seizure every 3 months. Tolerable - one seizure every 1-3 Months
What do you do when you want to draw CSF but you also suspect an increase in ICP?
1) MRI \ CT first - Diagnostic cut also to confirm an increase in ICP
2) Decrease ICP (e.g. Mannitol / Hypertonic Saline)
*Drawing CSF from the Sacro-Lumber region instead of the atlantooccipital region can be considered
What are the three important aspects we need to establish before forming a DD List for diseases of the nervous system [Including the Brain, Spinal cord, PNS]
1) Location
2) Onset
3) Progression of neurological signs
C1-C5: Acute neurological presentation - DDs
IVDD (Hansen Type 1 & 3)
Trauma
Atlanto-Axial subluxation
Inflammation/Infection
Discospndylitis
FCE
C1-C5: Chronic neurological presentation - DDs
IVDD (Hansen Type 2)
Discospondylitis
Neoplasia
Inflammation
IVDD Hansen Type 1 - Signalment
Chondrodystrophic breeds (e.g. French bulldog, Dachshund, Pekingese)
Ages: 3-7 years
IVDD Hansen Type 2 - Signalment
Large Breeds, Ages: 5-10 years
IVDD Type 1 - Classic history \ Clinical signs
Ain’t doing well
Not jumping on sofas \ Climb stairs anymore
Abrupt screams of pain
Ventroflexion
Reluctance to move neck
Ataxia / Paraparesis / Paraplegia
IVDD Hansen Type 1 - In cervical disease, usually the main clinical sign is..?
Pain
IVDD Hansen Type 1 - Diagnosis
X-Rays (Narrowing of intervertebral spaces, mineralized intervertebral discs) - NOT DIAGNOSTIC! But helpful in ruling other DDs such as trauma, give clues to IVDD as mentioned above and for future reference).
Myelography \ Myelo-CT \ MRI (Gold standard)
IVDD Hansen Type 1 - Treatment
Depending on clinical signs:
1) Back pain\Loss of CP\Paresis: Cage rest for a month (The anulus undergoes healing).
Future recommendations: Change in life style and less activity\Jumping\climbing stairs\Sofas.
2) Plegia\Loss of deep pain: Surgery as soon as possible.
IVDD Hansen Type 1 - Common locations in the spinal cord
Cervical vertebrae
Thoraco-Lumbar junction (T12-L2)