Cerebral disease: vascular cause

Question 1

What are the different type of vascular diseases of the CNS in cats

Answer 1

Vascular diseases of the CNS in cats may be primary or secondary to disorders outside the brain (e.g., systemic hypertension, cardiogenic thromboembolism, polycythemia)

Question 2

What is the typical presentation for an intracranial vascular event

Answer 2

Cats with ischemic or vascular CNS disease often present acutely or per-acutely with lateralizing or diffuse signs of cerebrocortical disease

Signs often improve over the ensuing days to months
- some may make a complete recovery, whereas others are left with permanent neurological deficits

Question 3

What would be your main differentials for cerebrovascular disease in cats

Answer 3

Hypertension
Cardiogenic embolism
Tumor embolism
Polycythemia
Feline ischemic encephalopathy

Question 4

What are the key facts about feline ischemic encephalopathy

Answer 4

Thrombosis and vasospasm of the middle cerebral artery caused by Cuterebra larval migration have been proposed as a possible cause

It is most often seen in the Eastern USA during the summer months

CSF analysis shows non-specific mild elevations in protein with minimal inflammatory changes

MRI imaging shows mild to marked asymmetry of the cerebral cortices and some areas of the brain can become markedly atrophied