Feline Top 10 Neurologic Diseases - Part 2

Question 1

what is the classic case presentation of a cat with diabetic neuropathy?

Answer 1

7+ year old neutered male cats with lethargym plantigrade stance, & poor patellar reflexes

Question 2

how is diabetic neuropathy in a cat diagnosed?

Answer 2

serum & urine glucose

Question 3

how is diabetic neuropathy in a cat treated?

Answer 3

insulin glargine (long acting), restrict dietary carbs to less than 15% metabolizable energy, & increase dietary fiber

Question 4

what is the prognosis for return to function for a cat with diabetic neuropathy?

Answer 4

guarded to poor

Question 5

what is the classic case presentation of a cat with idiopathic vestibular disease?

Answer 5

circling/head tilt, ataxia, horizontal or rotary nystagmus

Question 6

what do cats NOT lose with idiopathic vestibuar disease?

Answer 6

no loss of conscious proprioception, facial paralysis, horner’s syndrome

Question 7

how is idiopathic vestibular disease in a cat diagnosed?

Answer 7

otoscopy, MRI, CT, & CSF analysis is all negative

Question 8

in southeastern USA, cats with idiopathic vestibular disease have a history of what?

Answer 8

cat toying with or eating an immature five-lined skink (blue tail lizard) but no proven cause & effect

Question 9

what is the classic case presentation of a cat with otitis media/interna?

Answer 9

head tilt/circling towards lesion, horizontal nystagmus, ataxia, +/- ipsilateral facial neuropathy/ipsilateral horner’s

Question 10

how is otitis media/interna diagnosed in a cat?

Answer 10

oral exam to look for polyps, otoscopy looking for an opaque/bulging tympanic membrane if there is fluid in the tymapnic bulla, myringotomy & culture, & CT/MRI

Question 11

what treatments are used for a cat with otitis media/interna?

Answer 11

antibiotics for several weeks & bulla osteotomy

Question 12

what part of the tympanic bulla cannot be drained by myringotomy in a cat?

Answer 12

ventral chamber - in cats, it is divided into 2 chambers by a bony septum making it impossible

Question 13

what is the classic case presentation of a cat with feline hyperesthesia syndrome?

Answer 13

hypersensitivity to touch in lumbar/lumbosacral region, biting/licking at back/tail, rippling in skin of thoracolumbar region, running erratically, & swishing tail

Question 14

how is feline hyperesthesia syndrome diagnosed?

Answer 14

all tests are negative, thorough physical exam, bloodwork, urinalysis, spinal rads, +/- MRI/CT/epaxial muscle biopsies

Question 15

how is feline hyperesthesia syndrome treated?

Answer 15

environmental enrichment/exercise, anticonvulsants, & tricyclic antidepressants or SSRIs

Question 16

what is the prognosis for a cat with feline hyperesthesia syndrome?

Answer 16

guarded

Question 17

what is the classic case presentation of a cat with toxoplasmosis?

Answer 17

usually a younger cat with acute or chronic onset of focal/multifocal neurological signs such as seizures, ataxia, nystagmus, cranial neuropathies, & generalized weakness

Question 18

how is toxoplasmosis diagnosed?

Answer 18

increased serum CK, ophthalmic exam may reveal uveitis/chorioretinitis/keratitis, CSF wiith titers for IgM & IgG, & MRI with muscle biopsies if myopathy is suspected

Question 19

how is toxoplasmosis treated in a cat?

Answer 19

clindamycin

Question 20

what is the prognosis of toxoplasmosis? is there a zoonotic risk?

Answer 20

guarded - zoonotic risk