Neuro - brain diseases Flashcards
What can cause peracute onset lateralised (asymmetrical) forebrain signs?
Vascular - stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
Traumatic
What are the two different types of stroke/cerebrovascular accident?
Ischaemic stroke - vessel occlusion
Haemorrhagic stroke - vessel rupture
How do you diagnose a cerebrovascular accident/stroke?
Infarct - sharply defined intra-axial lesion on MRI
Haemorrhage - platelet count, PT, aPTT
Both - check for lungworm, neoplastic/paraneoplastic
What is the treatment for head trauma to a patient?
Stabilise
Monitor brainstem function
Supportive - fluids, pain relief, O2
Mannitol
Steroids CONTRA-INDICATED - make prognosis worse
What is the cushings reflex?
Systemic hypertension and secondary bradycardia in response to decreased cerebral blood flow
What makes up the cranial vault space?
Brain tissue
Blood
CSF
What can cause sudden onset progressive symmetrical cerebellar signs?
Metabolic
Toxic - metronidazole toxicity
Inflammatory - idiopathic cerebellitis
When does metronidazole toxicity usually occur?
Dogs more than cats
Puppies when trying to treat giardia
Resolves when stop administration
What dogs are affected by idiopathic cerebellitis?
White shaker syndrome - young terriers (westies etc.), spaniels
What can cause rapidly progressive multifocal neurological signs?
Metabolic (symmetrical)
Inflammatory/infectious - meningoencephalitis
Diffuse/metastatic neoplasia (older dogs)
What dogs tend to get non-infectious meningoencephalitis?
Westies, pug, maltese
How do you diagnose non infectious meningoencephalitis?
Blood test - rule out metabolic causes first
MRI - multifocal lesions
CSF - mononuclear pleocytosis, sign of inflammation
What is the treatment for non infectious meningoencephalitis?
Immunosuppression - steroids
What can cause progressive brainstem signs?
Infectious - FIP
Anomalous (congenital)
Metabolic
Neoplastic
Degenerative
What causes CNS neuro signs from FIP?
Immune mediated reaction to coronavirus - inflammation can obstruct ventricular system causing hydrocephalus
How do you diagnose FIP?
Bloods - serology (negative test rules out)
MRI - hydrocephalus
CSF - neutrophilic pleocytosis, PCR
What is the treatment for FIP? What is the prognosis?
Steroids - palliative
Poor prognosis - euthanasia
What can cause progressive forebrain signs?
Congenital hydrocephalus
Brain tumour
When should you suspect congenital hydrocephalus?
Young toy breeds
Persian cats
Insidious progressive symmetrical non painful forebrain signs
What is the treatment for congenital hydrocephalus?
Palliative - steroids (pred)
Surgery - ventriculoperitoneal shunt, drain CSF
What can cause slowly progressive multifocal brain disease?
Degenerative brain disease - genetics
