Neurological Exam in Dogs and Cats

Question 1

what do you do first and last in a neurological exam?

Answer 1

observation first
potential painful manipulation last

Question 2

what are some important structures for mental status?

Answer 2

reticular activating system (RAS)
somatosensory pathways
cranial nerves: I, II, V, VIII

Question 3

what does it mean for a patient to be in stupor?

Answer 3

sleep-like, but can be woken up with external stimuli

Question 4

what are some brain structures involved in the complex interactions that make up behavior?

Answer 4

rhinencephalon
thalamus
hypothalamus
hippocampus
prefrontal and frontal cortex

Question 5

what sensory structures are important for posture?

Answer 5

vestibular system
vision
proprioceptive system

Question 6

what are some afferent structures important for posture?

Answer 6

subthalamic nuclei
brainstem
cerebellar vermis
vestibulospinal tracts
tectospinal tracts

Question 7

what are the abnormal back orientations?

Answer 7

kyphosis
lordosis
skoliosis

Question 8

what are the abnormal head orientations?

Answer 8

head tilt
head down
opisthotonos
head turn: pleurosthotonus

Question 9

what sensory information goes into gait?

Answer 9

vision
vestibular system
cerebellar system
proprioception

Question 10

what are the neurological scores for ambulatory function with front and hind legs affected?

Answer 10

neck pain only
front leg lameness
ambulatory tetraparesis and ataxia
non-ambulatory tetraparesis
tetraplegia
tetraplegia with respiratory compromise

Question 11

what are the neurological scores for ambulatory function with hind legs affected?

Answer 11

back pain only
ambulatory paraparesis and ataxia
non-ambulatory paraparesis
paraplegia
paraplegia with loss of pain perception

Question 12

what things are part of peripheral vision?

Answer 12

retina
optic nerve
chiasma

Question 13

what is part of central vision?

Answer 13

optic tract
corpus geniculatum
optic radiation
occipital cortex

Question 14

how can we assess vision?

Answer 14

cotton ball test
menace reflex
obstacle course
visual placing

Question 15

what structures are part of the pupillary light reflex?

Answer 15

peripheral visual pathway
brain stem nuclei
cranial nerve III

Question 16

what cranial nerves play parts in eye movement?

Answer 16

III
IV
VI

Question 17

how can you assess eye movement?

Answer 17

strabismus
oculocephalic reflex

Question 18

how can you assess cranial nerve VII?

Answer 18

palpebral reflex
shimer’s tear test

Question 19

what are the functions of cranial nerve VIII?

Answer 19

hearing
posture
extensor tone, gait
eye movement
oculocephalic reflex

Question 20

how can you assess cranial nerves IX and X?

Answer 20

gag reflex
voice change
larynx paralysis

Question 21

how can you test postural responses with the front legs?

Answer 21

wheel barrowing
hopping
hemi walking
righting reaction
placing reactions

Question 22

how can you test postural responses with the back legs?

Answer 22

dorsal knuckling
extensor postural trust reaction
hemi walking
paper slide test

Question 23

what are some monosynaptic reflexes in the hind legs?

Answer 23

patellar reflex
tibialis cranialis

Question 24

what are some polysynaptic reflexes in the hind legs?

Answer 24

patellar reflex
tibialis cranialis reflex
withdrawal reflex
perianal reflex

Question 25

what might cause increased reflexes?

Answer 25

chronic upper motor neuron lesions pain, stress loss of antagonism: sciatic release

Question 26

what are autonomous zones for conscious perception of pain?

Answer 26

skin area which is innervated by one single nerve

Question 27

what are some abnormal leg positions?

Answer 27

supination-pronation varus-valgus

Question 28

what structures go into motor function of gait?

Answer 28

cortex basal ganglia red nucleus motor tracts in spinal cord gait centers in cervical and lumbosacral spinal cord lower motor neurons

Question 29

when analyzing gait, what should you pay special attention to?

Answer 29

coordination motor strength how far patient is able to walk if it is able to walk in a straight line

Question 30

how can you test cranial nerve XI?

Answer 30

neck movement

Question 31

how can you test cranial nerves III, IV, and VI?

Answer 31

eye movement pupillary light reflex physiological nystagmus

Question 32

what brain stem nuclei are involved in the pupillary light reflex?

Answer 32

pretectal nucleus cranial nerve III parasympathetic

Question 33

which muscle of eye movement does cranial nerve IV control?

Answer 33

dorsal oblique

Question 34

how can you assess cranial nerve V?

Answer 34

facial skin sensation jaw tone muscular atrophy or symmetry

Question 35

when might diminished reflexes be seen?

Answer 35

lower motor neuron lesions old animal puppies generalized non neurological disease peracute upper motor neuron lesions

Question 36

which motor tracts in the spinal cord are important for gait?

Answer 36

corticospinal rubrospinal vestibulospinal tectospinal

Question 37

how can you assess cranial nerve VII function?

Answer 37

palpebral reflex tear production position of lips facial symmetry motor function of ears

Question 38

how can you assess cranial nerve XI function?

Answer 38

neck movement

Question 39

what does cranial nerve III control?

Answer 39

dorsal, ventral, medial rectus muscle of eye pupillary light reflex

Question 40

what does cranial nerve IV control?

Answer 40

dorsal oblique muscle

Question 41

what does cranial nerve VI control?

Answer 41

lateral rectus retractor bulbi muscles

Question 42

what are the functions of cranial nerve VII?

Answer 42

orbicularis oculi facial expression sensory inner ear glands of lacrimation glands of salivation taste

Question 43

how can you assess cranial nerve VIII?

Answer 43

posture of head physiological nystagmus pathological nystagmus positional vestibular strabismus