Neurological examination Flashcards
How can the optic nerve be tested
Menace response (blink, learned so absent for first 14 days of life)
Pupillary light reflex (afferent supply is optic n, efferent supply is oculomotor)
How do you know if facial nerve is damaged
Lack of facial symmetry
How do you know if vestibulocochlear nerve is damaged
Head tilt
Nystagmus
Circling
How do you test if glossopharyngeal nerve is working in horse
Extrinsic muscle of tongue
Involved in taste & take up of food
Put hand in horses mouth and pull on tongue, should be resistance
Importance of hypoglossal nerve in horse
Intrinsic muscle of tongue
Important in horses ability to eat
Dysphasia is primary sign - horse dropping food
How do you test spinal reflexes in horse
Move across body and look for cutaneous reflexes
Lift tail to check for resistance & check anal resistance
How is proprioception assessed in horses
Through gait abnormalities
Define ataxia
General inability to move in coordinated way
What type of lesion does a head tilt suggest
Vestibular lesion
What type of lesion does a head turn suggest
Forebrain lesion
What is the palpebral response
Elicited by gently touching region of medial canthus of eye & demonstrating active blink
Afferent supply is trigeminal nerve
Efferent supply is facial nerve
What is strabismus
Abnormal static position of eye
Generated by lesions affecting cranial nerve 3, 4 & 6
What is Horner’s syndrome in cats
Dysfunction of sympathetic nervous supply to eye
Cat shows ptosis, meiosis, enophthalmus
What is Horner’s syndrome in horses
Ocular signs such as pstosis, meiosis, enophthalmus
Excessive sweating
Angle of eyelids
What is menace response
Blink in response to threatening stimulus to eye
Important not to create draft or airflow as this will stimulate corneal response
Afferent supply is optic nerve, efferent supply is facial
Regions of brain involved: conscious visual pathways, contralateral visual cortex, contralateral motor cortex, ipsilateral cerebellar hemisphere
How can conscious vision be assessed
Watch dog walk into consulting room or negotiate obstacle
Use small moving object to test animals ability to follow its path
How can limbs be evaluated
Assess proprioception, sensation, segmental reflexes, muscle mass
How is proprioception assessed
Knuckling - place paw with dorsum on ground, should be rapid return to normal position
Hopping - should be rapid repositioning of limb if moved outside line of body
Hemiwalking - dog hopped sideways on both fore & hindlimbs
Tactile placing - dog brought to edge of table blindfolded, limbs should be placed on table accurately
Paper slide - dog limb on paper which is pulled laterally, should return to normal position
Extensor postural thrust - Dog is lifted off ground & placed on table & should be reflex extension of hindlimbs
What is perineal reflex
Stimulation of perineal region should elicit winking or constriction of anal sphincter
What are the myotatic reflexes in dogs
Patellar - tap patellar tendon, contraction of quadriceps
Triceps reflex - tap triceps tendon to induce contraction of triceps brachii leading to elbow extension
Biceps reflex - tap biceps tendon so biceps brachii contracts, resulting in elbow flexion
