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Y4 Farm - Neurology > Neurological examination in ruminants > Flashcards

Neurological examination in ruminants Flashcards

1
Q

Mentation, behaviour and sensation assessment

A
  • general exam/whole animal
  • can be assessed in all ruminant species but care with large ruminants if show aggressive behaviours
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2
Q

What can you assess by looking at the head/neck?

A
  • head position and coordination in all ruminants
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3
Q

What can you assess by looking at the limbs?

A
  • limb position and co-ordination
  • gait analysis
  • muscle tone
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4
Q

What can you assess by looking at the trunk?

A
  • body position
  • panniculus (cutaneous trunci) reflex
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5
Q

What can you assess by looking at the head/face?

A
  • cranial nerve reflexes
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6
Q

What can you assess by looking at the tail/perineum/anus?

A
  • tail tone (more tricky in docked sheep)
  • perineal and anal reflexes
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7
Q

Proprioceptive assessment in ruminants

A
  • conscious proprioceptive positioning (knuckling test): sheep, goats, calves
  • wheelbarrow: sheep, goats, calves, care with rumen pressure on diaphragm when in wheelbarrow position
  • gait analysis: all spp, ask animal to turn as well as walk in a straight line and assess if limbs excessively abducted/adducted or cross over when turns, assess if limbs drag or excessively lifted (hyper-metric), assess joint movement during walking
  • standing position: all spp, wide based or narrow based (both abnormal)
  • hoof inspection: all spp, worn hooves suggest dragging/knuckling
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8
Q

Spinal reflexes that can be performed in ruminants

A
  • flexor reflex: sheep, goats, young calves, adult cows + big calves when recumbent only
  • patellar reflex: sheep, goats, young calves, adult cows + big calves when recumbent only, in newborn ruminants this reflex is hyperactive
  • perineal reflex: all spp
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9
Q

How to test flexor reflex (forelimb and hindlimb)

A
  • stimulate distal forelimb and observe for flexion of joints (i.e. attempts to withdraw limb from stimulus) +/- conscious perception of stimulus
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10
Q

How to test patellar reflex

A
  • place animal in lateral recumbency
  • tap patellar ligament of uppermost limb with a large patellar hammer or similar
  • observe for stifle extension
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11
Q

How to test perineal reflex

A
  • gently prick/pinch the perineal skin and observe contraction of anus and downward movement of tail
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12
Q

Approach to farm animal neuro case

A
  1. history and CE: assess primary or secondary, localisation of lesion narrows ddx list
  2. further diagnostics to confirm suspected diagnosis: bloods (biochem), CSF tap, PM
  3. tx: often based on presumptive diagnosis, may confirm/rule to diagnosis (tx trial)
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13
Q

Neuro exam

A
  1. assess mental status (differentiate intracranial lesions from extra cranial lesions)
  2. assess cranial nerves
  3. assess gait and posture
  4. assess postural reactions as far as possible
  5. assess spinal reflexes as much as possible
  6. assess responses to pain
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14
Q

Abnormalities found in which parts of the neuro exam point to intracranial lesions?

A
  • mental status
  • cranial nerves
  • gait and posture
  • postural reactions
  • spinal reflexes
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15
Q

Abnormalities found in which parts of the neuro exam point to peripheral lesions?

A
  • posture reactions
  • spinal reflexes
  • responses to pain
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16
Q

Is the dz of primary or secondary origin

A
  • primary: conditions directly affecting the neuro system (e.g. brain abscesses, spinal cord injuries)
  • secondary: conditions that present with neurological signs but aren’t of neurological origin (e.g. hypomagnesaemia, twin lamb dz)
17
Q

Is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum?

A
  • i.e. is the brain affected or not?
  • foramen magnum = big hole in back of the head where the spinal cord comes out
18
Q

When the whole body is affected with abnormal mentation, is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum, and what structure is likely to be affected?

A
  • rostral
  • cerebrum (forebrain)
19
Q

When the whole body is affected with normal mentation, is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum, and what structure is likely to be affected?

A
  • rostral
  • cerebellum
20
Q

When only the face/head is affected and mentation is normal, is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum, and what structure is likely to be affected?

A
  • rostral
  • cranial nerves
21
Q

When only the face/head is affected and mentation is abnormal, is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum, and what structure is likely to be affected?

A
  • rostral
  • brainstem (if depressed mentation)
22
Q

When all 4 limbs are affected and the head/face/mentation is normal, is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum, and what structure is likely to be affected?

A
  • caudal
  • cervical and cranial thoracic spinal cord (C1-T2)
23
Q

When only the hindlimbs are affected, is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum, and what structure is likely to be affected?

A
  • caudal
  • thoracolumbar spinal cord (T3-L6)
24
Q

When only the tail/perineum is affected, is the lesion rostral or caudal to the foramen magnum, and what structure is likely to be affected?

A
  • caudal
  • sacrococcygeal spinal cord (S1-S3)
25
Q

Localisation of peripheral lesions

A
  • abnormalities of peripheral nerve branches result in presentations opposing to the nerves motor function that affect innervated muscle
    – if flexor muscles are innervated, injury will present as hyperextension
    – if extensor muscles are innervated, injury will present as flexion
  • if the affected branch is sensory, sensation of the innervated area will also be affected
  • can still locate the lion to the main spinal nerve (from which the nerve has branched)
26
Q

Obturator nerve paralysis

A
  • both hindlimb abducted (away from body) as adductor muscle tone is not balanced with adductor muscle tone to ‘hold’ hindlimbs in normal position under body -> innervation to adductors is obturator nerve (originates from L5-6)
27
Q

Biochemistry & haematology

A
  • little value in most primary neuro conditions
  • can be of use if secondary neurological conditions suspected
    – Mg (important for mentation)
    – Ca (important for mentation)
    – Na (important for mentation)
    – acid-base balance (can cause mentation problems, e.g. dullness esp in calves)
    – specific assays (e.g. toxins)
28
Q

CSF

A
  • rarely diagnostic on its own but does aid diagnosis
  • obtain from midpoint of lumbosacral space (cattle/goats = L6, sheep L6/7)
  • depression on midline between last palpable lumbar and 1st palpable sacral vertebrae
  • standing animal (if recumbent place in sternal with hindlimbs forward)
  • adult cattle = 4” spinal needle
  • calves & adult small ruminants = 2” hypodermic needle
  • lambs & kids = 1” hypodermic needle
  • clip & surgical prep
  • LA = bled of procaine
  • sedate if needed
  • collect 1-3ml of CSF (carefully draw back syringe to minimise trauma)
  • collect EDTA sample and plain sample
  • can get CSF from atlanto-axial joint but needs GA as if moves will accidentally pith animal
  • culture: send to external lab, listeria typically difficult to culture, septic meningitis typically cultures well
29
Q

Clear colourless CSF

A
  • normal/healthy
30
Q

Turbid CSF

A
  • increased cell count
31
Q

Red-tinged CSF

A
  • bleeding
  • likely due to contaminated at sampling
  • can be due to bleeding into CNS
32
Q

Yellow CSF

A
  • release of pigments following rbc lysis in CNS -> occurs 2-6h after bleeding and lasts up to 10d
33
Q

Imaging

A
  • rarely done not for research purposes

Y4 Farm - Neurology (9 decks)

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