Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in dogs is a metabolic disorder of the central nervous system that occurs secondarily to liver dysfunctions, whether due to acquired or congenital causes. A portosystemic shunt is the presence of abnormal communications between the hepatic vessels (portal and suprahepatic veins). As a result of this, the blood brought from the digestive tract through the portal vein bypasses the liver, and the unmetabolized components of the portal bloodstream enter directly into systemic circulation, causing clinical symptoms of metabolic encephalopathy (HE). A 3-month-old Bichon canine patient with a history of seizures secondarily to a portosystemic shunt (PS), confirmed through color Doppler ultrasound exam and computed tomography, was presented for evaluation. The typical electroencephalographic (EEG) traces recorded were characterized by the presence of bilateral symmetrical triphasic waves, resembling non-convulsive status epilepticus. The presence of this EEG pattern is useful in choosing the best therapeutic option in order to not accentuate the HE sings and, consequently, to decrease the mortality risk due to a prolonged status epilepticus.

This study describes granulocytic anaplasmosis in two dogs naturally infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The 3-year-old dogs (male and female) came from the same household and were referred to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Iasi for blood donation. They were subject to standard routine tests: haematology blood test, blood smear, and serological tests (VETSCAN^® FLEX4 and IDEXX SNAP 4Dx Plus). The female dog had no medical problems, while the male dog experienced joint pain. The blood smear was negative for tick-borne pathogens, and the haematology findings indicated thrombocytopenia in both dogs, with the male dog also displaying eosinophilia. The two dogs were mildly positive in the ELISA tests for the detection of Anaplasma spp. antibodies; therefore, the blood samples were tested using the qRT-PCR method for Anaplasma platys and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The qRT-PCR result was negative for A. platys, but it was positive for A. phagocytophilum. The treatment consisted of the administration of doxycycline for 28 days. In conclusion, the high number of cases with non-specific clinical signs, the different sensitivity and specificity of the immunochromatographic serological tests, as well as the possibility of confusing the morula during the cytological examination, make the molecular test mandatory for precise diagnosis.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is an objective diagnostic tool in the evaluation of cerebral functionality, both in human and veterinary medicine. For EEG acquisition, different types of electrodes are used, as long as they have no impact on the recorded background activity. However, to date, the influence of electrode type on quantitative EEG and cerebral coherence has not been investigated. Twenty EEG traces (ten with needle electrodes and ten with disk electrodes) were recorded from ten mesocephalic vigil dogs in a monopolar montage. Values for interhemispheric coherence for each frequency band were compared between stainless needle and silver disk electrodes traces. Our results show that the values of interhemispheric coherence in vigil dogs are depending of the type of electrodes used in EEG recordings. In the frontal (FP) channel, for delta and theta frequency bands, the registered coherence is significantly higher when stainless needle electrodes are used. Our results might have important consequences in the field of canine neurology and applied neuroscience, as the frontal channel analysis is preferred in aging and behavior studies.

Canine idiopathic head tremor syndrome (CIHTS) represents a benign condition characterized by episodic, uncontrolled movement of the head. Even though the condition might be an expression of a partial motor epilepsy, to date, there is a limited number of studies describing the electroencephalographic features. In this report, we describe the case of a dog diagnosed with partial motor epilepsy resembling CIHTS symptomatology, a new slow spike–wave complex pattern similar to that of Lennox–Gastaut syndrome in humans identified on electroencephalographic examination. We also studied the efficacy of phenobarbitone therapy over a period of two years.

Hydrocephalus is an increased cerebrospinal fluid vo­lume inside the cerebral ventricles, causing secondary com­pres­sion of brain parenchyma. The diagnosis is based on cranial imaging techniques (computed tomography, transfrontanellar ultrasonography) and elec­tro­en­ce­phalography. The main therapeutic objectives are: re­du­cing cerebrospinal fluid production and decreasing the intracranial pressure, convulsions’ improvement and the removal of the cause (infectious, immune-mediated etc.). The most efficient treatment for hydrocephalus is the sur­gi­cal intervention (ventriculo-peritoneal shunt).

Raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procynoides) are canids indigenous to Eastern Asia being one of the most invasive non-native animals in Europe and potential vectors for several hazardous parasitic and viral diseases. To present, there is a lack of studies regarding objective techniques used to appreciate the integrity and functionality of the nervous system in this species. Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAER) is a cost-effective, quick and noninvasive technique to assess the functionality of nervous system. The aim of the study is to provide reference values and evaluates the reliability of BAER recording with needle electrodes in clinically healthy raccoon dogs. Nine individuals were investigated for BAER under xylazine and ketamine general anesthesia. Four waves (I, II, III and V) were identified and evaluated for latencies, morphologically similarity to those previously reported for other species (dogs, horses, cats, and ferret). Our data can be used in further studies to asses objectively the auditory system function in raccoon dogs.