Maintaining an animal’s body temperature during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) poses great challenges, as many temperature measuring devices and warming systems are incompatible with the MRI machine. The aim of this study was to examine body temperature changes and evaluate the impact of using a hot water bottle and a cloth blanket on rectal temperature during magnetic resonance imaging in cats. We included in this study 30 cats from different breeds that underwent magnetic resonance imaging for 60 min that were randomly divided into a passively insulated group (G1) covered with a blanket (n = 15) and a positively heated group (G2) using a silicone hot water bottle under the abdomen and the same cloth blanket over the cat (n = 15). The body temperature was measured before premedication, before induction of anesthesia, and after the MRI examination. Body temperature decreased slightly but significantly (p < 0.05) after premedication. At the end of the MRI, body temperature had decreased more in G1 than G2 (p = 0.033) to 37.0 (36.5–37.5) °C and 38 (37.9–38.2) °C, respectively. This study provides clinical evidence that cats needing magnetic resonance imaging of the head can be protected from hypothermia by using a hot water bottle placed underneath their abdomen and a cloth blanket covering their full body.

Tetanus is an infrequent, potentially fatal neurological disease in dogs, caused by tetanospasmin, the neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani, which reaches the central nervous system by retrograde axonal transport and blocks the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitters glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid. Dogs are comparatively resistant to the toxin, and canine reports remain scarce. This report describes generalized tetanus in a four-month-old, 13 kg male Labrador Retriever presented with an axillary wound sustained approximately one month earlier and neurological signs progressing over approximately seven days, from gait disturbance to generalized whole-body rigidity. On examination the dog showed trismus, risus sardonicus, cervical hyperextension, opisthotonos, third-eyelid protrusion, a sawhorse stance, hyperthermia and intermittent respiratory distress. The diagnosis was established clinically, following a structured neurological work-up and exclusion of the principal differentials, as confirmatory assays were unavailable. Total serum calcium was within the reference interval; serum creatine kinase was elevated; and venous blood-gas analysis indicated a mild, compensated metabolic acidosis. Management comprised metronidazole and clindamycin, equine tetanus antitoxin, diazepam, meloxicam and intensive nursing care in a low-stimulation environment. The dog improved from the first day of hospitalization and recovered without residual deficits, with no recurrence over one year of follow-up. The favorable outcome, in a young canine patient for which the literature would predict a guarded prognosis, is consistent with the absence of clinically detectable autonomic and cardiorespiratory dysfunction and with meticulous supportive care.

Hydrocephalus is a frequently observed congenital malformation of the central nervous system in domestic animals; however, its occurrence in wild species remains underreported. This study documents a clinical case of congenital hydrocephalus in a red fox cub (Vulpes vulpes) admitted to the “Visul Luanei” Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. The individual exhibited neurological deficits characterized by depressed mental status, incoordination, dromomania, behavior changes, and blindness. Diagnostic imaging, including radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), revealed a domed cranial morphology and severe dilation of the ventricular system. Notably, the lateral ventricles were markedly enlarged, with the absence of the septum pellucidum, resulting in a unified ventricular cavity. During electroencephalography (EEG) performed under general anesthesia, a high voltage and low frequency, predominantly featuring delta waves background activity was observed on all traces. Due to the poor prognosis and lack of clinical improvement, euthanasia was performed. This case contributes to the limited knowledge regarding central nervous system malformations in wild canids and underscores the need for further research on congenital neurological disorders in wildlife species.