The purpose of this study was to analyse retrospectively a feline population with intracranial neoplastic diseases, to document seizure patterns in these animals and to determine whether partial seizures were more frequently associated with structural brain lesions then generalised seizures. In addition, a comparison was made within the population with intracranial neoplasia between two groups of cats: one with and one without seizures. Special emphasis was given to the evaluation of tumour type, localisation and size of the lesion and its correlation with seizure prevalence. Sixty-one cats with histopathological diagnosis of intracranial tumour were identified. Fourteen cats (23%; group A) had a history of seizure(s). Forty-seven cats (77%; group B) had no history of seizure(s). Generalised tonic-clonic seizures were seen in eight cats (57%) and were the most common seizure pattern in our cats with intracranial neoplasia. Clusters of seizures were observed in six cats. Status epilepticus was observed in one patient. The mean age of the cats was 7.9 years within group A (median 8.5) and 9.3 years (median 10) within group B. The cats with lymphoma within both groups were significantly younger than cats with meningioma. In both groups meningioma and lymphoma were confirmed to be the most frequent tumour type, followed by glial cell tumours. The prevalence of the seizures in patients with glial cell tumours was 26.7%, 26.3% in patients with lymphomas and 15% in cases with meningiomas. In 33 cases (54.1%) the tumours were localised in the forebrain, 15 tumours (24.6%) were in the brainstem, four (6.6%) in the cerebellum and nine tumours (14.7%) had multifocal localisation. Parietal lobe and basal ganglia mostly affected group A. In group B tumours were most frequently located in the parietal and frontal lobes as well as in the diencephalon. A positive association was documented between the localisation of a tumour in the forebrain and seizure occurrence.
1 March 2017 in Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Spinal walking (SW) is described as the acquisition of an involuntary motor function in paraplegic dogs and cats without pain perception affected by a thoracolumbar lesion. Whereas spinal locomotion is well described in cats that underwent training trials after experimental spinal cord resection, less consistent information is available for dogs. Paraplegic dogs affected by a thoracolumbar complete spinal cord lesion undergoing intensive physical rehabilitation could acquire an autonomous SW gait under field conditions. Eighty-one acute paraplegic thoracolumbar dogs without pelvic limb pain perception. Retrospective study of medical records of dogs selected for intensive rehabilitation treatment in paraplegic dogs with absence of pain perception on admission and during the whole treatment. Binary regression and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze potential associations with the development of SW. Autonomous SW was achieved in 48 dogs (59%). Median time to achieve SW was of 75.5 days (range: 16–350 days). On univariate analysis, SW gait was associated with younger age (P = .002) and early start of physiotherapy (P = .024). Multivariate logistic regression showed that younger age (≤60 months) and lightweight (≤7.8 kg) were positively associated with development of SW (P = .012 and P < .001, respectively). BCS, full-time hospitalization, and type and site of the lesion were not significantly associated with development of SW. Dogs with irreversible thoracolumbar lesion undergoing intensive physiotherapic treatment can acquire SW. Younger age and lightweight are positively associated with the development of SW gait.