Background: Small ruminants often suffer from central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis can be used as a diagnostic tool in this regard. In small animals and cattle, specific CSF patterns have been defined for specific disease categories. No data exist regarding CSF results obtained from small ruminants and their association with certain CNS diseases. Objectives: The objective of this study was to retrospectively investigate CSF findings obtained from sheep and goats and to identify possible CSF patterns associated with disease categories. Methods: CSF samples and medical records from 44 sheep and 27 goats were included in this study. All animals were presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Zurich of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Zurich of the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich between 2003 and 2016 and had either a confirmed CNS diagnosis or showed CSF changes without a specific CNS diagnosis. Results: Mixed mononuclear pleocytosis was the most common CSF pattern in sheep (25%), followed by monocytic pleocytosis (21%). Lymphocytic pleocytosis was most frequently found in goats (37%). In 75% of sheep and 56% of goats, infectious CNS diseases were diagnosed, with listeriosis being the most common infectious disease in both species, followed by parasitic disorders (nematodiasis and coenurosis). Conclusions: The cytologic CSF patterns in small ruminants are mainly based on the increased presence of monocytic and lymphocytic cells with variable quantitative expression, whereas neutrophilic pleocytosis and cytoalbuminologic dissociation were rare findings. Infectious diseases of bacterial origin were the most common underlying causes for CSF alterations in sheep and goats, followed by parasitic disorders. The pleocytosis type is not helpful for differentiating disease types.

Background: Inflammation is a common reason for dogs to present to veterinary clinics. Early diagnosis of systemic inflammation is important. Acute phase proteins, like C-reactive protein, are useful but not specific to infection. In human medicine, the intensive care infection score (ICIS) offers a faster, cost-effective alternative using advanced hematological parameters. While ICIS is not available for veterinary use, some components (e.g., neutrophil side fluorescent light) can be measured using analyzers like the Sysmex XN-1000V. Objectives: This study aimed to establish a control group of healthy dogs for the novel parameters neutrophil side fluorescent light (NE-SFL), neutrophil side scattered light (NE-SSC), and neutrophil forward scattered light (NE-FSC) and assess their utility in detecting inflammation in diseases such as sepsis, pyometra, steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA), and idiopathic epilepsy. Methods & Results: Value ranges were calculated based on 21 healthy dogs. Compared to controls, NE-SFL levels were significantly elevated in sepsis, pyometra, and SRMA, while NE-SSC was only elevated in sepsis and pyometra and NE-FSC only in sepsis. No increases were observed in idiopathic epilepsy. Manual gating of the white blood cell differential scattergram was necessary in samples showing high neutrophil toxicity and the presence of bands. Conclusion: NE-SFL and NE-SSC, obtainable from routine complete blood count, may serve as novel, accessible markers for inflammation in dogs. Further research is needed to validate their broader diagnostic use.