Ataxia: Cerebellar ataxia
48 Ataxia Cerebellar ataxia INITIAL PRESENTATION When the coordination fails, smoothness of movement is lost and is replaced by: • Dysmetria, an exaggerated movement of limbs which appears as a…
Aggression
15 Aggression INTRODUCTION Pain and psychological disturbances are more common causes of aggression than cerebral disease. Aggression from pain is either due to touching the painful area or the animal…
LMN paresis and paralysis: Brachial plexus avulsion
45 LMN paresis and paralysis Brachial plexus avulsion INTRODUCTION Failure of nerve transmission due to a functional disturbance from compression, ischaemia, or blunt trauma is called neurapraxia. The larger motor…
Idiopathic facial paralysis
29 Idiopathic facial paralysis INITIAL PRESENTATION Acute Dropped or drooping flaccid upper and lower lips, dropped ear, lopsided face, odd look to face, food collecting in the mouth between the…
Muscle tone – an introduction
61 Muscle tone – an introduction Tone is the resistance of a muscle to stretch. It is generated by reflex circuits of muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs projecting onto…
Alteration in mental state – an introduction
4 Alteration in mental state – an introduction INTRODUCTION This is the most common reason for animals to be presented to the veterinarian. Owners remark that the animal is ‘not…
Gait – an introduction
37 Gait – an introduction Weakness (paresis) or paralysis, ataxia, and lameness are the most commonly observed alterations in gait. PARALYSIS AND PARESIS Paralysis is the absence of voluntary movement….
Change in voice and swallowing
36 Change in voice and swallowing INTRODUCTION Dysphagia A difficulty or inability to swallow is called dysphagia and it presents as: gagging, retching, choking, extending or flexing the neck during…
Middle ear disease
31 Middle ear disease INITIAL PRESENTATION Initial presentation may include: facial paralysis, Horners syndrome, pain on opening the mouth. INTRODUCTION The middle ear lies beyond the tympanic membrane (ear drum),…
Lameness – an introduction
50 Lameness – an introduction Lameness is an abnormal gait caused by pain or mechanical dysfunction. The gait is predictably irregular (cf. ataxia). Proprioception pathways are not damaged so ataxia…
