Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Narcolepsy and brain inflammation linked to distemper in a puppy
By Cantile, C et al.·Published in Zentralblatt fur Veterinarmedizin. Reihe A·1999·Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A case of narcolepsy-cataplexy associated with distemper encephalitis.
Plain-English summary
A 10-month-old Argentine Dogo was brought in for unusual sleepiness and sudden muscle weakness. After a neurological exam and MRI, the vet found inflammation in the dog's brain, likely caused by distemper virus, which can occur after vaccination. Sadly, the dog had severe brain damage, and the condition was linked to both the distemper and narcolepsy (a sleep disorder). Unfortunately, the dog did not survive, highlighting the serious risks associated with distemper encephalitis.
People also search for: dog narcolepsy symptoms · Argentine Dogo distemper treatment · dog brain inflammation after vaccination
Abstract
Narcolepsy associated with localized brain lesions is described in a 10-month-old Argentine Dogo. Neurological examination and MRI study suggested an inflammatory lesion of the left frontal lobe. Postmortem examination revealed diffuse encephalitis in the forebrain and marked necrotic lesions in the ventral pontine area. Immunohistochemistry for distemper virus antigen showed positive staining of the cytoplasm of many neurones of the pons and cerebral cortex. The pathological pattern was suggestive of post-vaccinal distemper encephalitis and the localization of the lesions was consistent with the neurological syndrome shown by the animal. At any event, the possibility of coincidental findings of distemper encephalitis and idiopathic narcolepsy must be accounted for.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10445004/