Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Neck twisting in two dogs with brain and spinal inflammation
By Poad, Lydia et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2021·Department of Clinical Science and Services, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Acquired cervical scoliosis in two dogs with inflammatory central nervous system disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-month-old Flat-Coated Retriever and a 3-year-old female spayed German Shepherd both developed sudden neck curvature (cervical scoliosis) due to inflammatory central nervous system disease. The Flat-Coated Retriever showed no other neurological issues, while the German Shepherd had some coordination problems. Both dogs underwent MRI scans that revealed lesions in their spinal cords, and tests of their spinal fluid indicated inflammation. They were treated with immunosuppressive medications, including prednisolone, and both dogs showed improvement, with their necks returning to normal.
People also search for: dog neck curvature treatment · dog inflammatory central nervous system disease · Flat-Coated Retriever scoliosis · German Shepherd meningitis treatment
Abstract
Acquired cervical scoliosis previously has been reported in dogs as a clinical sign associated with Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia but has not been described with inflammatory central nervous system disease. A 9-month-old Flat-Coated Retriever was presented with an acute onset of cervical scoliosis with no other neurological deficits. Magnetic resonance imaging identified a focal, poorly defined intramedullary lesion within the cranial cervical spinal cord. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis indicated mononuclear pleocytosis consistent with a diagnosis of meningomyelitis of unknown etiology. A second dog, a 3-year-old female spayed German Shepherd, developed an acute onset of cervical scoliosis with mild generalized proprioceptive ataxia 2 months after commencing immunosuppressive corticosteroid treatment for presumed steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis. Magnetic resonance imaging at the time of diagnosis disclosed a similar intramedullary lesion within the cranial cervical spinal cord, with a neutrophilic pleocytosis on CSF analysis. Both dogs were treated with immunosuppressive dosages of prednisolone, along with cytosine arabinoside in the first dog, with resolution of cervical scoliosis seen in both. To our knowledge, this is the first report of acute onset acquired, reversible cervical scoliosis in dogs with presumed immune-mediated meningomyelitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34448505/