Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs of high brain pressure in dogs with congenital hydrocephalus
By Farke, Daniela et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2024·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association among raised intraventricular pressure, clinical signs, and magnetic resonance imaging findings in dogs with congenital internal hydrocephalus.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 53 dogs with congenital internal hydrocephalus (a condition where fluid builds up in the brain) was studied to see how their symptoms related to pressure inside their brain. Some dogs showed signs like confusion, head tilting, and eye movement issues, which were linked to higher pressure levels. However, not all MRI findings indicated high pressure, meaning that a diagnosis of internal hydrocephalus should consider both symptoms and imaging results. Understanding these connections can help veterinarians better diagnose and treat affected dogs.
People also search for: dog head tilt symptoms · internal hydrocephalus in dogs · dog MRI findings high pressure
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dogs with internal hydrocephalus do not necessarily have high intraventricular pressure (IVP). HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Not all reported MRI findings indicate high IVP and some clinical signs might be associated with elevated IVP and syringomyelia. ANIMALS: Fifty-three dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study. Clinical signs and MRI findings were evaluated for an association of IVP >12 mm Hg and syringomyelia. RESULTS: High IVP was associated with obtundation OR 4.64 (95% CI 1.27-16.93) (P = .02), head tilt OR 6.42 (95% CI 1.08-37.97) (P = .04) and nystagmus OR 8.24 (95% CI 1.44-47.07) (P = .02). Pain was associated with syringomyelia OR 3.4 (95% CI 0.98-11.78) (P = .05). The number of affected ventricles was associated with high IVP OR 2.85 (95% CI 0.97-8.33) (P = .05) and syringomyelia OR 12.74 (95% CI 2.93-55.4) (P = .0007). Periventricular edema OR 24.46 (95% CI 4.54-131.77), OR 7.61 (95% CI 1.91-30.32) (P < .0002, P = .004) and signal void sign OR 17.34 (95% CI 4.01-74.95), OR 4.18 (95% CI 1.16-15.02) (P < .0001, P = .03) were associated with high IVP and syringomyelia. The probability for syringomyelia is lower with disruption of the internal capsule OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.05-0.72) (P = .01) and higher VBR OR 0.25 (95% CI 0.1-0.63) (P = .004). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Previously reported MRI findings are not predictive of high IVP. Clinical signs and MRI findings should be used to make a diagnosis of internal hydrocephalus in dogs with or without high IVP.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39482254/