Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Balance loss and unsteady walk in American Staffordshire Terriers
By Hanzlícek, D et al.·Published in Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde·2003·Institut fü·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: [Cerebellar cortical abiotrophy in American Staffordshire terriers: clinical and pathological description of 3 cases].
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three American Staffordshire Terriers, aged 4.5 and 6 years, were brought in because they were having trouble walking and maintaining their balance. Their symptoms started between 3 and 5 years old and gradually worsened over time. A vet found that they had issues with coordination and balance, but they didn't show weakness in their limbs. Unfortunately, the dogs were euthanized for humane reasons, and tests revealed significant brain changes linked to a condition called cerebellar cortical abiotrophy, which affects the part of the brain responsible for movement. The exact cause of this condition in dogs is still unclear, but it may have a genetic component.
People also search for: American Staffordshire Terrier balance problems · dog cerebellar ataxia symptoms · dog brain disease treatment
Abstract
Three American Staffordshire Terriers were presented with gait abnormalities and loss of balance at the age of 4.5 (female) and 6 years (2 males). The onset varied between 3 and 5 years of age and the clinical signs were slowly progressive. The neurological examination revealed symmetrical generalized cerebellar ataxia with hypermetria, stiffness, and loss of balance with no evidence of paresis. The menace reflex was decreased in one dog and absent in another. A positional nystagmus was found in two dogs. The dogs were euthanized and a histopathological examination of each brain was performed. Pathological changes were confined to the cerebellum. The main finding was loss of Purkinje cells, as well as depletion of granular cell bodies and shrinkage of the granular and molecular cell layer. These findings are consistent with cerebellar cortical abiotrophy. A genetic basis is supposed, but the mode of inheritance is not determined yet. In contrast to some spinocerebellar ataxias in humans, the cause of Purkinje cell degeneration in cerebellar cortical abiotrophy of dogs is not known.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12951908/