Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Staffordshire terrier with progressive balance and eye movement
By Speciale, John & de Lahunta, Alexander·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2003·Fairport Animal Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cerebellar degeneration in a mature Staffordshire terrier.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Staffordshire terrier showed slowly worsening symptoms of cerebellar disease, which affected its coordination and caused involuntary eye movements. After 30 months of struggling with these issues, the dog was euthanized due to the severity of its condition. A post-mortem examination revealed that the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for balance and coordination, was significantly smaller than normal and had widespread degeneration. Unfortunately, there was no effective treatment to reverse the damage, and the dog's quality of life declined over time.
People also search for: Staffordshire terrier cerebellar disease symptoms · dog eye movement problems · dog coordination issues treatment
Abstract
A 5-year-old Staffordshire terrier exhibited slowly progressive signs of cerebellar disease, including nystagmus and dysmetria. After a 30-month course, the dog was euthanized. Grossly, the cerebellum was small and comprised only 5% of the brain weight. Histopathological examination of the brain documented diffuse degeneration. Purkinje cells were most depleted, but granular cells and the molecular layer of cerebellum were also depleted. The history and necropsy examination were evidence of late-onset primary cerebellar degeneration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14518653/