Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and testing of rabies brain infection in a young dog
By Barnes, Heidi L et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2003·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical evaluation of rabies virus meningoencephalomyelitis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-month-old female mixed-breed dog developed sudden weakness in her back legs and increased sensitivity in her hindquarters. After tests showed signs of inflammation in her spinal fluid and nerve issues, she started having seizures and confusion after waking up from anesthesia. Unfortunately, despite efforts to treat her, she was euthanized six days later when it was confirmed she had rabies. This case highlights the serious effects of rabies on the nervous system in dogs.
People also search for: dog weakness in back legs · rabies symptoms in dogs · dog seizures after anesthesia · mixed-breed dog rabies treatment
Abstract
A 6-month-old, female, mixed-breed dog presented for acute, progressive, flaccid paraplegia and bilateral pelvic-limb hyperesthesia. A lymphocytic pleocytosis with 366 mg/dL protein was found on cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) evaluation. Electromyography (EMG) demonstrated positive sharp waves and fibrillations in the left pelvic limb; the M wave of the left sciatic nerve was not obtainable by nerve stimulation. Seizures and dementia began during recovery from anesthesia. Six days after onset of paralysis, the dog was euthanized. Direct fluorescent antibody testing of the brain was positive for raccoon rabies virus. This case demonstrates clinical evaluation, CSF analysis, and EMG in an animal with rabies meningoencephalomyelitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14736720/