Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spinal cord damage in Cavalier King Charles spaniels
By Hu, H Z et al.·Published in Journal of comparative pathology·2012·Department of Veterinary Medicine, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Histopathological investigation of syringomyelia in the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with syringomyelia (a condition where fluid-filled cavities form in the spinal cord) may show signs of pain and sensitivity in the neck area. This study found that dogs with syringomyelia had significant changes in their spinal cord, including loss of nerve tissue and signs of degeneration. The researchers noted that these changes were more pronounced in dogs showing symptoms compared to those without. Understanding these changes can help veterinarians better manage the condition and its effects on affected dogs.
People also search for: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel syringomyelia symptoms · dog neck pain treatment · spinal cord issues in dogs
Abstract
Syringomyelia (SM) in Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCSs) is identified commonly on magnetic resonance images and is sometimes associated with clinical signs of pain and cervical hyperaesthesia. However, the mechanism by which SM develops in this breed has not been fully elucidated and the associated effects on spinal cord structure have not been reported previously. The aims of this study were to describe changes found in the spinal cord of CKCSs, to compare findings between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs and to determine whether syrinx formation was associated with tissue destruction. Anomalies of the central canal were found in all specimens and many dogs had grossly visible fluid-filled cavities within the spinal cord. Prominent microscopical findings were spongy degenerative changes associated with neuronal necrosis and Wallerian degeneration. The ependyma was discontinuous in many specimens, notably in symptomatic individuals, and there was evidence of angiogenesis and fibrous tissue proliferation around blood vessels adjacent to syrinx cavities. Compared with two different samples of the normal dog population, dogs with syrinxes had significantly less grey matter, although this decrease was associated with generalized loss of spinal cord area. Therefore, SM is associated with degenerative changes in the spinal cord and may develop through primary disruption of ependymal integrity followed by vascular hypertrophy and proliferation. Glial and fibrous proliferation appears to be associated with expression of clinical signs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21889166/