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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Brain cyst bleeding causing neurological signs in two dogs

By Vernau, Karen M et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2002·Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Intracranial intra-arachnoid cyst with intracystic hemorrhage in two dogs.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A 5-year-old mixed-breed dog and a 7-year-old Labrador were both experiencing neurological problems due to bleeding in a brain cyst. After imaging tests, both dogs underwent surgery to remove a blood clot and open the cyst. The mixed-breed dog has been doing well and is normal three and a half years later, although the cyst remains. The Labrador initially improved but was later euthanized due to seizures that developed two and a half years after surgery. This suggests that while surgery can help, some dogs may still face complications later on.

People also search for: dog seizures after surgery · dog brain cyst treatment · mixed-breed dog neurological problems

Abstract

Clinical signs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, treatment, and outcome of two adult dogs with neurologic dysfunction resulting from hemorrhage into a quadrigeminal intracranial intra-arachnoid cyst are described. In dog 1, the cyst was hyperintense to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on T1-weighted MRI and hypointense to CSF on T2-weighted images. In dog 2, the cyst was isointense to CSF on T1- and T2-weighted images. Both dogs were treated with craniotomy and cyst fenestration. A large blood clot was removed from the lumen of the cyst in each dog. Dog 1 is clinically normal 3.5 years post-surgery and has a persistent cyst. Dog 2 had a good initial response to therapy but was euthanized 2.5 years post-operatively due to generalized seizures. The late onset of clinical signs in these dogs most likely resulted from hemorrhage into the cyst. Surgical fenestration and hematoma removal appear to provide a satisfactory treatment for adult dogs with an intracranial intra-arachnoid cyst and intracystic hemorrhage. Persistence of the cyst may occur in some dogs.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12375779/