Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy with progressive leg weakness and larynx paralysis due to nerve
By Salvadori, C et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary medicine. A, Physiology, pathology, clinical medicine·2007·Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Neuronal vacuolation, myelopathy and laryngeal neuropathy in a mixed-breed dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-week-old male mixed-breed dog was brought in because he was having trouble walking and breathing, showing signs like wobbliness in his back legs and noisy breathing. The vet found that he had a serious nerve issue affecting his spinal cord and larynx, which caused weakness and paralysis in his limbs and difficulty with normal breathing. Unfortunately, this condition is similar to a rare syndrome seen in Rottweilers, and the mixed-breed dog did not respond well to treatment. The case highlights a unique occurrence of this disorder in a different breed.
People also search for: puppy ataxia treatment · dog breathing problems · mixed-breed dog laryngeal paralysis
Abstract
A bilateral and symmetrical neuronal vacuolation associated with spinal cord white matter degeneration and laryngeal neuropathy was observed in a 12-week-old male mixed-breed dog with a history of progressive pelvic limbs ataxia. On clinical examination, signs included inspiratory stridor, spinal ataxia, tetraparesis, and proprioceptive deficits more severe in the pelvic limbs. Examination of the larynx showed bilateral laryngeal paralysis and electromyography revealed fibrillation potentials restricted to the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Clinical and pathological findings resembled the syndrome of neuronal vacuolation and spinocerebellar degeneration described in Rottweiler dogs. This is the first report of a similar disorder in a dog different from Rottweiler.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17877588/