Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Nerve and muscle damage in young Rottweilers with spinocerebellar
By Salvadori, C et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2005·School of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Peripheral nerve pathology in two rottweilers with neuronal vacuolation and spinocerebellar degeneration.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 16-week-old and a 32-week-old female Rottweiler were brought in for progressive weakness and coordination problems, which included difficulty breathing due to laryngeal paralysis. Tests showed damage to the nerves controlling the larynx, leading to muscle atrophy and loss of nerve fibers. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for this neurodegenerative condition, and the prognosis is generally poor. Owners of affected dogs should discuss management options with their veterinarian to ensure the best quality of life for their pets.
People also search for: Rottweiler ataxia treatment · dog laryngeal paralysis symptoms · puppy weakness and coordination problems
Abstract
Neuronal vacuolation and spinocerebellar degeneration in young Rottweiler dogs is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by neuronal vacuolation of several nuclei in the central nervous system and degeneration of the spinal cord white matter. Here, we describe the morphologic and ultrastructural findings in laryngeal muscles and peripheral nerves of a 16-week-old female and a 32-week-old female Rottweiler dog affected by progressive ataxia and tetraparesis associated with laryngeal paralysis. Lesions were characterized by neurogenic muscle atrophy of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles, and a loss of large myelinated fibers in the recurrent laryngeal nerve, accompanied by demyelinating/remyelinating features affecting the small myelinated fibers. No significant changes were detected in the cranial laryngeal, vagus, phrenic, ulnar, or peroneal nerves. These findings were indicative of a selective distal neuropathy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve with early severe axonal degeneration, mainly of the large myelinated fibers.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16301586/