Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
White matter brain disease causing tremors in two dachshund puppies
By Rentmeister, K et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary medicine. A, Physiology, pathology, clinical medicine·2004·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Periventricular and subcortical leukoencephalopathy in two dachshund puppies.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two wirehaired dachshund puppies were brought to the vet because they were shaking and having trouble walking. The vet suspected a serious brain issue, and tests showed that the puppies had swelling in their brain ventricles and damage to the white matter, which is important for nerve function. Fortunately, the puppies' neurons were still healthy, but they had significant myelin loss, which is crucial for proper nerve signaling. This condition is similar to a human brain disorder caused by lack of oxygen during birth. The puppies will need ongoing care and monitoring to manage their symptoms.
People also search for: dachshund puppy tremors · puppy gait problems · dog brain condition treatment
Abstract
Two wirehaired dachshund puppies were presented with generalized tremor and gait abnormalities characterized by mild ataxia, tetraparesis and slightly abnormal proprioception. Neurological examination led to the suspicion of a diffuse generalized white matter lesion. Computerized tomography and pathological examination revealed a remarkable unilateral dilatation of the lateral ventricles in each dog. Histopathological examination showed a severe reduction of stainable myelin, widespread mild perineuronal oedema with vacuolations and multifocal reactive astrocytosis affecting the subcortical and deep periventricular white, and to a lesser degree, grey matter of the cerebral hemispheres, most prominently at the level of the optic chiasm. Axons showed a moderately reduced packing density; some axons were irregularly shaped and slightly thickened. There was no evidence of myelin breakdown products and neurones appeared to be well preserved. Brain stem, cerebellum and spinal cord were normal, as was the peripheral nervous system. This leukoencephalopathy in two dachshund puppies most closely resembles human periventricular leukomalacia caused by pre- or perinatal hypoxia-ischaemia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15533112/