Clinical Features, Imaging Characteristics, and Long-term Outcome of Dogs with Cranial Meningocele or Meningoencephalocele.

BACKGROUND: The term meningoencephalocele (MEC) describes a herniation of cerebral tissue and meninges through a defect in the cranium, whereas a meningocele (MC) is a herniation of the meninges alone. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical features, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics, and outcomes of dogs with cranial MC and MEC. ANIMALS: Twenty-two client-owned dogs diagnosed with cranial MC or MEC. METHODS: Multicentric retrospective descriptive study. Clinical records of 13 institutions were reviewed. Signalment, clinical history, neurologic findings and MRI characteristics as well as treatment and outcome were recorded and evaluated. RESULTS: Most affected dogs were presented at a young age (median, 6.5 months; range, 1 month - 8 years). The most common presenting complaints were seizures and behavioral abnormalities. Intranasal MEC was more common than parietal MC. Magnetic resonance imaging identified meningeal enhancement of the protruded tissue in 77% of the cases. Porencephaly was seen in all cases with parietal MC. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis identified mild abnormalities in 4 of 11 cases. Surgery was not performed in any affected dog. Seventeen patients were treated medically, and seizures were adequately controlled with anti-epileptic drugs in 10 dogs. Dogs with intranasal MEC and mild neurologic signs had a fair prognosis with medical treatment. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Although uncommon, MC and MEC should be considered as a differential diagnosis in young dogs presenting with seizures or alterations in behavior. Medical treatment is a valid option with a fair prognosis when the neurologic signs are mild.

Comparison of ultrasound imaging and video otoscopy with cross-sectional imaging for the diagnosis of canine otitis media.

Ultrasound imaging (US) of the tympanic bulla (TB) for diagnosis of canine otitis media (OM) is less expensive and less invasive than cross-sectional imaging techniques including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Video otoscopy (VO) is used to clean inflamed ears. The objective of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of US and VO in OM using cross-sectional imaging as the reference standard. Client owned dogs with clinical signs of OE and/or OM were recruited for the study. Physical, neurological, otoscopic and otic cytological examinations were performed on each dog and both TB were evaluated using US with an 8 MHz micro convex probe, cross-sectional imaging (CT or MRI) and VO. Of 32 dogs enrolled, 24 had chronic otitis externa (OE; five also had clinical signs of OM), four had acute OE without clinical signs of OM, and four had OM without OE. Ultrasound imaging was positive in three of 14 ears, with OM identified on cross-sectional imaging. One US was false positive. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of US were 21%, 98%, 75%, 81% and 81%, respectively. The corresponding values of VO were 91%, 98%, 91%, 98% and 97%, respectively. Video otoscopy could not identify OM in one case, while in another case, although the tympanum was ruptured, the CT was negative. Ultrasound imaging should not replace cross-sectional imaging for the diagnosis of canine OM, but can be helpful, and VO was much more reliable than US.