Progressive tetraparesis and laryngeal paralysis in a young rottweiler with neuronal vacuolation and axonal degeneration: an Australian case.

A 5-month-old female Rottweiler dog was diagnosed to have a neurodegenerative disease that has been recently reported in Rottweilers from North America and Europe. The dog was presented with progressive signs of ataxia, tetraparesis and inspiratory stridor. The clinical investigation included analysis of CSF, radiography, myelography and electrophysiological testing. No evidence of vertebral malformation or inflammatory CNS disease was identified. Bilateral laryngeal paralysis was identified in the lightly anaesthetised dog. Electromyography showed abnormal spontaneous activity from the intrinsic musculature of the larynx. At necropsy there were no gross abnormalities of the nervous system but there was atrophy of the dorsal cricoarytenoid muscles of the larynx. There were widespread histological abnormalities throughout the nervous system including neuronal vacuolation, spongiform changes in the neuropil and axonal degeneration which was most prominent in the spinal cord. These clinical and pathological findings are consistent with the diagnosis of a new neurodegenerative disease reported from North America and Europe. This diagnosis is of particular significance in Australia where transmissible spongiform encephalopathies have not been identified.

Effects of otitis on hearing in dogs characterised by brainstem auditory evoked response testing.

Hearing function was measured in normal dogs and in dogs with otitis using brainstem auditory evoked response testing. Data were obtained from 86 normal ears and from 105 ears with otitis, categorised into four degrees of severity. The data were analysed to illustrate the differences between the hearing function in the normal and abnormal ears and to estimate the degree of impairment associated with differing degrees of pathology. While severe hearing loss seemed to be present in the dogs with more severe otitis, only two individuals were identified as being totally deaf in the affected ears and no dogs were identified in which the cleaning and examination processes had caused damage to hearing function. Cleaning the ear canal produced measurable improvements in hearing in several dogs, indicating the profound effect of physical obstruction of the external ear canal by debris. It is concluded that most dogs with chronic otitis externa are not totally deaf and that the hearing impairment that does occur has the characteristics of conductive hearing loss.

Management of a femoral fracture complicated by clostridial myositis.

A clinical case of clostridial myositis secondary to a comminuted femoral fracture is described. This case is unusual because, despite the severe degree of obvious muscle necrosis and gas production, the dog had minimal signs of systemic toxicity. Union of the fracture was achieved but six months postoperatively muscular contracture had resulted in permanent stifle extension.

Disseminated aspergillosis in dogs.

Clinical and pathological findings are reported from a series of 12 cases of disseminated aspergillosis (A. terreus) in 11 German Shepherd dogs and one Dalmatian referred to Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital (MUVH) over the period 1980 to 1984. A preliminary study of humoral and cell mediated immune components and complement levels revealed no consistent abnormality in 9 dogs tested apart from raised IgG levels. Serum IgA levels were depressed in 30% of cases. Serial data from one extensively monitored case is presented. The unusual epidemiological and pathogenetic features of the disease are discussed.

Immunologic study of systemic aspergillosis in German shepherd dogs.

Data are presented from a series of eight cases of disseminated canine aspergillosis (A. terreus) in German Shepherd dogs referred to Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital. Immunoglobulin determination revealed depression of serum IgA (cases 1 and 5) and IgM (case 2) levels and elevated levels of IgG in all cases. Total complement activity (CH50) and complement components tests, (C3, C4) were present in normal amounts in all cases. Using agar gel diffusion, serum antibody to A. terreus was found in only one case and aspergillus antigenaemia in two of the remainder. Lectin transformation of lymphocytes in two dogs was found to be depressed relative to normal controls in case 1 and initially in case 2. Two dogs failed to respond to the intradermal injection of A. terreus antigen.

Stabilization of atlantoaxial subluxation in the dog, using the nuchal ligament.

A technique for the stabilization of atlantoaxial subluxation in the dog was developed. The technique involved use of the nuchal ligament as a means of securing the spinous process of the axis to the dorsal arch of the atlas. Two cases were typical atlantoaxial subluxation in toy-breed dogs, and 2 cases were traumatic subluxation secondary to fracture of the axis in dogs of large breeds. On the basis of the results in these cases, it was concluded that the technique has advantages over techniques in which wire or nonmetallic suture material is utilized for stabilization.