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Leukoencephalomyelopathy in specific pathogen-free cats.
J P Cassidy1, C Caulfield, B R Jones
1Veterinary Sciences Centre, School of Food Science, Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. Joseph.Cassidy@ucd.ie
Veterinary Pathology
|November 28, 2007
Summary
Feline leukoencephalomyelopathy caused progressive hind limb ataxia in cats. Investigations suggest a link between this neurological condition and gamma-irradiated diets with reduced vitamin A.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Pathology
- Animal Nutrition
Background:
- Progressive hind limb ataxia outbreaks occurred in a cat colony.
- 190 of 540 at-risk cats exhibited clinical signs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinicopathologic features of feline leukoencephalomyelopathy.
- To explore potential etiologies for the observed neurological syndrome.
Main Methods:
- Histopathologic examination of spinal cord and brain tissues from affected cats.
- Clinical assessment of affected animals within the colony.
Main Results:
- Identified moderate to severe bilateral axonal degeneration in multiple central nervous system white matter regions.
- Observed accompanying microgliosis, astrocytosis, and capillary hyperplasia.
- Circumstantial evidence linked neuronal lesions to gamma-irradiated diets with reduced vitamin A.
Conclusions:
- The clinicopathologic syndrome is termed feline leukoencephalomyelopathy.
- Degenerative lesions suggest nutritional, metabolic, or toxic causes.
- Further analysis is needed to confirm the role of diet in the etiology.
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