Saccadic oscillations in 4 dogs and 1 cat

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Neurology
• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Saccadic oscillations are involuntary eye movements affecting saccadic control, well-documented in human medicine.
• Limited information exists on the occurrence and significance of saccadic oscillations in veterinary patients.
• These eye movements can be indicative of underlying neurological disorders.

Observation:

• Case studies of four animals (three dogs, one cat) presenting with involuntary eye movements consistent with opsoclonus.
• One additional dog exhibited eye movements resembling macrosaccadic oscillations.
• All affected animals displayed clinical signs suggestive of cerebellar disease.

Findings:

• Diagnoses for opsoclonus cases included idiopathic generalized tremor syndrome and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL).
• The dog with macrosaccadic oscillations was also diagnosed with NCL.
• These findings highlight NCL as a potential cause of specific saccadic oscillations in animals.

Implications:

• Recognition of opsoclonus and macrosaccadic oscillations in veterinary medicine is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
• Involuntary saccadic eye movements can serve as a diagnostic indicator for cerebellar neuroanatomic localization in animals.
• Further research is warranted to understand the prevalence and etiological basis of these conditions in veterinary patients.