Suspected acquired narcolepsy in 8 dogs.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Neurology
• Canine Medicine
• Sleep Disorders

Background:

• Acquired narcolepsy is infrequently documented in veterinary medicine.
• Cataplexy, a key symptom, necessitates comprehensive investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the clinical presentation, clinicopathological findings, diagnostic imaging results, and treatment outcomes for dogs with suspected acquired narcolepsy.
• To highlight the importance of excluding intracranial and extracranial pathologies in cases of canine cataplexy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records from eight dogs with clinical signs suggestive of acquired narcolepsy.
• Inclusion criteria required cataplexy episodes confirmed by a veterinary neurologist and diagnostic work-up including brain MRI and cerebrospinal fluid analysis.

Main Results:

• Seven French Bulldogs and one Chihuahua were included, aged 9-66 months.
• Diagnoses included meningoencephalitis (2 dogs), extracranial inflammation (2 dogs), and idiopathic findings (4 dogs).
• All dogs received prednisolone; 6 received imipramine, and 2 received cytosine arabinoside, with initial remission observed in all, but relapses occurred in 4 dogs.

Conclusions:

• Cataplexy in dogs warrants a thorough diagnostic evaluation to rule out underlying intracranial or extracranial disease.
• Clinicians and owners should be aware of the potential for both remission and relapse of signs in acquired narcolepsy cases.