Neurological manifestations in dogs with acute leukemia

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Neurology
• Hematology
• Veterinary Oncology

Background:

• Canine acute leukemia (AL) is a rare hematopoietic neoplasm.
• Neurological abnormalities are frequently reported in dogs with AL, but detailed descriptions are limited.
• Understanding neurological presentations is crucial for diagnosing AL in dogs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical findings in dogs with acute leukemia (AL) presenting with neurological signs as their primary complaint.
• To correlate neurological examination findings with advanced imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis in dogs with AL.
• To identify key diagnostic indicators for canine acute leukemia presenting neurologically.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective search of a private referral hospital database for dogs diagnosed with AL who presented to the neurology department.
• Inclusion criteria: neurological deficits and subsequent AL diagnosis.
• Analysis of neurological examination findings, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.

Main Results:

• Six cases of canine acute leukemia with neurological signs were identified.
• All cases exhibited focal neuroanatomical localization (brain or spinal cord) on examination.
• MRI revealed infiltrative central nervous system (CNS) patterns, abnormal meningeal enhancement, and bone marrow signal changes. CSF analysis showed increased protein and non-specific pleocytosis, with no malignant cells detected.

Conclusions:

• Canine acute leukemia can present with focal neurological deficits.
• Characteristic MRI findings include CNS infiltration and bone marrow changes.
• Increased CSF protein with negative cytology is observed in neurologically affected dogs with AL.