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Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats
Tomás Elvira1, Tim Sparks2, Julien Guevar3
1Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, Part of Linnaeus Veterinary Limited, Hursley, UK.
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
|May 20, 2025
Summary
Head withdrawal is the most common response to nasal stimulation in dogs and cats. Lip licking and startle responses also indicate normal neurological function in pets.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Animal Physiology
Background:
- Normal responses to nasal stimulation (NSR) in neurologically intact dogs and cats are not well-documented.
- Establishing a baseline for NSR is crucial for neurological assessments in companion animals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the range of normal responses to nasal stimulation in neurologically normal dogs and cats.
- To provide reference data for veterinary neurological examinations.
Main Methods:
- A prospective descriptive study involving 20 neurologically normal dogs and 20 cats.
- Nasal stimulation response testing was performed four times per animal.
- Responses were recorded, described, and correlated with neuroanatomy via cadaveric evaluation.
Main Results:
- Head withdrawal was the most frequent response in 100% of animals (150/160 stimulations).
- Lip lick (121/160) and startle responses (34/160) were also observed.
- Startle responses were significantly more common in cats than dogs (p=0.026).
Conclusions:
- Head withdrawal is a consistent indicator of normal neurological function following nasal stimulation.
- The presence of lip lick or startle responses can also support normal pathway function when head withdrawal is absent.
