Correlation between cerebellar lesion topography and differential diagnosis with clinical presentation in dogs

Cerebellar diseases in dogs cause diverse neurologic signs depending on the affected region. Although functional topographic maps linking cerebellar areas to motor, behavioral, and vestibular functions have been established in humans, such mapping is poorly characterized in veterinary medicine.

Evaluate how specific clinical signs in dogs correspond to cerebellar lesion locations and contribute to differential diagnoses.

One hundred two client-owned dogs from 4 referral centers in Spain and the United Kingdom.

Multicenter retrospective study including dogs diagnosed with cerebellar disease that underwent neurologic examination and magnetic resonance imaging of the head.

Rostral cerebellar lobe lesions were significantly associated with motor abnormalities: the rostral culmen with cerebellar ataxia (OR, 5.76) and the lobulus centralis with decerebellate rigidity (OR, 5.68). Caudal lobe involvement (folium and tuber vermis) was linked to abnormal behavior (OR, 4.12). Deep white matter lesions involving the interpositus nucleus were associated with head tilt (OR, 6.48), nystagmus (OR, 3.76), vestibular ataxia (OR, 4.01), and delayed postural reactions (OR, 4.83).Vascular disease was significantly associated with brachycephalic breeds (P = .02), comorbidities (P < .001), non-ambulation (P = .01), and paresis (P = .01). Neoplasia was significantly linked to incoordination (P = .02), head tilt (P < .01), and abnormal behavior (P < .001). Inflammatory or infectious diseases commonly presented with pain (P = .02) and tremors (P < .001).

Our findings suggest 3 region-related cerebellar syndromes in dogs, motor (rostral lobe), behavioral (caudal lobe), and vestibular (deep white matter), which parallel cerebellar syndromes described in humans. Additionally, the specific clinical presentation may indicate a particular differential diagnosis.