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Hydrocephalus with periventricular encephalitis in the dog
C Cantile1, M Arispici, M Modenato
1Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Pisa, Italy.
Zentralblatt Fur Veterinarmedizin. Reihe A
|February 18, 1998
Summary
Two young dogs presented with sudden neurological signs, diagnosed as hydrocephalus. Postmortem analysis revealed brain lesions suggesting an infectious cause, despite negative cultures.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Canine Pathology
- Infectious Disease in Animals
Background:
- Hydrocephalus is a condition characterized by the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain's ventricles.
- Neurological syndromes in young dogs can stem from various congenital or acquired causes.
- Early diagnosis and understanding of etiology are crucial for effective management and prognosis.
Observation:
- Two young dogs, a Dalmatian and a Poodle, exhibited acute neurological deficits.
- Clinical signs included depression, ataxia, ocular abnormalities, and skull enlargement.
- Postmortem examination confirmed severe internal hydrocephalus with significant cerebral white matter damage.
Findings:
- Necrotizing and inflammatory lesions were observed in the periventricular nervous tissue.
- Cerebrospinal fluid cultures were negative for bacterial growth.
- No infectious agents were identified in brain tissue samples.
Implications:
- An infectious etiology for hydrocephalus in these cases is suspected, despite the lack of definitive pathogen identification.
- Further research into novel infectious agents or atypical presentations is warranted.
- This case highlights the importance of considering infectious causes in pediatric hydrocephalus, even with negative standard diagnostic tests.