The nervous system is extremely complex, it can be described as the center of operations of the rest of the body, regulating its functions and activities. Neurological diseases in dogs can respond to a large number of causes and, in many of them, the speed of action is essential to avoid serious and/or irreversible injuries. Therefore, it will be very useful to know how to detect when our four-legged friend suffers from a neurological disorder.
In this Animal Expert article we detail 7 signs that may indicate a neurological problem in our dog. In any case, we should keep in mind that signs can be easily confused with those that occur in diseases associated with other organs. Therefore, it is advisable to contact the veterinarian to start the diagnostic plan as soon as possible. If, in short, a neurological disease is detected, we can correctly locate the injury, since it will depend on the prognosis and treatment. Read on and learn how to detect neurological diseases in dogs.
- Paralysis of the limbs is one of the possible signs of neurological diseases in older dogs.
- With weakness.
- Pain usually appears in one or more limbs.
- Almost always progressive when it is a degenerative problem.
- Due to chronic joint wear.
- But it can also be due to a neurological problem in which this weakness can reach paresia (or partial absence of movement) or plegia (total absence of movement).
If partial absence of movement affects the hind limbs, it will be called paraparesis and tetraparesis if it reaches 4 limbs. The same name would apply to the total absence of movement, however, with the ending -plegia (paraplegia or tetraplegia, respectively).
Esta falta parcial ou total de movimento pode ser causada por um estado de doença degenerativa das articulações em que ocorre compressão da medula espinal ou por outras causas (seja infecção, trauma, discos herniados, etc.), nos quais a idade será mais variável. Por isso, é essencial chegar ao diagnóstico correto para encontrar a localização exata da lesão, a sua origem e, assim, oferecer ao paciente a melhor solução possível.
If your dog has intermittent claudication, weakness of the anterior or posterior limb, if you are not as excited to move as before, if you complain when handling the hip, knee or other joint, or even more serious, if it is difficult or impossible to stand, it is very important to go to the veterinarian to perform the necessary tests.
They will most likely perform a complete examination (both physical and neurological), imaging tests, such as X-rays or CT/MRI, and possibly laboratory tests, such as a full spinal cord test or puncture. Depending on the cause(s) the treatment will be very different, pharmacological, surgical, with physiotherapy, etc.
Seizures in dogs can be of two types
After the crisis and before the crisis, we can also notice that the animal is agitated, aggressive, compulsive licks, etc.
If your dog has a generalized seizure that lasts more than 2 minutes, increasing its frequency, severity increases, or if it does not recover properly after an episode (or several in a row), you should make an emergency visit to the veterinarian, as this may be a vital emergency.
In any case, in case of a total or partial attack, it is important to go to the veterinarian to make the appropriate diagnosis and treatment (one of them is epilepsy, however, it must be borne in mind that there are many other causes that can cause these episodes, including vascular changes, metabolic, intoxications, etc.).
Noticing changes in the dog’s walking, which could also be defined as changes or abnormalities in the way we walk, may be a sign that our dog is suffering from neurological problems. You can usually see:
In cases where there is a change in the level of the central nervous system (brain or brainstem), it is common for the animal to have an altered mental state: it can be seen breaking down because it barely interacts with the medium or may remain still. , pressing the head against the wall or some furniture (called head pressure). There are very different manifestations of nervous system diseases.
In general, a healthy animal will show a state of alertness (responds appropriately to the stimuli present in the environment). If you are sick, you may have a depressive mental state (however, you will be drowsy, awake, alternating periods of inactivity with short-activityed ones). In a state of wonder (he appears asleep and responds only to nociceptive or painful stimuli) or in a coma (the animal is unconscious and does not respond to any stimulus). Depending on the severity, it may or may not be accompanied by other behavioral changes.
See also our article on Dog Down Syndrome
It can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as pathological strabia or nystagmus (repetitive and involuntary eye movements, whether horizontal, vertical or circular and that usually affect both eyes), circular movements, hearing loss or balance. It is often associated with an injury to the inner ear, called canine vestibular syndrome. If your dog is older or has a severe ear infection and notices that the head is tilted, consult your veterinarian to assess the condition of your pet and make the diagnosis.
If the dog has tremors in non-physiological situations, that is, without being cold or resting, we should alert ourselves and observe when this happens, if it has other symptoms and go to our veterinarian with all this information. For this type of changes, audiovisual support is very useful, such as making videos, to help with diagnosis.
In addition to all of the above, some signs of neurological problems in young dogs, adults or the elderly may be altering the senses:
If we detect one or more of these signs of neurological disease in our dog, it will be vitally important to consult the veterinarian, who will evaluate the case and refer us to a neurology specialist to perform the neurological tests in the dogs that it considers relevant. . The answer to the question “Can neurological diseases be cured in dogs?” it also depends on the disease in question and only the veterinary neurologist can answer that question.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Prevention section.
– Rodrigo Esteban Tello. 2016. “Ongoing Neurological Clinical Examination Manual”. p-1-57.