When The Brain And Body Falter Neurological Diseases In Dogs Explained 2024
Symptoms of neurological diseases in dogs
Neurological diseases in dogs are the diseases that affect the nervous system of the dog (the control center), including the brain, spinal cord, and finally nerves.
Neurological diseases in dogs cause sudden and many obvious changes in the mobility and behavior of your dog.
As a pet owner, you must be fully aware of the symptoms that if you see them in your dog, you will realize at that time that he has a neurological problem.
Therefore, if you notice any nervous problem in your dog, you must remember these three things:
- When these symptoms started
- The frequency of these symptoms
- Contact your veterinarian immediately
Neurological diseases in dogs and what the nervous system is
The nervous system in dogs consists of three parts including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
These parts work together to regulate the overall health of the dog and there is no one part that can work without the other parts.
The dog’s nervous system is divided into two sections:
Central nervous system(CNS): it includes
-The brain which is divided into 3 sections:
- Brain stem that controls several basic life functions.
- Cerebrum is considered a conscious decision-making center.
- Cerebellum that is responsible for motor and movement control.
-The spinal cord which is divided into regions that correspond to those bones that make up the spine (vertebral bodies).
-The order of these vertebral bodies from neck to tail is:
- Cervical
- Thoracic
- Lumbar
- Sacral
- Caudal segments
-There are some specialized tissues(meninges) that cover and protect the brain, spinal cord, and surround cerebrospinal fluid.
Peripheral nervous system(PNS)
-It includes all the remaining nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of neurological diseases in dogs
Symptoms of neurological diseases in dogs are not constant and differ from one dog to another according to the condition and the affected part of the nervous system.
Seizures
Loss of consciousness, uncontrolled twitching, or involuntary muscle movements can be indications of neurological issues like epilepsy.
Persistent head shaking
Head shaking without reason may be an indication for neurological disorder.
Loss of balance
Neurological diseases in dogs can affect their legs as they can cause a sudden loss of coordination and the affected dogs will struggle to stand or may have sudden mobility loss.
Vision loss
If you notice that your dog appears disoriented or suddenly clumsy, you must see your vet.
Dragging paws(knuckling)
If your dog drags his feet during a walk or walks on the top of his feet, he may suffer from knuckling.
That will lead to scrapes and many painful paw wounds and it is a sign of a neurological issue.
According to the severity of knuckling, it can be treated through physical therapy and without knuckling training tools.
Loss of appetite
Neurological diseases in dogs cause persistent nausea.
Circling
Dogs with neurological diseases may walk in circles.
Behavior changes
If you notice any sudden aggression or increased anxiety, it can be an indication of a neurological issue.
Neck pain
Some neurological diseases in dogs can cause neck pain such as Wobbler syndrome.
Now we will review some neurological diseases in dogs and know more about diagnosis and treatment.
Here are some neurological diseases in dogs and their diagnosis and treatment
1-Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease in dogs is one of neurological diseases in dogs and it is caused by a loss of nerve cells that are responsible for production of dopamine.
Symptoms of parkinson’s disease in dogs are
- Tremors in one leg or more
- Inflexible muscles, stiffness
- Restlessness
- Slow movement
These symptoms will be more severe over time so early diagnosis and treatment are important to slow the progression of the disease.
Diagnosis of parkinson’s disease
- Physical examination
- Blood tests
- Urinalysis
- MRI
- CT scan
Treatment of the disease
There is no cure for the disease but thee vet will recommend some ways to improve the quality of life such as:
- Physical rehabilitation for pain management
- Drugs to reduce tremors
2-Vestibular disease
The second neurological disease in dogs is vestibular disease and this disease affects the dog’s vestibular system, which is located in the inner ear so this disease affects balance and coordination of the dog.
Vestibular disease in dogsaffects senior dogs.
The leading causes of this disease are traumas culminating in eardrum rupture and ear infections.
Symptoms of vestibular disease are
- Walking in circles
- Head tiling
- Nystagmus
- Stumbling
- Losing coordination
Diagnosis of the disease
- Complete blood count
- Biochemistry panels
- Urinalysis
- Ear cytology
- X-ray
- CT scan
Treatment of vestibular disease
The first step is treating the underlying cause of the disease.
The vet will recommended these following medications:
- Anti-nausea medication
- Intravenous fluids
- Antibiotics
3-Polyneuropathy
Polyneuropathy is a neurological disorder that affects peripheral nerves, therefore, it will affect the dog’s movements, consciousness, and reflexes.
This disease is caused by
- Immune disorders
- Infectious agents(Neospora caninum parasite)
- Metabolic disorders(pancreatic tumor, hypothyroidism)
- Cancer medications
- toxins
Symptoms of polyneuropathy
- Weakness
- Lack of muscle tone
- Paralysis
- Dizziness
- Dry nose
- Slow reflexes
Diagnosis of this disease include
- Electrophysiology is a specific test for the disease and it can measure the electrical flow in tissues and cells.
- Complete blood count
- Biochemistry profile
- Urinalysis
- Abdominal x-ray
Treatment of polyneuropathy
There is no specific treatment for this disease, but the symptoms can be managed such as physical therapy.
4-Encephalitis
One of the neurological diseases in dogs is encephalitis in dogs which means inflammation of the brain.
This disease is an indication of the presence of some other neurological problems.
The causes of the disease
- Infectious encephalitis: it is caused by virus, bacteria, fungi, or parasite.
- Non-infectious encephalitis: it is an autoimmune disease.
Signs and symptoms of the disease
- Fever
- Seizures
- Loss of balance
- Ataxia
- Head tilts
- Stumbling
- Circling
- Facial paralysis
Diagnosis of the disease
- CBC
- Cerebrospinal fluid sample
- CT scans
- MRI
- Brain tissue analysis
The treatment of encephalitis is done through managing the causes and controlling the symptoms.
Summary
If your dog has one of the neurological diseases in dogs and some strange symptoms begin to appear, this is a dangerous matter if it is not discovered early, as it may threaten the dog’s life.
Therefore, if you notice any change in the dog’s behavior or a change in the way it moves, you must go to your veterinarian immediately so that the disease can be discovered early and thus it is easier to treat.
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