Lecture 27

Question 1

What are the characteristics of a tremor?

Answer 1

-rhythmic oscillation of a body part
-due to antagonistic muscles contracting in an alternating pattern
-can be generalized or focal
-can be intention, resting, or action

Question 2

What is hypermetria?

Answer 2

when movement is more distance-oriented than normal

Question 3

What are the characteristics of an intention tremor?

Answer 3

-occurs when animal tries to do a goal oriented movement
-animal will overshoot and then overcorrect in an alternating pattern
-most common with cerebellar lesions since the cerebellum regulates distance of movement

Question 4

What is a resting tremor?

Answer 4

tremor that occurs at rest but goes away once the animal goes to do an action

Question 5

What are the signs of cerebellar disease?

Answer 5

-intention tremor
-ataxia and hypermetria
-vestibular dysfunction

Question 6

What are the characteristics of cerebellar hypoplasia?

Answer 6

-have the signs associated with cerebellar disease
-no weakness
-pick legs up too high and move them too far when walking
-occurs in cats when the queen is infected with panleukopenia at the same time the cerebellum is developing

Question 7

What are the characteristics of idiopathic tremor syndrome?

Answer 7

-small breed dogs
-generalized tremor
-lymphocytic encephalitis seen on CSF analysis
-treated with prednisone; 2 to 4 mg/kg/day
-can get hyperthermia from excess muscle movement and inability to pant

Question 8

Which etiologies can cause conditions that appear similar to idiopathic tremor syndrome?

Answer 8

-metaldehyde toxicity
-tremorgenic mycotoxin toxicity
-hypocalcemia due to pregnancy toxemia or hypoparathyroidism

Question 9

What are the characteristics of an action tremor?

Answer 9

-occurs when the patient tries to move
-more so seen in the pelvic limbs
-big, slow movements; compared to a rocking horse

Question 10

What are the characteristics of congenital hypomyelination?

Answer 10

-seen in springer spaniels, chows, and weimeraners most commonly
-causes action tremors
-little to no myelin within the CNS

Question 11

What are the characteristics of idiopathic head bobbing?

Answer 11

-seen in dobermans, english bulldogs, boxers, and labs most commonly
-intermittent resting tremor of the head; stops with intentional action
-lab work is all normal; diagnosed based on clinical features
-no effect on the rest of the body
-no medication that helps, but condition is considered benign

Question 12

What are the characteristics of myoclonus?

Answer 12

-brisk, shock-like contraction of muscle/muscle group
-can be regular or irregular
-can occur with encephalitis, esp. due to distemper
-can affect the limbs, jaw, or diaphragm

Question 13

How does myoclonus differ from a tremor?

Answer 13

-myoclonus is the contraction and relaxation of one muscle/muscle group; not antagonistic muscles
-tremor is the alternating contraction of antagonistic muscles

Question 14

What is tetany?

Answer 14

sustained muscle contraction

Question 15

What are the characteristics of tetanus?

Answer 15

-can be focal (typically around the face) or generalized
-prolonged muscle stretch reflex
-treated with wound care, antibiotics, and supportive care
-animal is not paralyzed; just cannot relax muscles
-Clostridium tetani toxins inhibit the neurotransmitter glycine to cause the condition

Question 16

What are the characteristics of dancing doberman disease?

Answer 16

-flexion of hip and stifle while standing
-possibly a neuropathy
-not terribly disabling