Search

Background: The intranasal (IN) route for rapid drug administration in patients with brain disorders, including status epilepticus, has been investigated. Status epilepticus is an emergency, and the IN route offers a valuable alternative to other routes, especially when these fail., Objectives: To compare IN versus IV midazolam (MDZ) at the same dosage (0.2 mg/kg) for controlling status epilepticus in dogs., Animals: Client-owned dogs (n = 44) with idiopathic epilepsy, structural epilepsy, or epilepsy of unknown origin manifesting as status epilepticus., Methods: Randomized parallel group clinical trial. Patients were randomly allocated to the IN-MDZ (n = 21) or IV-MDZ (n = 23) group. Number of successfully treated cases (defined as seizure cessation within 5 minutes and lasting for ≥10 minutes), seizure cessation time, and adverse effects were recorded. Comparisons were performed using the Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests with statistical significance set at α < .05., Results: IN-MDZ and IV-MDZ successfully stopped status epilepticus in 76% and 61% of cases, respectively (P = .34). The median seizure cessation time was 33 and 64 seconds for IN-MDZ and IV-MDZ, respectively (P = .63). When the time to place an IV catheter was taken into account, IN-MDZ (100 seconds) was superior (P = .04) to IV-MDZ (270 seconds). Sedation and ataxia were seen in 88% and 79% of the dogs treated with IN-MDZ and IV-MDZ, respectively., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Both routes are quick, safe, and effective for controlling status epilepticus. However, the IN route demonstrated superiority when the time needed to place an IV catheter was taken into account., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Background: The only hereditary neurologic disorder described so far in American Staffordshire Terriers is adult-onset cerebellar degeneration secondary to ceroid lipofuscinosis. We have seen several dogs with a newly recognized neurological disease characterized by locomotor weakness with or without respiratory signs and juvenile onset consistent with degenerative polyneuropathy of genetic origin., Objectives: To characterize a novel polyneuropathy in juvenile American Staffordshire Terriers., Animals: Fourteen American Staffordshire Terriers presented with clinical signs consistent with juvenile-onset polyneuropathy at 5 veterinary hospitals between May 2005 and July 2017., Methods: Case series. Dogs were included retrospectively after a diagnosis of degenerative polyneuropathy had been confirmed by nerve biopsy. Clinical, pathological, electrophysiological, histological data, and outcome were reviewed and a pedigree analysis performed., Results: All dogs displayed clinical signs of neuromuscular disease with generalized motor and sensory involvement, associated with focal signs of laryngeal paralysis (10/14 dogs) and megaesophagus (1/14 dogs). Histopathological findings were consistent with degenerative polyneuropathy. Follow-up was available for 11 dogs, and 3 dogs were euthanized shortly after diagnosis. In these 11 dogs, the disease was slowly progressive and the animals maintained good quality of life with ability to walk. Pedigree analysis was mostly consistent with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Juvenile polyneuropathy, associated with laryngeal paralysis, is a newly described entity in American Staffordshire Terriers, and results from degenerative neuropathy. When surgery for laryngeal paralysis is performed, lifespan may be similar to that of normal dogs even though affected dogs have locomotor disturbance., (© 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)