Neurological diseases are of particular concern, given the complexity of the nervous system and the consequences it can have on the body.
The dog polyradiculoneuritis it is the most frequent peripheral neuropathy, yet it is classified as a rare disease.
It can affect dogs and cats of all sexes and ages, but is usually found in adults. In humans it is known as “Guillàin-Barrè” syndrome (GBS). That’s what it is.
What is dog polyradiculoneuritis?
Dog polyradiculoneuritis it is an acute and progressive inflammation of the spinal nerves, capable of rapidly causing paralysis of 2-4 limbs (quadriplegia). Many aspects of this pathology remain unknown.
What we know today is that it is a disorder immune-mediatedin which the dog’s immune system attacks an essential component of the brain for nerve signal transmission: myelin.
The myelin it is the sheath that protects neurons from the passage of the electrical impulse, allowing the signal to be transmitted correctly to the muscles.
In dog polyradiculoneuritis – for reasons still unknown – this substance becomes the target of antibodies, which trigger a serious inflammation making muscle contractions more and more difficult, up to paralysis.
Cause
To date there are several known triggers for polyradiculoneuritis in dogs, however this disease is defined as idiopathictherefore due to unknown causes, in fact it has not yet been clarified what exactly its mechanism of action is.
From the scientific literature it emerges that the triggering causes can be 3:
- the bite of a raccoon, (very common in America)
- vaccines
- viral or bacterial infections (e.g. toxoplasma gondii e canine neospora)
In Italy the latter two are the most probable hypotheses, since septic processes and vaccines play an important role in the immune response.
Symptoms
Symptoms appear from 7 to 14 days from the triggering event (assuming it occurs), and consist mainly of:
- Intense muscle weakness
- Stiff gait
- Shaky gait
- Short wheelbase
- Aphonia and dysphonia (inability to make noises)
These symptoms rapidly worsen over a period of 24-48 orein which the dog can present:
- Flaccid paralysis
- Absence of reflexes
- Muscle weakness
- Inability to move and walk
A suddenly paralyzed dog may have contracted this disease. In most cases, a block of the hind limbs, then of the anterior onesBut not always.
The severity of the symptoms can vary from person to person: the paralysis can be total, partial, or in less severe cases the dog will be able to move the limbs but they will still be very weak.
Diagnosis
There is no specific test which allows the detection of polyradiculoneuritis in dogs.
The veterinarian, through the patient’s clinical history and symptoms, together with further diagnostic investigations such as:
- electromyography
- examination of the cerebrospinal fluid
- muscle and nerve biopsy
- search for Anti-Ganglioside antibodies
will be able to exclude other pathologies, such as:
Prognosis
The good news is that from dog polyradiculoneuritis it heals: given the variety with which this pathology can occur in dogs and cats, the prognosis times vary from person to person, as does the prognosis itself:
- in less severe cases, it resolves in 3-6 weeks
- in severe cases up to 6 months,
Often this pathology has a favorable coursebut we must be aware that the recovery may not be total, and in some cases the aggravation of symptoms, up to the involvement of the respiratory system, can also lead the dog to death due to the inability to breathe.
So let’s see what the therapy consists of.
Treatment
In reality there is no drug cure to dog polyradiculoneuritis, the only effective method to combat this neuropathy is physiotherapy. The exercises will be established by the specialized veterinarian based on your dog’s symptoms, to be carried out both at home with passive exercises for example:
- moving his paws as if the dog was riding a bicycle,
- keeping it standing for a certain time,
- stimulating the sensory reflex.
All this is always accompanied by specialist rehabilitation sessions and active exercises.
The symptoms of neurological diseases can have a strong impact on the owner, who finds himself helpless and unprepared in the face of a rare and disabling disease.
But this time do not be discouraged, because a cure exists. Act promptly when symptoms appear and pursue physiotherapy, which with a little effort could restore your dog’s ability to move!