L’ataxia in dogs it is part of a complex field of neurological pathologies. Unlike other diseases better known in the veterinary world, the latter presents a symptomatology and a clinical picture that is much more complex in the eyes of an inexperienced and difficult to decipher.
Diseases of the nervous system cause clinical signs that hardly refer directly to the damaged or compromised anatomical area and this is the reason why the diagnostic procedure provides for a diversified protocol and absolutely pertinent to veterinary medical specialists.
Cerebellar ataxia in dogs
How can I help my dog who has ataxia? This is a complex question to answer and for which important diagnostic investigations by our veterinarian are needed to understand the causes and developments that led our faithful friend to such a limiting condition.
First of all, it is important to understand how neurological diseases work and how they cause functional alterations of the various systems of the body. In the case of ataxia in dogs, the direct pathological correlation exists between theimpaired development of the cerebellum and motor coordination.
Specifically we are talking about a hypoplasia (limited development) of the cerebellum. How can this condition affect Fido’s walking? Let’s start with functional anatomy!
Ataxic gait of the dog
Ataxia in dogs is a direct consequence of lack of cerebellar development. The complex interconnection of the various cerebellar neuronal entities with each other and with the rest of the central nervous system, allows the cerebellum to intervene more or less directly in many functions.
What does the cerebellum have to do with it?
In both humans and animals, the cerebellum regulates motor activity, making voluntary movements fluid and precise, participates in maintaining balance and posture by acting on the tone of the extensor muscles and contributes to the regulation of unconscious proprioception.
In practice, when his activity ceases, the subject will find himself completely in disarray from the point of view of coordination, voluntary movements and posture.
Ataxia in dogs: when does it occur?
The animal suffering from cerebellar hypoplasia is thick normal at birth and develops a slow and progressive cerebellar ataxia in a variable time. So at what age is dog ataxia found? Normally visible at a few weeks of life, but it should be noted that in some breeds the onset is about a year or later.
Very often the clinical signs are noticed in the puppy when the latter tries to get up and walk, but he succeeds only after many attempts and immense difficulty.
The rate of progression of ataxia in dogs depends very much on the breed: in fact in some subjects it is very rapid and appears as an evident motor incoordination while in others the gait deficits are really mild and not disabling.
Symptoms of Ataxia in Dogs
Ataxic gait in dogs is an evident pathological behavior and directly attributable to a cerebellar problem (of the cerebellum).
We have no alterations in the mental or cognitive state, in fact the puppy will be able to easily store information and decipher it, but it will be difficult to interpret them in a motor key. It is important to divide the symptoms of ataxia in dogs into two important phases: posture e gait.
Vestibular ataxia in dogs: posture problems
Locomotor ataxia in dogs starts from posture: the subjects in station have an enlarged support base. In some cases, oscillations, more or less coarse, of the whole body, both longitudinally and transversally, can also be found, which are called “hesitations”.
In addition, they are often noticeable wobbles or tremors finer at the level of the head and neck which are defined as “tremors at rest”: these worsen or become completely evident when the animal tries to perform a precise movement such as grasping food (intentional tremors). In practice, these oscillations are present as the cerebellum is unable to coordinate the movements, but the brain tries to correct antithetical movements trying to solve a problem that does not anatomically belong to it.
Ataxia in Dogs: Gait Symptoms
Ataxia in dogs is noticeable in posture, but it is evident above all in the gait. We are talking about a motor incoordination of the limbs characterized by inability to modulate the right range of movements (dysmetria) which is often exaggerated (hypermetry).
We usually notice greater clinical evidence in the forelimbs that determine the classic “goose step” gait. This is evident already on the flat, but becomes exacerbated when greater precision of movement is required, such as climbing steps or stairs. In addition to ataxia, it is possible to find an hypertonicity of the limbs that can appear very rigid, but it is important to know that there will never be paresis.
Ataxia in dogs: other possible causes
It is common to wonder with a cerebellar ataxia in dogs what the life expectancy is, but it is even more important to understand the cause. Only by making a diagnosis of certainty is it possible to understand whether it is possible to recover.
Although thecerebellar hypoplasia is the most common cause of permanent ataxia it is possible that other ataxic forms may occur following various pathological conditions such as the following:
- Vascular: heart attacks; bleeding; ischemias.
- Inflammatory / infectious: meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology (GME) or infectious etiology (protozoal, viral, bacterial or mycotic).
- Traumatic: head trauma.
- Abnormal / congenital: hypoplasia-aplasia; cyst; hydrocephalus.
- Metabolic: metabolic pathologies of the cerebellum are not documented.
- Idiopathic: no idiopathic pathologies of the cerebellum are documented.
- Neoplastic: primary (meningioma; glioma; medulloblastoma; lymphoma; chorioid plexus papilloma) or metastatic tumors.
- Degenerative: cerebellar and multisystemic abyotrophies; neuroaxonal dystrophies; spinocerebellar degenerations; spongiform degenerations; leukodystrophies; lysosomal storage diseases; ceroid lipofuscinosis.
In these cases, when the primary pathology of the cerebellum is resolved, the ataxia should disappear.
How much does it cost to test a dog for ataxia?
Ataxia in dogs can be caused by many ailments and for this reason it is important to make a correct diagnosis. The diagnostic protocol is obviously strictly dependent on the suspicion matured following the clinical and neurological examination and can include:
- complete blood-biochemical tests,
- serological tests,
- magnetic resonance study
- examination of the cerebrospinal fluid.
By adding these potential medical expenses together with the visit by a veterinary specialist, inclusive amounts can be reached from 600 to 800 Euros. Of course, the costs of medical services vary from structure to structure, but certainly the most expensive part is that of magnetic resonance imaging which at the same time is essential for making a diagnosis.