Veterinary Neurology Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the best definition of ataxia?

Lack of coordination without spastic or involuntary movements (correct)

Inability to recognize the location of limbs

Abnormally decreased muscle strength

Movement that overshoots the intended goal

What does dysmetria refer to?

Abnormal muscle tonicity

Inability to properly direct or limit motions (correct)

Inability to move limbs voluntarily

Movements that fall short of the intended goal

Which movement is characterized by an overshoot past the intended goal?

Dysmetria

Ataxia

Hypermetria (correct)

Hypometria

What does purposeful movement in animals involve?

Conscious attempts to move the legs Signup and view all the answers

In proprioceptive positioning, what is the expected behavior of the animal after flexing its paw?

The animal should immediately return to paw position Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily being assessed when performing a neurologic examination focusing on reflex actions?

Damage in the central and peripheral nervous systems Signup and view all the answers

Where do most sensory neurons synapse in the reflex arc?

In the spinal cord Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes an exaggerated reflex in the context of the reflex arc?

An abnormality in descending pathways from the brain and spinal cord Signup and view all the answers

Which reflex is considered the most reliable pelvic limb reflex?

Patellar reflex Signup and view all the answers

A hypopatellar reflex indicates which of the following?

Complete or partial loss of sensory or motor nerves Signup and view all the answers

What does unilateral loss of the patellar reflex typically suggest?

Lesion of the femoral nerve Signup and view all the answers

How is the patellar reflex tested in animals?

By striking the patellar ligament with a hammer Signup and view all the answers

What does a bilateral loss of the patellar reflex indicate?

Segmental spinal cord lesion at L4-L6 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following could be a sign of a lesion in the cerebellum?

Bilateral visual deficits Signup and view all the answers

What clinical sign indicates a lesion affecting the vestibular system?

Ipsilateral head tilt and nystagmus Signup and view all the answers

Which finding suggests proprioceptive deficits following a right-sided lesion?

Left-sided UMN hemiparesis Signup and view all the answers

Which cranial nerve deficit is associated with facial paralysis?

Facial nerve (CN VII) Signup and view all the answers

What is a common symptom of a lesion located in the spinal cord?

Contralateral postural deficits Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the hopping test for the thoracic limbs?

To evaluate proprioception and coordination of the thoracic limbs Signup and view all the answers

During the pelvic limb hopping test, what is the position of the thoracic limbs?

They are held off the ground to prevent contact Signup and view all the answers

What does the extensor postural thrust test specifically evaluate?

The support provided by the pelvic limbs Signup and view all the answers

What does the tonic neck reaction test indicate when the dog's head is extended dorsally?

A normal extension response in the thoracic limbs Signup and view all the answers

Why are placing reactions evaluated without vision first?

To assess reflexes and involuntary reactions Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected response in tactile placing when the limbs are brought in contact with a surface?

The dog should place its feet on the surface for support Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between tactile placing and visual placing?

Tactile placing evaluates the motor skills without vision, visual placing incorporates vision Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when a dog is subject to hemiwalking during the assessment?

One thoracic and one pelvic limb are held while letting it walk Signup and view all the answers

What does the presence of clonus indicate about a condition?

A chronic condition Signup and view all the answers

What is the most reliable indicator of spinal cord integrity?

Presence or absence of deep pain perception Signup and view all the answers

What behavior indicates the presence of sensation in an animal during sensory evaluation?

Attempts to vocalize or escape Signup and view all the answers

If an animal has lost proprioception and voluntary motor function, but still has superficial and deep pain sensation, how is its spinal cord damage classified?

Mild spinal cord damage Signup and view all the answers

What should be done to ensure the reliability of the sensory examination in an animal?

Repeat the examination by a second examiner Signup and view all the answers

What indicates hyperpathia in an animal during an examination?

Abnormally exaggerated subjective response to painful stimuli Signup and view all the answers

In the context of spinal cord injury recovery, which function is expected to return last?

Proprioception Signup and view all the answers

What is considered a behavioral response during the evaluation of deep pain perception?

Turning to look at the examiner Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Neurological Examination

Reflexes are a part of the neurological examination to assess the integrity of the central and peripheral nervous system.
Reflex arc is the neural pathway involved in mediating reflex actions, starting with a sensory receptor and ending with an effector organ.
Sensory neurons involved in reflexes do not always pass through the brain, instead, they synapse in the spinal cord, allowing for faster reflexes.
Myotatic reflexes are also known as stretch reflexes.
Reflex tests assess the sensory and motor components of the reflex arc and the influence of descending motor pathways.
Absence or depressed reflex indicates a complete or partial loss of sensory or motor nerves in the reflex arc, known as Lower Motor Neuron (LMN) lesion.
Normal reflex suggests intact sensory and motor nerves.
Exaggerated reflex indicates an abnormality in the descending pathways from the brain and spinal cord, known as an Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) lesion.
Patellar reflex is the most reliable pelvic limb reflex, performed with the animal in lateral recumbency.
Absence or depression of the patellar reflex indicates a lesion of the sensory or motor component of the reflex arc (LMN).
Unilateral loss suggests a femoral nerve lesion, while bilateral loss suggests a segmental spinal cord lesion involving spinal cord segments L4-L6.
Exaggerated patellar reflex and increased muscle tone suggest a lesion cranial to the L4 spinal cord segment (UMN).
Proprioception is the ability to recognize the limb position, tested by observing gait, foot placement, and knuckling.
Ataxia is lack of coordination without paresis, spasticity or involuntary movements.
Hypotonia is abnormally decreased muscle tonicity or strength.
Dysmetria is the inability to properly direct or limit movements.
Hypermetria is movements that overreach the intended goal.
Hypometria is movements that fall short of the intended goal.
Purposeful movement is an animal's conscious attempt to move its legs, applicable to weakly ambulatory and non-ambulatory animals.
Proprioceptive positioning is preformed by flexing the paw so the dorsal surface is on the floor. The animal should immediately return to position.
Wheel-barrowing is performed by having the animal bear weight on the thoracic limbs while being supported under the abdomen.
Hopping is tested by lifting one thoracic or pelvic limb and supporting the animal's weight on the remaining limb.
Extensor postural thrust is performed by supporting an animal caudal to the scapula and observing its ability to extend pelvic limbs to support weight.
Hemistanding and Hemiwalking are performed by elevating one side's front and rear limbs, observing the animal's ability to walk forward and laterally.
Tonic neck reaction is observed by extending the head dorsally, eliciting extension of joints in thoracic limbs in a normal dog.
Placing reactions are evaluated with and without vision.
- Tactile placing involves covering the eyes and touching the distal thoracic limb to the edge of a table.
- Visual placing allows the animal to see the table surface.
Clonus is a sustained after-contraction or quivering observed or felt during reflex testing, often associated with chronic conditions.
Deep pain perception is the most important prognostic test, indicating spinal cord integrity.
Sensory evaluation should be performed last.
Absence of deep pain indicates severe spinal cord damage with poor prognosis.
Sensory function returns before motor function during recovery.
Hyperpathia is an abnormally exaggerated response to painful stimuli, often found in pressure applied to spinous processes and paraspinal muscles.
Cerebellum is responsible for coordination and balance.

Spinal Cord Localization

Lesions below the foramen magnum are localized to specific regions of the spinal cord: cranial cervical, caudal cervical, thoracolumbar, lumbosacral, and sacral.

Cranial Cervical (C1-C5) Lesions

Altered mental status
Ipsilateral circling, pacing, head pressing
Contralateral postural and proprioceptive deficits
Contralateral cortical blindness (normal pupils and pupillary light reflexes)
Contralateral UMN hemiparesis
Seizure

Caudal Cervical (C6-T2) Lesions

Altered mental status: aggression, disorientation, hyperexcitability, coma
Contralateral postural and proprioceptive deficits
Bilateral visual deficits
Abnormalities of eating, drinking, sleeping, and temperature regulation (hypothalamus)

Thoracolumbar (T3-L3) Lesions

Mental status may be normal to severe depression and coma
Ipsilateral UMN hemiparesis or tetraparesis; may circle if ambulatory

Lumbosacral (L4-S3) Lesions

Cranial nerve deficits involving cranial nerves V through XII
- Trigeminal: motor and sensory (drop jaw/eyelid?)
- Abducent: medial strabismus
- Facial: facial paralysis
- Vestibulocochlear: central vestibular signs; hearing loss
- Glossopharyngeal/vagus: dysphagia, reduced gag reflex, laryngeal dysfunction
- Hypoglossal: abnormal tongue movement

Sacral (S1-S3) Lesions

Vestibular: Disoriented or unaltered mental status
Ipsilateral head tilt, circling, rolling, falling, asymmetric ataxia, and incoordination
Nystagmus (spontaneous or positional) with fast phase away from the side of the lesion
Ipsilateral ventrolateral strabismus
Requires differentiation from peripheral vestibular disease

Cerebellar Lesions
Unaltered mental status
Ataxic gait, wide-based stance, dysmetria, head tremor, intention tremor, and truncal ataxia
Visual but may have ipsilateral loss of menace response
Hypermetric postural reactions, goose stepping gait
Muscle tone, segmental reflexes, and sensation are unaltered

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts in veterinary neurology with this quiz. Questions cover topics such as ataxia, reflex arcs, and neurologic examinations in animals. Ideal for students and professionals in veterinary medicine.