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Background Meningioma is the most common primary brain neoplasm in dogs. Further information is required regarding the expected long-term prognosis of dogs following the surgical resection of an intracranial meningioma together with the influence of adjunctive therapies. Whilst there have been several studies reporting the long-term outcome of intracranial meningioma resection following surgery alone, surgery with the use of an ultrasonic aspirator, surgery combined with radiotherapy and surgery combined with the addition of hydroxyurea, it is currently unclear which type of adjunctive therapy is associated with the most favourable outcomes. The objective of this study is to describe the presentation and outcome of dogs undergoing surgery for the resection of an intracranial meningioma and the effect of clinical factors, adjunctive therapies and meningioma histopathological subtype on the long-term outcome. Results A hundred and one dogs that had intracranial surgery for meningioma resection were investigated from four referral centres. 94% of dogs survived to hospital discharge with a median survival time of 386 days. Approximately 50% of dogs survived for less than a year, 25% survived between 1 and 2 years, 15% survived between 2 and 3 years and 10% survived for greater than 3 years following discharge from hospital. One or more adjunctive therapies were used in 75 dogs and the analysis of the data did not reveal a clear benefit of a specific type of adjunctive therapy. Those dogs that had a transfrontal approach had a significantly reduced survival time (MST 184 days) compared to those dogs that had a rostrotentorial approach (MST 646 days; p < 0.05). There was no association between meningioma subtype and survival time. Conclusions This study did not identify a clear benefit of a specific type of adjunctive therapy on the survival time. Dogs that had a transfrontal approach had a significantly reduced survival time. Intracranial surgery for meningioma resection offers an excellent prognosis for survival to discharge from hospital with a median long term survival time of 386 days.

Trigeminal neuropathy, often idiopathic, is described as a common and self-limiting condition of dropped jaw in dogs. Previously described magnetic resonance findings are limited and describe thickening of the trigeminal nerve only. In this article, we report a Staffordshire bull terrier that presented with dropped jaw and was found to have bilateral hyper intensities at the location of the trigeminal nuclei following magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Testing for infectious diseases and examining the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample obtained from the cisterna magna did not identify an underlying pathology, and the dog proceeded to make a full clinical recovery following anti-inflammatory treatment. In the authors knowledge, this represents the first case reported with the presentation of trigeminal neuropathy and changes seen within the brain on MRI.

BackgroundThe usefulness of routine follow-up Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI-2) in asymptomatic dogs treated for discospondylitis is unknown.MethodsThis cross-sectional retrospective study investigated the features of MRI-2 in a heterogeneous group of dogs treated for discospondylitis, and if these were associated with the presence or absence of clinical signs. After comparing initial MRI (MRI-1) and MRI-2, an observer, blinded to the dog's clinical signs, described the MRI-2 findings. The study population was then divided into symptomatic or asymptomatic at the time of MRI-2. Two separate observers subjectively classified the discospondylitis as active or inactive. Repeatability and interobserver agreement were evaluated.ResultsA total of 25 dogs were included. At the time of MRI-2 16 (64%) dogs were asymptomatic and 9 (36%) were symptomatic. Based on MRI-2, 20 (80%) and 18 (72%) out of 25 dogs were considered to have active discospondylitis by the first and second observers, respectively. Interobserver agreement was moderate. No MRI-2 features were associated with the clinical status. The subjective classification of inactive discospondylitis was significantly associated with asymptomatic clinical status, but the classification of active discospondylitis was evenly distributed between groups.ConclusionThis study did not identify a meaningful association between the clinical status of dogs treated for presumptive discospondylitis and MRI-2 results. There were no specific MRI-2 features which were associated with the clinical status.

Spinal cord lesion site is mainly localised through correct performance and interpretation of a full neurological examination. Decreased or absent spinal reflexes localises the lesion within that reflex arc (low motor neuron), while intact or increased spinal reflexes indicates a lesion cranial to the reflex arc (upper motor neuron). In acute and severe spinal cord injury, lesion localisation may be compromised by the presence of spinal shock, because in individuals with spinal shock, the clinical presentation shows discrepancy between spinal reflexes and lesion localisation, with loss of segmental spinal reflexes caudally to a lesion, although the intumescence may remain intact. Lack of recognition of spinal shock in these patients could lead to erroneous clinical localisation of the lesion, inappropriate utilisation of diagnostic tests and incorrect reporting of patient prognosis to the owner.