While any cat may potentially be affected by SCI, there is a tendency for exogenous SCI to be more common in younger individuals and, in the authors' experience, pure-breed cats are very rarely presented. Endogenous SCI can be seen in any breed and is typically a condition of adult cats.

Five cats presented with acute-onset neurological signs. Magnetic resonance imaging in four cats showed a T2-weighted hyperintense spinal cord lesion that was mildly contrast-enhancing in three cats. Owing to inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid changes three cats were treated with immunosuppression. One cat was treated with antibiotics. All cats improved initially, but were eventually euthanased owing to the recurrence of neurological signs. Histopathology in all cats showed hyaline degeneration of the ventral spinal artery, basilar artery or associated branches with aneurysmal dilation, thrombosis and ischemic degeneration and necrosis of the spinal cord and brain. Two cats also had similar vascular changes in meningeal vessels. Vascular hyaline degeneration resulting in vascular aneurysmal dilation and thrombosis should be a differential diagnosis in cats presenting with acute central nervous system signs.

In this study, the short tau inversion recovery changes identified were restricted to cases with inflammatory spinal cord disease. The short tau inversion recovery change had a sensitivity of 78%, and a specificity of 92% in predicting inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting that short tau inversion recovery sequences are a useful addition to the investigation of suspected inflammatory spinal cord disease.

Five dogs, four small mixed breed and a Doberman Pinscher, presented in our clinic with hemivertebra. Complete physical, radiological and neurological examinations were done and the spinal deformities were characterized in accord with the Nasca classification used in human medicine. Two dogs had multiple hemivertebrae (round, oval or wedge-shaped: Type 3) in the thoracic region; one dog had an individual surplus half vertebral body (Type 1) plus a wedge-shaped hemivertebra (Type 2b) in the lumbar region; one dog had multiple hemivertebrae which were fused on one side (Type 4a) in the thoracic region; and one dog had a wedge-shaped hemivertebra (Type 2a) in the cervical region.

A two-year old, male entire Border collie was presented with a one-year history of exercise-induced collapsing on the pelvic limbs. Physical examination revealed generalised muscle atrophy. Neurological examination supported a generalised neuromuscular disorder. Electromyography revealed spontaneous electrical activity in almost all muscles. Unfixed and formaldehyde-fixed biopsy samples were collected from the triceps brachii, longissimus and vastus lateralis muscles. Histopathological, histochemical and ultrastructural examinations of biopsy specimens were consistent with either centronuclear or myotubular myopathy. The dog clinically improved with supportive treatment with L-carnitine, co-enzyme Q10 and vitamin B compound. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of centronuclear/myotubular myopathy in a Border collie.