Prophylactic fenestration (PF) has been reported to protect against recurrent intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE), but recurrence is not always confirmed. No published studies address the cost-benefit of PF. Prophylactic fenestration requires additional surgical and anesthetic time, as well as further tissue dissection, all of which contribute to both surgical morbidity and the overall cost of veterinary care. Furthermore, PF is associated with adverse events such as hemorrhage, vertebral instability, further extrusion, iatrogenic discospondylitis, and nerve root trauma, but these are rare when performed by experienced surgeons, with a published complication rate of 0.01%.In this live webinar, Dr. Daniel Low discusses his recently published study on MRI follow-up of chondrodystrophic dogs that underwent prophylactic fenestration.

Dr Cecilia Danciu presents her latest publication on the clinical and imaging characteristics of CSF collection complications in 11 dogs.

Complications associated with CSF collection have been reported in dogs and include progressive myelomalacia and hematomyelia. A retrospective study of 30 dogs with intracranial neoplasia documented a complication secondary to CSF collection in 17% of the dogs, with the reported complications including coma, stupor and apnea. Information on the rate of major complications arising as a result of CSF collection in dogs with other neurological disorders, potential risk factors for such complications, including neurological examination findings and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features are discussed in this webinar summarizing the publication. A link to the publication is provided.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12172569/

In this journal club webinar, Dr. Theofanis Liatis discusses his most recent publication on generalised tremors in dogs based on a collection of 198 cases. The objective of the research was to describe the clinical characteristics of the cases, the prevalence of the diseases associated with generalized tremors in dogs, and identify clinical features that could be associated with the underlying disease. A tremor is an involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movement of a body part and generalized tremors affect the entire body. However, these tremors may have different features, such as being activated upon gravity (postural) or deteriorating with excitement and movement (action‐related kinetic), being episodic or continuous, or accompanied by intention head tremors. Generalized tremors have been associated with idiopathic generalized tremor syndrome, mycotoxin intoxication as well as other toxic diseases (e.g., metaldehyde, avermectins), metabolic diseases (e.g., hypercalcemia, hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperchloremia, hypokalemia, hyperammonemia, hepatic encephalopathy), orthostatic tremors and hypomyelination or dysmyelination.

In this journal club webinar, Dr. Jaoa Miguel De Frias from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh, UK, discusses his two recent studies on spinal subarachnoid diverticula in dogs and cats. The clinical and imaging characteristics are explained and the therapy and prognosis are reviewed based on the results of the studies.

In this live journal club webinar, Dr. Cecilia-Gabrilla Danciu reviews her recent publication which looked at canine stroke.Dr. Danciu's team looked at 125 dogs with ischemic stroke in attempt to document comorbidities, long-term outcome (survival and stroke recurrence), and the occurrence of epileptic seizures. Given the limited information concerning the long‐term outcome of dogs diagnosed with ischemic stroke, further investigation regarding prognostic factors is needed. Additionally, veterinary literature specifically evaluating the occurrence of poststroke epileptic seizures and epilepsy alongside survival in dogs is currently limited and so this study is a vital addition to our knowledge.Click on this link to read the study:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

In this live journal club sponsored by Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging, Dr. Nick Grapes discusses his study of 108 English and French bulldogs with discospondylitis. Vertebral body malformations are frequently identified incidentally, with a prevalence of over 70-80% in neurologically normal French and English bulldogs. While these 'birth defects' may increase the risk of intervertebral disc extrusions, there is no information on an association with discospondylitis, commonly a bacterial infection of a disc and the associated vertebral endplates. This study addresses whether there is indeed a relationship in these breeds with vertebral body malformations, frequently hemivertebrae.

In this episode of our live journal club webinar series, Dr. Emili Alcoverro discusses his study on the clinical and MRI characteristics of hydrated nucleus pulposus extrusion (HNPE) when it affects the thoracolumbar vertebral column (TLVC) and compares it to intervertebral disc extrusion. Watch this session to learn more about HNPE and its relationship in the TLVC to breed, age, history and clinical signs. This webinar is sponsored by Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging.

In this live webinar, Dr. Rita Goncalves discusses her recent publication which investigates the prognostic utility of MRI in determining the survival and potential for relapse in dogs with MUO. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for diagnosing MUO in dogs. Identifying MRI features associated with the outcome would be very helpful. So far, mass effect, loss of identifiable cerebral sulci (effacement), and foramen magnum herniation have been linked to an increased risk of mortality, but not with long-term outcomes. This study highlights the MRI based prognostic factors in a group of dogs with MUO.

In this webinar, Drs Citlalli Limpens and Paul Mandigers discuss their study on the effect of MRI screening and selection programs on the prevalence of syringomyelia in Dutch and Danish Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Syringomyelia (SM) is highly heritable indicating that selection to decrease the prevalence of the disorder is possible. A candidate genetic locus associated with syrinx transverse diameter has been identified, but the causal mutations have not been identified yet, and selection based on this locus has not been used for selective breeding strategies. Breeders who want to reduce the number of SM-affected Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) without an MRI cannot rely on the clinical signs. The only current reliable tool for breed selection against SM in CKCS is MRI. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of MRI-based selection in breeding on the prevalence of SM in the screened population of CKCS in Denmark and the Netherlands.

Click on this link to read the paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10859423/

In this journal club episode, Dr. Thanis Liatis discusses his study on dogs with non-intentional (episodic) head tremors. These tremors occur mainly at rest, can usually be terminated by distraction, and can have vertical (yes-yes), horizontal (no-no) or rotational directions. This is the sole clinical sign of a movement disorder called idiopathic episodic head tremor in dogs. Several breeds have been reported with this disorder, of which Bulldogs and Dobermans have been associated with a potential breed predisposition. The aim of Dr. Liatis' study was to describe the signalment, semiology, MRI findings and outcomes of dogs with both idiopathic and structural causes of this movement disorder.