Magnetic resonance as a part of a broad approach to seizures in dog - two cases of hydrocephalus in dogs with cluster seizures

This paper describes two cases of hydrocephalus in dog. Both dogs were presented at the Clinic for Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagreb, after having experienced cluster seizures and status epilepticus, respectively. In each dog physical and neurological examination was performed, revealing no abnormalities. Complete laboratory workup and urinalysis were included for each dog and all results were within reference range. Both dogs underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and through this procedure a diagnosis of hydrocephalus was established. Anticonvulsive therapy and therapy against increased intracranial pressure was introduced in both dogs. Treatment resulted in marked clinical improvement. key words: dog, hydrocephalus, seizures, cluster seizures, magnetic resonance (MR) Introduction Seizures are the most common neurologic disorder in small animal medicine (PODELL et al., 1995). Any involuntary event that is brief and episodic should be considered a possible seizure (ShELL, 1993c). Estimates of seizure incidence during a lifetime vary from 0.5% to 5.7% in all dogs, and from 0.5% to 1.0% in all cats (WhEELER, 1995). Seizures are transient, paroxysmal disturbances of the electrical activity of cerebral neurons that result in a period of clinical abnormality (ChRISMAN, 1995). Therefore, *Contact address: Doc. Dr. Vesna Matijatko DVM, PhD, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, heinzelova 55, Croatia, Phone: +385 1 2390 357; Fax: +385 1 2441 390; E-mail: [email protected]