Paraneoplastic polyneuropathy and subsequent recovery following tumor removal in a dog.

A 10-year-old, intact female Brittany spaniel was presented for evaluation of progressive tetraparesis. Physical examination and diagnostic testing revealed masses within the right mammary chain and left caudal lung lobe. Neuromuscular electrodiagnostic and histopathological findings were compatible with a peripheral polyneuropathy. Upon removal of the tumors, the dog's paresis disappeared. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case in the veterinary literature of improvement following therapy of a suspected paraneoplastic neuropathy.

Comparison of unilateral arytenoid lateralization and ventral ventriculocordectomy for the treatment of experimentally induced laryngeal paralysis in dogs.

This study evaluated changes in respiratory function in dogs with experimentally induced laryngeal paralysis treated with either unilateral arytenoid lateralization or ventral ventriculocordectomy, and compared the effectiveness of these procedures. Evaluation consisted of clinical assessment and tidal breathing flow volume loop and upper airway resistance measurements. Carbon dioxide and doxapram hydrochloride were used as respiratory stimulants. Initially, all dogs improved clinically after corrective surgery. However, by the end of the study, laryngeal collapse had developed in 2 of 5 dogs corrected by ventral ventriculocordectomy. No statistical differences in upper airway mechanics testing were seen between the surgical procedures. With both groups combined, many measurements of upper airway obstruction improved after surgical correction. Based on this study, these surgical procedures yield comparable results, although additional studies are needed to evaluate both the cause of laryngeal collapse and the role of upper airway mechanics testing in the evaluation of canine laryngeal paralysis.

Bilateral recurrent laryngeal neurectomy as a model for the study of idiopathic canine laryngeal paralysis.

The purposes of this study were to develop an experimental model of canine laryngeal paralysis that mimicked the naturally occurring disease and to document the upper airway changes produced, both clinically and with pulmonary function testing. Ten dogs had bilateral recurrent laryngeal neurectomy performed and were recovered from anesthesia. Tidal breathing flow-volume loop analysis and upper airway resistance measurements were taken before and after the development of clinical laryngeal paralysis while dogs breathed room air and after the individual administration of 2 respiratory stimulants. Clinical signs of laryngeal paralysis developed 38 days (median) following denervation. Although some variations were present, tidal breathing flow-volume loop analyses on room air, following denervation, were similar to those reported in naturally occurring cases. Upper airway resistance increased following denervation and was significantly increased with both respiratory stimulants. We concluded that bilateral recurrent laryngeal neurectomy resulted in clinical signs and respiratory changes similar to those of idiopathic canine laryngeal paralysis.

Measurement of upper airway resistance in awake untrained dolichocephalic and mesaticephalic dogs.

A technique for measuring upper airway resistance was developed in awake untrained dolichocephalic and mesaticephalic dogs. Twenty healthy dogs, 10 Collies (group A--dolichocephalic) and 10 mixed-breed dogs (group B--mesaticephalic), were studied. All dogs tolerated the procedure well, and adverse effects were not observed. Mean (+/- SEM) value for upper airway resistance was 7.1 +/- 0.50 cm of H2O/L/L/s. There was a trend toward lower upper airway resistance (R(uaw)) values in group-A dogs, compared with those in group-B dogs. Values of R(uaw) were reproducible for an individual dog. The mean individual dog coefficient of variation for R(uaw) was 7.5%. The overall R(uaw) coefficient of variation for all 20 dogs was 31.4%. This technique for measuring upper airway resistance in dogs is clinically applicable for objectively assessing response to treatment of obstructive upper airway disorders.