Long Term Outcome of Conservative Management or Surgical Treatment of Bovine Spastic Paresis: 79 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: To report the long term clinical outcome of calves treated surgically or managed conservatively for bovine spastic paresis of the gastrocnemius (BSP-G), quadriceps femoris muscle (BSP-Q), or mixed muscle involvement (BSP-M). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case study. ANIMALS: Calves (n = 79) with bovine spastic paresis. METHODS: Medical records of calves treated by partial tibial neurectomy or managed conservatively for bovine spastic paresis were analyzed for sex, breed, lineage history, and the onset, duration, and severity of clinical signs. Cases were classified as unilateral or bilateral BSP-G, BSP-Q, or BSP-M. Long term follow-up information was obtained by telephone questionnaire. RESULTS: The study group included 26 BSP-G (33%), 16 BSP-Q (20%), and 37 BSP-M (47%) calves. BSP-M and BSP-Q calves were significantly more bilaterally affected compared to BSP-G calves. Twenty-five of 26 BSP-G calves were treated surgically; 86% had complete resolution of clinical signs. Twenty-nine of 37 BSP-M calves were treated surgically; 81.5% improved, but none completely recovered. In all of the conservatively managed BSP-M calves, clinical signs gradually worsened. None of the BSP-Q calves were treated surgically; in 66.7%, clinical signs gradually worsened and 33.3% of calves spontaneously improved. CONCLUSION: Partial tibial neurectomy is advocated for the treatment of BSP-G and in selected cases of BSP-M. However, only partial resolution of clinical signs should be expected for BSP-M. No surgical treatment exists for BSP-Q calves, although spontaneous improvement is possible.

Bovine spastic paresis: current knowledge and scientific voids.

The aetiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of bovine spastic paresis of the gastrocnemius muscle (BSP-G) have been investigated for several decades, but much remains to be elucidated. In some breeds, the proportion of atypical presentations of BSP involving the quadriceps muscle (BSP-Q) and/or several other muscles (mixed presentation, BSP-M) appears to be increasing. Differentiation between BSP-G, -Q and -M is challenging and existing surgical treatments are usually ineffective in cattle affected by one of the atypical forms of the disease. This paper reviews the current knowledge on BSP and addresses several areas where understanding of the disease is incomplete.

Hospital-based study of dental pathology and faecal particle size distribution in horses with large colon impaction.

The aim of the study was to determine if horses with large colon impaction were more severely affected by oral pathology than control cases and to relate faecal particle size distribution to dental pathology in both study groups. A prospective study included 39 horses with large colon impaction and 72 control horses from a hospital-based population. An oral pathology score (OPscore) and periodontal disease index (PDI) were assigned to all horses and faecal samples were collected for estimating faecal particle size and analysis of particle size distribution. Horses with large colon impactions were not more severely affected by oral pathology than control horses for both OPscore (P = 0.2) and PDI (P = 0.3). Faecal particle size estimates were significantly higher in control animals (P <0.001). No significant association was found between faecal particle size estimates and OPscores in horses with large colon impaction or control horses. In horses with large colon impaction, faecal particle size estimates increased with increasing PDI (P = 0.05). No associations were found between dental pathology and faecal particle size estimates. Horses developing large colon impaction did not have worse dentition than control horses.

Evaluation of three approaches for performing ultrasonography-guided anesthetic blockade of the femoral nerve in calves.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a practical ultrasonography-guided injection approach to anesthetic blockade of the femoral nerve in calves and to assess the method's accuracy. ANIMALS: 13 cadavers of 4-week-old male Holstein Friesian calves. PROCEDURES: Detailed topographic and anatomic cross-sectional evaluation of the relevant topography in 3 cadavers was performed to identify optimal injection approaches to the femoral nerve. Three approaches (ventral paravertebral, dorsal paravertebral, and ileal) were evaluated by simulated ultrasonography-guided perineural injection of methylene blue dye in 10 cadavers. Ultrasonographic image quality, number of needle redirections required for correct needle positioning, and injection success as defined through a 3-point grading system were recorded. RESULTS: The dorsal paravertebral approach yielded the best results, compared with the ileal and ventral paravertebral approaches, to properly and adequately stain the targeted nerve. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The dorsal paravertebral injection technique appeared to be the best choice for performing a femoral nerve block in calves, although this technique will need to be further evaluated in live calves to determine its effectiveness and clinical usefulness. Diagnostic perineural anesthesia of the femoral nerve in cattle might be helpful in identifying quadriceps muscle involvement in those with complex spastic paresis.

Ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block as a diagnostic aid in demonstrating quadriceps involvement in bovine spastic paresis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of a femoral nerve block via a dorsal paralumbar injection in healthy calves and calves suffering from spastic paresis. Based on bony landmarks and using ultrasound guidance, the femoral nerves of eight healthy calves were blocked bilaterally with a 4% procaine solution containing blue dye. In 11/16 nerve blocks, paralysis of the quadriceps muscle was obtained after dorsal paralumbar injection. Paralysis was total in 8/16 cases. The injection site was confirmed by post mortem dissection, and in 12/16 cases, the blue dye was found <2mm from the nerve. Clinical use of the technique was then demonstrated in two cases of atypical bovine spastic paresis. In such calves an objective diagnostic tool is required to identify those calves which are suitable for partial tibial neurectomy. The femoral nerve block used in this study has the potential to be such a method and can be used to establish the involvement of the quadriceps femoris in calves suffering from the quadriceps or mixed presentation form of spastic paresis.