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Micah’s Mystery: A Case of Seizures in a Golden Retriever

Micah’s Mystery: A Case of Seizures in a Golden Retriever. Ashley D. Justice. Meet Micah . 11 year old intact male Golden Retriever Agility Champion Presented to Auburn’s neurology service on 8/18/09 due to recent onset of seizure activity. . History. No previous history of seizures

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Micah’s Mystery: A Case of Seizures in a Golden Retriever

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  1. Micah’s Mystery: A Case of Seizures in a Golden Retriever Ashley D. Justice

  2. Meet Micah • 11 year old intact male Golden Retriever • Agility Champion • Presented to Auburn’s neurology service on 8/18/09 due to recent onset of seizure activity.

  3. History • No previous history of seizures • No other medical conditions other than hypothyroidism. • First seizure activity on 6/13/09 • Transported to emergency clinic • Micah was placed on phenobarbital (63.8 mg tablet BID)

  4. History cont. • Micah was weaned off of the medication, then suffered another seizure a week later (8/9/09). • Controlled with rectal diazepam • Micah was placed back on the phenobarb • rDVM tested for E.canis, Lyme disease, RMSF

  5. Physical Examination • Bright, Alert, Responsive • Temperature, pulse, and respirations were all within normal limits. • No significant abnormalities found

  6. Neurologic Examination • Mental status: normal • Gait and Posture: normal with the exception of a slightly abnormal rear limb gait • Slight, intermittent right head tilt was present, otherwise, all cranial nerves WNL • Spinal reflexes: WNL • Postural reactions: WNL

  7. Seizures • Definition: the clinical manifestation of an excessive discharge of hyperexcitablecerebrocortical neurons. • Generalized, simple partial, or complex partial • Brief/isolated vs. Cluster • Micah: generalized

  8. Pathophysiology • Imbalance between normal excitability and inhibitory mechanisms due to an intra or extra cranial disease process.

  9. Seizure Classification • Primary epileptic seizures • 44%- no identifiable cause of seizure activity • Large breed dogs • 1-5 yrs. (most initial episodes are from 6 mo.-3 yrs) • Longer inter-ictal period (>4 wks) • Generalized motor seizures • Considered familial or inherited

  10. Seizure Classification • Secondary epileptic seizures • 46% - animal has an identifiable intracranial abnormality • Bimodal onset- <1 yr. or >7yr. • Partial seizures included • First seizure is usually between midnight and 8 am. • Many etiologies

  11. Seizure Classification • Reactive epileptic seizures • 10% • Metabolic, toxic, or other noxious insult capable of inducing seizures. • Most likely when inter-ictal period is <4 wks. • Most involve organ or endocrine disease. • All ages • Many etiologies

  12. Initial Treatment • When to treat • >1 seizure in a 24 hour period • >1 seizure every 6 weeks • History of status or clusters • Judgement call • Goal: to reduce the seizure frequency to less than one single seizure every 6-8 weeks ASAP. • Potassium Bromide and Phenobarbital are the most common treatment options.

  13. KBr vs. Phenobarb • KBr -- • Dosage: 40-50 mg/kg q24 (lower dose when used as an adjunct) • Contraindication: renal insufficiency • Ensure stable dietary chloride intake • Side effects: ataxia, lethargy, PU/PD • Phenobarb -- • Dosage: 2.5-4 mg/kg q12 • If seizures are occurring at intervals of less than 7 days, initiate PB therapy with an IV loading dose of 15-25 mg/kg. • Measure levels in 2 wks. (target level is 20-45 mcg/ml) • Contraindication: liver disease

  14. Other considerations • Only if no seizures have occurred in 6-12 months, consider slowly weaning over a period of a few months. • Do not administer drugs that interfere with the metabolism of PB: • Chloramphenicol, cimetidine, ranitidine, and tetracyclines. • Do not administer drugs which may lower the seizure threshold: • Ace, xylazine, ketamine, estrogens, tricyclic antidepressants, bronchodilators.

  15. Initial Diagnostics • CBC, Serum chemistries, Urinalysis- no significant abnormalities. • 3 view thoracic radiographs- WNL • Titers for RMSF, E.canis, Neospora, Distemper, Toxoplasma- RMSF again mildly elevated, but likely represents previous exposure or exposure to a non-pathogenic strain. Distemper borderline increased, but probably not clinically significant. • Brain MRI

  16. MRI results

  17. 2 7/14 4 12

  18. Intracranial Tumors • Seizures could be the result of expansile growth or peri-tumoral effects (edema, compromised blood flow) • Rarely disseminate throughout the CNS by hematogenous or CSF routes. • Incidence: 14.5 in 100,000

  19. Types of Intracranial Tumors • Astrocytic tumors • Oligodendroglial tumors • Ependymal cell tumors • Mixed gliomas • Tumors of the Meninges

  20. Treatment Plan • Continue with the current drug regimen (phenobarb, saloxine) • Discharge (8/19/09) to return on 8/25/09 for brain surgery.

  21. 8/25/09 • Micah returns to Auburn for brain surgery • Bright, alert, and responsive with no seizure activity noted by owner.

  22. Surgical Considerations • Intracranial pressure dynamics is the most important consideration for the patient prior to performing a craniotomy. • Monroe-Kellie Doctrine: the contents of the cranial vault are blood, CSF, and parenchyma- an increase in any of these 3 results in a net decrease in the other 2 components.

  23. Surgical Considerations (cont.) • Pre-operative steroid administration • Dexamethasone: to reduce edema and CSF production • Sodium prednisolonesuccinate or methyl prednisolonesuccinate- antiinflammatory and tissue protective as oxygen free radical scavengers and stabilizers of the lysosomal membranes. • Micah: solu-delta cortef • Prophylactic antibiotic usage • To decrease CNS bacterial contamination • Micah: cefazolin

  24. Craniectomy • Sternalrecumbency • Transfrontal approach

  25. Post-operative • Critical care • Monitoring: • Check heart rate, respirations, and blood pressure every two hours. • Flip sides every four hours, as well as ice pack incision every 4 hours. • NPO • LRS- 70 ml/hr • Medications: • Cefazolin • Lasix • Buprenorphine • Phenobarb • Levothyroxine • Midazolam • Domitor • Famotidine

  26. Post-operative • Walked outside with assistance day 1 • NPO • Began offering food on day 2 and switched to oral antibiotic and pain control • Spiked a fever on day 3 but was controlled easily, received surgical histopathology results • Gradually increased food intake and walking distance

  27. Meningioma • Most frequent CNS tumor seen in vet med • MST • Surgical excision followed by radiation therapy- 16 mo. • Surgical excision alone- 11 mo. • No treatment- variable – could be weeks to months. • Breed predilection: dolicocephalic • Age predilection: mature adults • Behavior- generally benign • Location: usually solitary • Cerebrum> cerebellum> spinal cord>ventricles

  28. August 30, 2009- Micah goes home!

  29. Recheck-9/14/09 • BAR, incision healing nicely • Neurologic examination- inconsistent right eye menace response and droopy right eyelid • Owner reported Micah to be weak in his rear limbs • Pretreatment CT for radiation therapy

  30. 10/2/09 • Micah is receiving his 13th of 16 fractions of radiation today. • He is doing great with no abnormalities thus far!

  31. Thank You….. Phil. 4:13- “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” God Family Micah Dr. Ortinau and Dr.Shores Class of 2010 Gran 1932-2009

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