NEUROLOGICAL SIGNS & DISEASES

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1. Anatomy
2. Signs & Problems
3. Disorders & Diseases
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5. Miscellaneous

The nervous system is composed of billions of neurons that form a complex network of pathways within the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Disease in any one of these 3 circuits (encephalopathy, myelopathy, and neuropathy, respectively) can cause a pet to experience a lack of sensation and/or motor ability. Neurological diseases that could be affecting a pet can be found in this section by following these steps:

1. Neurological Signs: The main signs a pet may exhibit with a neurological problem are listed in the left menu and other associated signs are listed on the corresponding pages.

Click here to view common neurological signs.
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Common Neurological Signs:
The following list contains some of the more common signs associated with neurological diseases and is not all-inclusive:
• Paresis/Paralysis or Weakness of one or more limbs
  • knuckling, dragging leg(s), abnormal gait
  • monopareseis/monoplegia, paraparesis/paraplegia, tetraparesis/tetraplegia
• Balance Disorders
  • lack of balance, head tilt, circling, nausea, falling/rolling, nystagmus, tremors, ataxia, Horner's syndrome, hypermetria
• Vision Disorders
  • blindness, walking into objects
• Seizures (episodic & stereotyped)
  • sudden/violent shaking, paddling, dilation of pupils, unresponsive/staring, loss of consciousness, salivating/drooling, stiffness, twitching, involuntary urinatination/defecation
• Pain
  • crying out, holding up limb, low head carriage, tense muscles, decreased/limited mobility, changes in appetite
• Other Neurological Signs
  • difficulty swallowing or chewing, decreased facial movement, voice changes, muscle atrophy of the head, collapsing, hearing loss, behavior changes (confusion, pacing, wandering), trismus, dropped jaw
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2. Anatomical Region: Each page is divided into the part of the body where the neurological signs could be localized (e.g. head, neck, back).
3. Type of Disease: The disease process affecting the nervous system and causing the neurological signs must be determined.
4. Disease: Finally, common neurological diseases will be listed underneath the type of disease.

See the Neurology Overview for basic information that may be helpful in understanding the complex nature of neurological diseases.