NR APQZ
AU Herden,C.; Beineke,A.; Hetzel,U.; Lemmer,W.; Baumgärtner,W.
TI Unusual manifestation of hepatic encephalopathy in two Irish wolfhound siblings
QU The Veterinary Record 2003 Nov 29; 153(22): 682-6
PT case reports; journal article
AB In hepatic encephalopathy the brain lesions are usually characterised by polymicrocavitation, preferentially in the white matter, and the occurrence of Alzheimer type II cells. This paper describes an unusual manifestation of hepatic encephalopathy in two Irish wolfhound siblings in which the white matter was not involved predominantly. Both puppies had developed progressive neurological disturbances and signs of blindness. Histologically, there were widespread spongiform changes in the neuropil and fibre bundles interspersed within the grey matter, and there were some neuronal vacuoles. In both animals, the regions of the brain mainly affected were the nucleus caudatus, amygdala, cerebellar nuclei, mesencephalon, thalamus, hypothalamus and medulla oblongata. An astrogliosis characterised by Alzheimer type II-like cells was also observed. Electron microscopy revealed a splitting of the myelin sheath. No infectious agents such as rabies virus, canine distemper virus or prion proteins were detected. The main findings in the portal regions of the liver consisted of a dilatation of the lymphatic vessels and increased numbers of small arteries, indicating that a portosystemic shunt was the probable cause of the spongiform brain lesions.
IN Auch die hepatische Enzephalopathie kann zumindest in Ausnahmefällen bei Hunden zu spongiformen Degenerationen in der grauen Hirnsubstanz einschließlich neuronalen Vakuolen und zu einer Astrogliose führen.
MH Animals; Animals, Newborn; Brain/pathology/ultrastructure; Diagnosis, Differential; Dog Diseases/*diagnosis/genetics/pathology; Dogs; Hepatic Encephalopathy/diagnosis/*veterinary; Pedigree
AD C.Herden, A.Beineke, U.Hetzel, Institut für Veterinär-Pathologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Frankfurter Strasse 96, D-35392 Giessen, Germany; W.Lemmer, Veterinary Clinic, Bogenweg 10, D-35085 Ebsdorfergrund-Heskem, Germany; Wolfgang Baumgärtner, Institut für Pathologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule, Bunteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany
SP englisch
PO England