Clinical presentation and phenotypic characteristics of severe cavitatory lesions in brain of three dogs – case report

Marked lateral ventricular enlargement associated with atrophic cerebral cortex is described in three dogs. In case 1 (Irish terrier) and case 2 (German shepherd), hydranencephaly was diagnosed and it was characterized by the complete loss of cerebral hemispheres, leaving only about 2 mm of brain tissue that encircled fluid filled sacs. Clinically, the Irish terrier showed only sleepines and retroflexion of the head during sleeping, while the German shepherd showed no neurological or any other symptoms. In the third case (English setter), internal hydrocephalus was found, probably secondary to the severe periventricular lesions characterized by neutrophilic/mononuclear cell infiltration. This lesion was diagnosed as hydrocephalus associated with periventricular encephalitis, and this dog showed more severe neurological symptoms, such as: somnolence, opisthotonus, rigor of muscles due to seizures, poor eye-sight, stager, ataxia, and unresponsivness to vocalisation. In all cases, no infectious agent or specific cause was determined.