Peripheral Nerved Diseases in Dog

Peripheral Nerve Diseases in Dog

All the nervous tissue other than the brain and spinal cord are called the peripheral nerves. These nerves carry information from the rest of the body to and from the spinal cord and brain. If a problem exists that interferes with the electrical signal passing to or from the central nervous system, there is an impairment of function.

The most common cause of problems of these nerves is injury, and it follows that the larger the nerve and the closer its proximity to the brain or spinal cord, the severer will be the functional deficit.

Radial Nerve Paralysis. Radial paralysis is an injury that often appears to be a dislocation or a fracture. In one sense it is this because the whole shoulder droops yet all the joints remain intact. This condition is due to the injury of the radial nerve plc. A heavy blow against it may cause a permanent break or bruise which may cause either temporary or permanent paralysis.

Because this nerve controls the motion of the front of the foreleg, the lack of its influence, plus the activity of the nerves on the back of the foreleg, causes the foot to pull backward. This bending backward, plus the dropping of the shoulder, make the front leg, from the wrist, or carpal joint downward, drag on the ground; and if it is unprotected, the skin will in time wear away. In the case of hopeless radial paralysis, the affected leg is often amputated to prevent the sores from becoming infected in the useless limb.

A few physiologists are equipped with electrical devices and a precise knowledge of the location of nerves, which enables them to determine the exact extent of the injury. If the nerve is not too badly impaired, the dog’s leg should be placed in a splint to prevent the tendons from becoming contracted, so that when normal motion has been restored, the dog may walk normally again. You can see that when a nerve has been injured the muscles to and from which the nerve travels will he non – functional. When muscles are nonfunctional they shrink or become atrophied. Fortunately, if nerves heal even though the healing may be slow the shriveled muscles quickly redevelop with exercise.

We have seen dogs recover the use of a leg even six months after the injury but only if the leg is constantly exercised to prevent tendon contraction with the resulting inability to straighten the carpal joint(wrist).

Muscle Spasms. With irritation of nerves, the muscles may develop spasms which is one of the most painful experiences a dog can have. The dog moves in “boat” fashion wills a stiff neck and walks as if it were on broken glass. Touch the dog’s skin anywhere and it may scream in pain. Ascending stairs or jumping on a favorite chair becomes too painful to attempt. We know disk problems, particularly those in the neck, will cause such spasms but there appear to be neuromuscular spasms produced by unknown causes, perhaps a virus. Dogs with this kind of problem arc are sometimes called “screamers.”

It appears that muscle atrophy may occur without obvious nerve involvement. Myositis or inflammation of a muscle with its subsequentmyopathy or atrophy is bewildering since usually, no cause can be demonstrated. An example is the atrophy of one or both temporal muscles. These muscles are involved with chewing or mastication and are located on top of the head on either side of the bump of knowledge, occipital protuberance. Massy old dogs have an atrophy of both muscles, which adds to their old appearance. Some dogs develop rather sudden atrophy of one of these muscles, leaving them wills the strange appearance of a one-sided sunken head. This condition usually persists for the lifetime of a dog but sometimes a spontaneous reversal results and the muscles return to normal.

Heat may be of great help in massy causes of nerve irritation and muscle spasms. After suffering through the cool damp weather of springtime, some dogs will become animated and happy, apparently pairs-free on hot bright summer days. When a cool damp spell comes, the trouble is evident again.

In some cases, vitamin – B – complex injections seem to afford relief but if the condition is not too severe old tried – and – true aspirin may bring relief. Give one five-grain tablet for every twenty pounds of the dog every three hours before trying more effective anti-inflammatory drugs.

There is concern that the latter, which incidentally are more expensive, are not without possible side effects. When giving aspirin always wrap it in some food so that the tablet does not rest on one area of the stomach lining while it dissolves or it will irritate the stomach mucosa. If your dog vomits after being given aspirin the dose should be reduced or and discontinued.

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