Movement disorders during sleep in cats and dogs.
Spontaneous sleep movement disorders in 5 cats and 3 dogs were studied. Objective abnormalities during sleep were confirmed by electrographic or behavioral monitoring techniques in all animals. The cause of the disorder was CNS disease in 3 animals. A cause was not discovered in the other 5 animals, although at necropsy, 2 were found to have thyroid tumors. Many pharmacologic treatments were ineffectual, but trials with the benzodiazepine tranquilizer, clonazepam, suggested it will prove useful in controlling violent movements during rapid-eye-movement sleep.
Hendricks
J C
JC
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Lager
A
A
O'Brien
D
D
Morrison
A R
AR
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002415:Cats; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004285:Dogs; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012895:Sleep, REM