title: Myotonia and disorders of altered muscle cell membrane excitability.
abstract: Altered excitability of the skeletal muscle membrane (sarcolemma) can result in clinical signs of muscle dysfunction. Hyperexcitability of the sarcolemma results in myotonia, and hypoexcitability results in paresis or paralysis. Our understanding of the physiologic and molecular bases of disorders of sarcolemmal excitability is rapidly increasing as techniques for evaluation are improved. This article reviews muscle excitability disorders in dogs and cats and their pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA. vite@vet.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Vite
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D009222:Myotonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000662:veterinary*; D012508:Sarcolemma