title: Behavioural analysis of the efficacy of treatments for injuries to the spinal cord in animals.
abstract: There have been very few clinical trials evaluating therapies for naturally occurring spinal cord injury in dogs and cats. This review describes the methods suitable for evaluating the behavioural recovery of animals with spinal cord injuries, in either a clinical or a laboratory setting. A list of commonly used methods for evaluating behavioural recovery in animals is provided, both in the clinical and laboratory setting; the tests, their limitations and benefits and specific recommendations for their use are also discussed in more depth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5B4.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Olby
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Muir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D008124:Locomotion; D009043:Motor Activity; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D051381:Rats; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013045:Species Specificity; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome