title: Bovine spastic paresis: current knowledge and scientific voids.
abstract: The aetiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of bovine spastic paresis of the gastrocnemius muscle (BSP-G) have been investigated for several decades, but much remains to be elucidated. In some breeds, the proportion of atypical presentations of BSP involving the quadriceps muscle (BSP-Q) and/or several other muscles (mixed presentation, BSP-M) appears to be increasing. Differentiation between BSP-G, -Q and -M is challenging and existing surgical treatments are usually ineffective in cattle affected by one of the atypical forms of the disease. This paper reviews the current knowledge on BSP and addresses several areas where understanding of the disease is incomplete.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Caroline.DeVlamynck@Ugent.be.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Vlamynck
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pille
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lieven
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vlaminck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010291:Paresis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Bovine spastic paresis; Cattle; Gastrocnemius muscle; Mixed presentation; Quadriceps femoris