title: Inferior cerebellar hypoplasia resembling a Dandy-Walker-like malformation in purebred Eurasier dogs with familial non-progressive ataxia: a retrospective and prospective clinical cohort study.
abstract: Cerebellar malformations can be inherited or caused by insults during cerebellar development. To date, only sporadic cases of cerebellar malformations have been reported in dogs, and the genetic background has remained obscure. Therefore, this study`s objective was to describe the clinical characteristics, imaging features and pedigree data of a familial cerebellar hypoplasia in purebred Eurasier dogs. A uniform cerebellar malformation characterized by consistent absence of the caudal portions of the cerebellar vermis and, to a lesser degree, the caudal portions of the cerebellar hemispheres in association with large retrocerebellar fluid accumulations was recognized in 14 closely related Eurasier dogs. Hydrocephalus was an additional feature in some dogs. All dogs displayed non-progressive ataxia, which had already been noted when the dogs were 5-6 weeks old. The severity of the ataxia varied between dogs, from mild truncal sway, subtle dysmetric gait, dysequilibrium and pelvic limb ataxia to severe cerebellar ataxia in puppies and episodic falling or rolling. Follow-up examinations in adult dogs showed improvement of the cerebellar ataxia and a still absent menace response. Epileptic seizures occurred in some dogs. The association of partial vermis agenesis with an enlarged fourth ventricle and an enlarged caudal (posterior) fossa resembled a Dandy-Walker-like malformation in some dogs. Pedigree analyses were consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance.
authors: Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Filipa
authors: F
authors: Bernardino
authors: Tierärztliche Praxis für Neurologie, Dettelbach, Germany.
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Rentmeister
authors: Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, Small Animal Clinic, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
authors: Martin J
authors: MJ
authors: Schmidt
authors: Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Clinic of Small Animal Surgery and Reproduction, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Bruehschwein
authors: Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Section of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Kaspar
authors: K
authors: Matiasek
authors: Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Lara A
authors: LA
authors: Matiasek
authors: Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Lauda
authors: Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors: Heinz A
authors: HA
authors: Schoon
authors: Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D003616:Dandy-Walker Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000473:pathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005621:Friedreich Ataxia / Q000473:pathology*; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000473:pathology; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000473:pathology*; D010375:Pedigree; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies