Pathological findings in a Dachshund-cross dog with neuroaxonal dystrophy.
BACKGROUND
Neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) is a neurodegenerative condition affecting humans and animals characterized by the widespread presence of swollen axons (spheroids).


METHODS
Herein, we report the pathological findings in a case of neuroaxonal dystrophy in a Dachshund-cross puppy, which was euthanized because of a proprioceptive positioning deficits and irreversible ataxia of the hind limbs. Histologically, there was a bilaterally symmetric neuroaxonal dystrophy with eosinophilic axonal spheroids exclusively localized at the level of the ventral posterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus, medial lemniscus, gracilis nucleus, medial cuneatus nucleus in the brain as well as the gracilis and cuneatus fasciculi throughout the spinal cord.


CONCLUSIONS
To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of canine neuroaxonal dystrophy with this exclusive and specific localization only in the neuronal circuit implicated in the transmission of conscious proprioceptive information.
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna "G.Pegreffi", Via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
Davide
D
Pintus
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna "G.Pegreffi", Via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
Maria Giovanna
MG
Cancedda
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna "G.Pegreffi", Via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
Simona
S
Macciocu
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna "G.Pegreffi", Via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
Claudia
C
Contu
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna "G.Pegreffi", Via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100, Sassari, Italy. ciriaco.ligios@izs-sardegna.it.
Ciriaco
C
Ligios
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000473:pathology; D019150:Neuroaxonal Dystrophies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology
Brain; Dog; Neuroaxonal dystrophy; Proprioceptive