DefinePK

Abstract

The records of all clinical cases of dogs (n=6704) ranging from four months to thirteen years of age reported at referral veterinary polyclinic of the institute were screened in a comprehensive manner to study clinical variants and incidence of hind quarter weakness disorder during 6 year period. Diagnosis of hind quarter weakness in these dogs was confirmed by clinical history, neurological and radiological examination at the time of presentation. The naturally occurring disorders of hind quarter weakness were manifested by the clinical signs such as dragging the hind quarter while trying to walk with flaccidity of limbs, wide base stance, crouching and reluctance in movement, rigid hyperextension of with spasticity both hind limbs, unable to stand or can stand only for short periods of time generally without the normal arched back. It may result as a squelae to the spinal cord disorder either by fall, jump from height, road traffic accident, dog bite over the vertebral column, malicious blow by stick, rod, stone, crush by heavy object, fracture and myoclonus form of canine distemper. A total (n=386) cases of hind quarter weakness were reported in dogs during this period. The data revealed that incidence of hind quarter weakness was 5.75% in canines. The disorder was detected in as many as 12 breeds of dogs with more predisposition in Mongrel (33.16%), followed by Spitz (25.12%), Labrador retriever (16.06%), German shepherd (13.47%), Doberman pinscher (3.62%), Great dane (2.33%), Rottweiler (1.81%), Boxer and Bhutia (1.29% each) and Mastiff, Cocker Spanial and Pug (0.25% each). Incidence of hind quarter weakness in dogs was reported maximum during summer. There was no history of physical trauma in majority of the cases (46.11%). In rest of the cases, trauma was the known causative factor of the disease, which included fall from height in 27.46%, hitting by hard object in 11.13%, automobile accident in 8.03% and dog bite in 7.25% dogs. Male dogs of 1-5 years of age were mostly affected and brought for treatment within a week of illness.