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Case Reports
. 2015 Jan;56(1):59-62.

Polioencephalomyelopathy in a mixed breed dog resembling Leigh's disease

Orit Chai  1 , Joshua Milgram  1 , Merav H Shamir  1 , Ori Brenner  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Polioencephalomyelopathy in a mixed breed dog resembling Leigh's disease

Orit Chai et al. Can Vet J. 2015 Jan.

Abstract
in English, French

A 14-month-old mixed-breed dog was presented with acute onset of exercise intolerance that quickly progressed to quadriparesis. Gross and microscopic autopsy findings indicated a type of degenerative polioencephalomyelopathy resembling subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy in dogs or Leigh's disease in humans. This syndrome has previously been reported only in purebred dogs.

Polioencéphalomyélopathie chez un chien de race croisée ressemblant au syndrome de Leigh. Un chien de race croisée âgé de 14 mois a été présenté avec l’apparition aiguë d’intolérance à l’exercice qui a rapidement progressé à la quadriparésie. Suite à la nécropsie, les constatations macroscopiques et microscopique ont indiqué un type de polioencéphalomyélopathie dégénérative ressemblant à l’encéphalomyélopathie nécrosante subaiguë chez les chiens ou au syndrome de Leigh chez les humains. Ce syndrome avait été signalé précédemment seulement chez les chiens de race pure.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Gross findings. Bilateral and symmetrical gray matter lesions characterized by variable degrees of malacia, cavitation, and discoloration are seen in the olivary nuclei of the medulla oblongata (top, arrows), the caudal cervical cord (C, arrows), the cervicothoracic intumescence (C–T, arrows), and the cranial thoracic cord (T, arrows).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Microscopic findings. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections of medulla oblongata (A–C), cervicothoracic intumescence (D,E) and extensor muscle of forelimb (F). A — A transverse section of the medulla oblongata shows bilateral and symmetrical rarefaction in the olivary nuclei (arrows). B — Higher magnification of the focus on the left in A. The lesion is well-demarcated and characterized by pallor, marked loosening and vascular congestion. C — Magnification of the boxed area in B. The neuropil is extremely loose and contains apparently normal neurons (arrowheads) and blood vessels (arrows). Lower right corner: Magnification of the neuron in the center of the field; dendrite is visible (arrow). D — A transverse section of the spinal cord at the cervicothoracic intumescence shows bilateral and symmetrical rarefaction of the affected gray matter. Asterisks indicate the border between the lesion and the surrounding white matter. The dorsal gray matter horns are spared (arrows). E — High magnification of the circled area in D. The neuropil is loose and infiltrated by numerous macrophages/gitter cells (arrows). Morphologically normal neurons are preserved (arrowheads). The inset at the lower right corner shows a preserved chromatolytic neuron with an eccentric nucleus (arrow) and partial dispersal of Nissl substance (asterisks). F — In the extensor muscle of the forelimb, scattered small myofibers (arrows) typical of neurogenic atrophy and a few hypertrophic myofibers (asterisks) are seen. Magnifications: A, ×0.5, B, ×4, C, ×20 inset ×40, D, ×0.5, E, ×20 inset ×20, F, ×10.
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References

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