Peripheral Nerved Diseases in Dog

All the nervous tissue other than the brain and spinal cord are calledthe peripheral nerves. These nerves carry information from the rest ofthe body to and from the spinal cord and brain. If a problem exists that interferes with the electrical signalpassing to or from the central nervous system, there is an impairmentof function.

The most common cause of problems of these nerves is injury, and itfollows that the larger the nerve and the closer its proximity to thebrain or spinal cord, the severer will be the functional deficit.

Radial Nerve Paralysis. Radial paralysis is an injury that often ap - pears to be a dislocations or a fracture. In one sense it is this, becausethe whole shoulder droops yet all the joints remain intact. This condi - tion is due to the injury of the radial nerve plcxis. A heavy blow againstit may cause a permanent break or bruise which may cause eithertemporary or permanent paralysis.

Because this nerve controls the motion of the front of the foreleg,lack of its influence, plus the activity of the nerves on the back of theforeleg, causes the foot to pull backward. This bending backward, plusthe dropping of the shoulder, makes the front leg, from the wrist, orcarpal joint downward, drag on the ground; and if it is unprotected, theskin will in time wear away. In the case of hopeless radial paralysis theaffected leg is often amputated to prevent the sores from becominginfected in the useless limb.

A few physiologists are equipped with electrical devices and a preciseknowledge of the location of nerves, which enables them to determinethe exact extent of the injury. If the nerve is not too badly impaired,the dog's leg should be placed in a splint to prevent the tendons frombecoming contracted, so that when normal motion has been restored,the dog may walk normally again. You can see that when a nerve is injured the muscles to and from which the nerve travels will he non - functional. When muscles are nonfunctional they shrink or becomeatrophied. Fortunately if nerves heal even though the healing may beslow the shriveled muscles quickly redevelop with exercise.

We have seen dogs recover use of a leg even six months after theinjury but only if the leg is constantly exercised to prevent tendoncontraction with the resulting inability to straighten the carpal joint(wrist).

Muscle Spasms. With irritation of nerves the muscles may developspasms that are one of the most painful experiences a dog can have.The dog moves in "boat" fashion wills a stiff neck and walks as if itwere on broken glass. Touch the dog's skin anywhere and it may screamin pain. Ascending stairs or jumping on a favorite chair becomes toopainful to attempt. We know disk problems, particularly those in theneck, will cause such spasms but there appear to be neuromuscularspasms produced by unknown causes, perhaps a virus. Dogs with thiskind of problem arc sometimes called "screamers."

It appears that muscle atrophy may occur without obvious nerveinvolvement. Myositis or inflammation of a muscle with its subsequentmyopathy or atrophy is bewildering since usually no cause can be dem - onstrated. An example is the atrophy of one or both temporal muscles.These muscles are involved with chewing or mastication and are lo - cated on top of the head on either side of the bump of knowledge, oroccipital protuberance. Massy old dogs have an atrophy of both mus - cles, which adds to their old appearance. Some dogs develop a rathersudden atrophy of one of these muscles, leaving them wills the strangeappearance of a one - sided sunken head. This condition usually persistsfor the lifetime of a dog but sometimes a spontaneous reversal resultsand the muscles return to normal.

Heat may be of great help in massy causes of nerve irritation andmuscle spasms. After suffering through the cool damp weather ofspringtime, some dogs will become animated and happy, apparentlypairs - free on hot bright summer days. When a cool damp spell comes,the trouble is evident again.

In some cases vitamin - B - complex injections seem to afford relief butif the condition is not too severe old tried - and - true aspirin may bringrelief. Give one five - grain tablet for each twenty pounds of the dogevery three hours before trying more effective anti - inflammatory drugs.

There is concern that the latter, which incidentally are more expensive,are not without possible side effects. When giving aspirin always wrapit in some food so that the tablet does not rest on one area of thestomach lining while it dissolves or it will irritate the stomach mucosa.If your dog vomits after being given aspirin the dose should be reducedor discontinued.