Assesment of tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials in dogs with Distemper

Abstract

Canine Distemper is one of the most important infectious diseases affecting dogs worldwide. The virus affects several organs, including the nervous system. The demyelinating leukoencephalomyelitis is the most frequent neurological presentation of Distemper. The neuropathological changes that occur in this presentation are similar to the ones present in human demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) can provide information about axonal and/or myelin lesions. In multiple sclerosis patients, the SSEPs allow the early detection of subclinical lesions. The aim of this study was to determine if there was an alteration in the response of SSEPs of the tibial nerve in canines with Distemper. Cranial and Spinal SSEPs were recorded by means of tibial nerve stimulation in dogs with Distemper and in healthy dogs. There was an increase in the P1 wave latency and a decrease in the N1-P2 amplitude of the cranial SSEPs. Furthermore, an increase in N2-P2 amplitude was observed in the spinal SSEPs. These results showed that the use of SSEPs in dogs with Distemper can be an useful diagnostic tool to detect subclinical central conduction impairment.