After reading this article, you can understand:
How do cat and dog nervous systems work?
The nervous system can be thought of as the body's electrical system .
Includes the central nervous (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)
The (CNS) refers to the nerves of the brain and spinal cord.
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) involves all the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
How the nervous system works
The nervous system is responsible for receiving information, processing information and generating responses. When the neural network is damaged, the nervous system will "malfunction". Generally, the signs of nervous system diseases appear quickly, but some clinical signs are more subtle and easy to ignore in the early stages. In fact, before the damage to the neural network reaches 50% , it is possible to repair and regenerate through active treatment!
What are the symptoms and signs of neurological diseases in cats and dogs?
Seize the golden time of nerves! Carefully observe the early symptoms of your pet!
The following are signs that your cat or dog may be beginning to have a neurological disorder :
1. Syncodynamic disorder and movement disorder: Gait changes, starting with a slight stumble of the hind legs when turning . In severe cases, the connection between the brain and spinal cord is completely lost in the later stages, and the animal cannot understand where the front feet should be placed to walk.
2. Changes in mental state: "Mental state" requires the use of neural pathways, from perception to the cerebral cortex. If you notice that your cat or dog is behaving abnormally, such as being depressed, forgetful, or not alert , there may be something wrong with the neural pathways.
3. Balance disorders : disorientation, tilting of head, loss of balance, rapid eye movements (called "nystagmus"). Balance disorders have many causes, such as ear disease , injury, tumors, and hypothyroidism. Balance disorders are generally more common in older dogs and are called "canine geriatric balance syndrome."
4. Foot valgus: When a dog stands or walks, if the top of the foot drags on the ground, we call it limb valgus. Under normal circumstances, the dog's instinctive reflex will keep the foot in the correct position. However, when a nervous system disease occurs, the positioning signal from the brain to the foot cannot be transmitted in time, and the reflex action will be delayed or not occur in the early stage.
5. Hindlimb weakness: Hindlimb weakness ranges from being able to stand normally but having difficulty accelerating to being completely unable to use the hindlimbs effectively. During motor activity, signals are sent from the brain through the spinal cord to the peripheral nerves that innervate the muscles, and any interruption in the pathway may cause weakness. However, other causes of weakness, such as heart, metabolic, and bone diseases , must be ruled out .
6. Incontinence: Spinal cord disease , brain lesions, and damage to the nerves that control bladder and intestinal function to a certain extent may lead to urination and defecation problems. Dogs may continue to leak urine and defecation, unable to control it, or completely unable to eliminate it, constantly trying to go to the toilet.
7. Muscle tremors and twitches : Muscle tremors have many causes. Poisoning, genetic diseases , trauma, metabolic diseases , severe pain and nervous system diseases may cause involuntary and rhythmic muscle movements.
8. Epileptic seizures: Epileptic seizures are usually a manifestation of epilepsy. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, it is "evil wind entering the liver", while Western medicine considers it a common canine nervous system disease . Causes of epilepsy include brain tumors, trauma, toxins, and liver and kidney failure. Epilepsy is manifested as a major seizure with loss of consciousness. In the early stage, the dog will be sluggish, have facial twitches, and lick its lips . In the later stage, the dog will fall to the ground, kick its feet, urinate, defecate, and become confused and lost.
狗狗癱瘓依病情嚴重度分成5級：
第1級：可以行走，自主排洩，可能有背部疼痛的症狀。
第2級：能夠行走但不穩，無法走很遠，可以自行大小便。
第3級：無法行走但肢體仍有活動能力，可以自主排便排尿。
第4級：無法行走，但仍有深層痛覺反應，無法自己大小便。
第5級：無法行走，沒有深層痛覺也無法自行大小便。9. Loss of appetite : Certain nervous system disorders , especially those that affect the sense of balance and digestion , can cause nausea and loss of appetite. Loss of appetite is an early warning sign that something is not right , especially when combined with any of the other signs on this list .
10. Blindness : Vision loss is completely sudden and can be very alarming to us, however it is very important to remain calm and be a source of comfort to your pet. Your dog will be more worried than you if he loses his vision! This can range from problems with the eye itself to the nerves between the eye and the central nervous system.
11. Pain: Many dogs experience non-specific pain from neurological disease. This may result in initial crying, unusual vocalizations, shaking, trembling, hiding , withdrawal from family and normally enjoyed activities (such as playing and walking), and overall changes in behavior. It may also result in a general loss of appetite and a sense that something is wrong.
Classification of Nervous System Diseases :
Spinal diseases (disc herniation, spinal tumor, myelitis and infection, atlantoaxial subluxation, vertebral fracture, syringomyelia, degenerative myelopathy, etc.)
Brain diseases (epileptic seizures, meningitis and infection, brain tumors, metabolic or toxic brain diseases, cerebral hemorrhage or ischemia, brain trauma, hydrocephalus, etc.)
Neuromuscular diseases (myasthenia gravis, polymyositis, polyneuropathy, etc.)
Other neurological diseases (vestibular diseases, movement disorders, etc.)
How to treat neurological diseases in cats and dogs?
Cat and dog nerve treatment methods in Western medicine, Chinese medicine and nutrition ?
Western uses internal medicine analgesics and restricts the range of motion for treatment. The pet will also be given general anesthesia and then an MRI and CT scan to determine the location of the disease.
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the body is conditioned in the early stages of neural network disorders by harmonizing the Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and using food therapy, and the method of medicine and food coming from the same source. The nervous system regards this as "evil wind entering the liver", and foods that nourish the liver, gallbladder, and muscles are wood green foods, so more supplements will be taken. The kidney and liver have the same source, and kidney deficiency will lead to liver yin deficiency, causing liver qi to be vigorous and disturb the mind, which is what is commonly called liver yang hyperactivity. Gastrodia elata, a "wind-fixing grass" with the effect of calming the liver and suppressing yang, can be used. Gastrodia elata is sweet in taste and neutral in nature. It belongs to the liver meridian and has the effects of extinguishing wind and stopping convulsions, calming the liver and suppressing yang, and dispelling wind and unblocking the meridians. It is the first and most important medicine for all symptoms of liver wind movement and dizziness in the head and eyes. "Zhengyi" says: "The texture of hemp is thick, heavy and solid. It can calm and stabilize, nourish fluid to calm the internal wind, so it is called Dingfengcao." Modern medical research believes that Gastrodia elata has sedative, analgesic and anti-seizure effects. It can increase cerebral blood flow, reduce increased cerebral vascular resistance, constrict cerebral blood vessels and coronary blood flow; it can lower blood sugar, slow down heart rate, and protect against myocardial ischemia; Gastrodia elata also has the effects of improving eyesight and significantly enhancing memory; its most well-known effect is "tonifying the brain", and it can be used as medicine and food. At the same time, from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is also used to stimulate acupoints and reflex nerves to activate nerves.
From a nutritional perspective, we should actively supplement nutrients that can repair and regenerate nerves to provide positive support to our pets' bodies, such as key nutrients for neuritis: omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins, and vitamin C. The role of key vitamin ingredients in nerve health: Vitamin B1: Responsible for nerve transmission, and can also protect the cell membranes of neurons to maintain normal nerve functioning. Vitamin B3: Responsible for transmitting electrons and dilating peripheral blood vessels. Vitamin B6: Responsible for assisting the synthesis of neurotransmitters, helping to prevent peripheral neuropathy and improving nerve paralysis. Vitamin B12: Responsible for maintaining the nervous system, assisting in repairing damaged nerves, and helping to prevent neuropathy. Nucleotides: Responsible for cell energy transmission, repairing damaged nerves and promoting nerve regeneration. Duck oil contains rich Omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation and help improve joint health. In addition, duck oil also contains glucosamine, chondroitin, vitamin B12 and other ingredients, which also help maintain joint health. The fatty acids in duck oil can help moisturize the skin, thereby improving skin health. In addition, duck oil also contains antioxidant substances such as vitamin E and vitamin A, which can reduce the damage of free radicals and help maintain healthy skin. Pumpkin, oats, blueberries, and carrots contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9, which can increase nerve transmission and neuron repair by allowing your pet to actively absorb proper nutrients.
Key nutrients for nerve repair and regeneration | Function | Food sources |
Vitamin B1 Thiamin | Participate in nerve transmission and protect the cell membrane of neurons, allowing nerve function to function normally | Meat, whole grains, yeast |
Vitamin B2 Riboflavin | Involved in neuroconduction | Animal liver, meat, eggs, dairy products, dark green vegetables |
Vitamin B5 Pantothenic acid | Participates in the biosynthesis and metabolism of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine | Widely found in food |
Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine | A cofactor for neurotransmitter synthesis, reducing nerve numbness and peripheral neuropathy | Whole grains, spinach, bananas, nuts, beef, salmon, chicken |
Vitamin B9 Folic Acid | Involved in neurotransmitter synthesis | Dark green vegetables, citrus fruits, strawberries, animal liver |
Vitamin B12 Cobalamin | Maintain the functioning of the nervous system, repair damaged nerves, and reduce neuropathy | Meat, oysters, mussels, egg yolks |
Minerals: calcium, magnesium | Regulates the transmission of neurotransmitters and has a calming effect on the nerves | Calcium: egg shell powder, oats , dairy products, dried fish, black sesame Magnesium: dark green vegetables, nuts, bananas |
Vitamin D | Assists nerve conduction, synthesizes serotonin, and relieves depression | Sunlight, mushrooms, fatty fish (salmon, sardines) |
Omega-3 | Maintains normal information transmission between brain nerve cells and relieves depression | Mackerel, saury, salmon, sardines |
Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids , these fatty acids can reduce inflammation and maintain normal signal transmission between brain nerve cells | Duck Oil |
Fuzzywuzzycare Nutrition Institute has developed (purchase link): [ Nerve 5%] Nerve Repair and Regeneration Duck Slices (whole body nerve repair) calcium-phosphorus ratio balanced formula combines Western and Chinese medicine nutrition research for cat and dog nerves to actively support and treat furry friends with neurological problems
Cats and Dogs of Level 4 and 5:
Western medicine generally recommends surgery as the main treatment. First, a CT scan is performed to determine whether the pathological location is a single point or multiple points. Then, a surgical operation is performed to remove the compression point. If it is hydrocephalus, brain drainage is performed. Despite the surgery, the dog's recovery will not be better than that of the first three levels of patients, because the nerves at the compression point have been damaged and are difficult to repair, especially for older dogs.
From a Chinese medicine perspective , when a pet reaches the 4th or 5th stage, the doctor will carefully feel the pet's pulse, observe, smell, ask and palpate before making a diagnosis.
From a nutritional perspective , it is generally recommended to grind the food therapy formula so that the pet who has lost his appetite can absorb it, hoping that the pet's body can repair and fight against the gradual weakening. When reaching the 4th and 5th levels, the owner needs to actively adopt different methods to cooperate with the treatment.
Eight current comprehensive neurological treatments
During acute pain relief , you may need medication to quickly relieve pain, but be careful of side effects on the digestive tract and kidneys.
Nutritional supplements can help nerve repair and regeneration, even cartilage formation, reduce inflammation, reduce intracranial pressure, and more.
Appropriate exercise to increase dietary fiber, moderate exercise is the main
Rehabilitation : Home rehabilitation, such as hot compress, massage, joint stretching; advanced rehabilitation, such as swimming, acupuncture, massage, electrotherapy, ultrasound, laser, etc.
Manual therapy physical therapists use specialized manual techniques to assess and treat joint, soft tissue abnormalities and muscle tightness. Therapeutic massage can relieve muscle tension and tightness caused by nervous system diseases.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulator (NMES) At higher frequencies, NMES helps stimulate the motor nerve fibers in thin, weak muscles, causing them to contract and strengthen. NMES is often used on patients who are weak and unable to move their muscles - especially muscle groups that have atrophied after injury or due to neurological disease.
Laser therapy uses invisible infrared light energy (photons) to penetrate tissues, speeding up the body's natural healing process. Laser therapy can relieve pain, tissue swelling, inflammation, muscle tightness and nervous system disorders. Laser acupuncture is also sometimes used.
Severe cases of surgery may require different types of surgical treatments, such as general anesthesia, injections, drainage, joint fixation, joint replacement, etc.
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