Page 877 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

39 – THE CAT WITH TREMOR OR TWITCHING 869

Clinical signs have a slow onset and are chronically
NEOPLASIA
progressive.
Signs are variable but include pelvic limb ataxia, Classical signs
seizures, paresis, hypermetria, intention tremors,
● A cat with multiple meningiomas
decreased pupillary light reflexes, and hyperesthesia
presented with generalized tremors.
over the thoracolumbar area.
Seizures were noted during sleep and were character-
ized by staring, clawing, biting and hissing.
Pathogenesis
Diagnosis A 2-year-old cat with multiple meningiomas presented
with generalized tremors. This cat was receiving
Two affected cats were leukopenic, with one having
chemotherapy for a previously diagnosed lymphoma.
bone marrow hypoplasia.
Diffuse neoplastic involvement was present pathologi-
Cerebrospinal fluid from one cat contained an elevated
cally.
protein content.
One cat had diffuse, hyper-reflective tapetal areas and
Clinical signs
subretinal infiltrative lesions upon fundic evaluation.
Tremor was the initial clinical sign seen.
Definitive diagnosis is often only made at necropsy.
Clinical signs progressed rapidly to ataxia and paresis.
Histological lesions are most severe in the spinal cord
and included severe degeneration and loss of neurons,
perivascular mononuclear cuffing, lymphocytic menin- Diagnosis
gitis, neuronphagia and glial nodules.
Multiple tumors were found at necropsy extending
from the parietal lobes of the brain to the lumbar spinal
Differential diagnosis
cord.
Rule out other inflammatory, metabolic and degenera-
tive causes of tremor.
Differential diagnosis
Treatment Rule out other inflammatory, metabolic and degenera-
tive causes of tremor.
No treatment has been attempted.
Prognosis Treatment

Clinical signs where progressive up until euthanasia. No definitive treatment was attempted.

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