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General Objectives
1. Is there a nervous system problem?
DENNIS V. UMALI, DVM, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of the Philippines Los Banos

2. Where is the location of the problem?

5 Components of Neurological Exams

A. SENSORIUM
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Sensorium
Movement and Gait,
Posture and Postural reactions
Examination of Reflexes (Spinal Nerves)
Examination of Cranial nerves

Mental Status
Depression responsive to environmental
stimuli but lethargic

Refers to the over-all behavior and mental

attitude of the animal
Behavior:
dullness, lethargy, coma, aggression, etc.

B. Movement and Gaits

Is the problem neurological or an
orthopedic problem?

Stupor unresponsive to environmental

stimuli but responds to pain stimuli
Coma patient is not responsive to both

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B. Gait
1. Paresis deficit of voluntary movement but patient is
able to walk
a. Monoparesis one limb
b. Paraparesis both pelvic limbs
c. Tetraparesis all four limbs
d. Hemiparesis thoracic limb and pelvic limb on the
same side

5. Dysmetria improper range or force of movement

Hypermetria overreaching intended goal
(i.e goose stepping, or high stepping)
Hypometria under reaching intended goal

2. Circling maybe wide or tight ; always indicate

an intracranial problem
Tight circles lesions in the caudal brain stem
Wide circles lesions in the forebrain
3. Tremors an involuntary, rhythmic, oscillating
movement

2. Plegia complete loss of voluntary ability to move,

patient cannot stand, support itself or walk
3. Paralysis complete loss of motor function, term used
when cranial nerve function is completely lost
4. Ataxia failure of muscle coordination

B. Movement
1. Lameness must be differentiated from
monoparesis/plegia
In lameness, patient avoids weight bearing
limbs; in paresis, the limb is dragged
oftentimes with loss of proprioception

C. Posture
1. Head
a. Tilt/Twist
- if accompanied by scratching,
maybe otitis externa or ear mites
- if continuous, maybe vestibular
lesions

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2. Trunk
- congenital/acquired lesions of vertebra
-Abnormal muscle tone
-Kyphosis dorsal curvature of spine
-Lordosis ventral curvature of spine
-Scoliosis lateral deviation of spine

-Schiff-Sherrington - increased tone in forelimbs with

flaccid paralysis in hind limbs
-Tetany increased tone in flexors and extensors
-Decerebellate rigidity opisthotonus, extension of
thoracic limbs, and flexion of pelvic limbs
-Decerebrate rigidity opisthotonus, extension of all
limbs, and severely altered mentation

C. Postural reactions
Indicated if there are less obvious
strength and coordination problem

3. Limbs
-Wide based stance often seen in ataxia
-Uneven distribution of weight
-Increased tone in extensor muscles (UMN)
-Decrease tone (LMN)
-Knuckling proprioceptive deficits (LMN or UMN
lesions)

Schiff-Sherrington phenomenon
Refers to the condition when the
forelegs, neck and head are extended
while hindlegs are paralyzed
Usually caused by protrusion in the
T2-L3 areas

C. Postural reactions
1. Knuckling Reflex
2. Wheel barrowing
3. Hopping
4. Hemistanding/Hemiwalking

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C. Postural reactions
5. Extensor Postural Thrust
6. Placing Reaction

Paw placement response as the paw is

placed back on the floor, flex the paw to
place cranial/dorsal part of paw on the floor
and check for normal immediate correction
for a palmar/plantar placement of paw on
the floor by the animal

Hopping response raise one leg and hop

laterally once or twice; then repeat on the
other side

D. Spinal reflexes Muscle tone

Hemiwalking lift both limbs on one side

and push away to hop once or twice; repeat
on the other side

Upper motor nerve (UMN) maintains muscle

tone to support the body against any load,
usually in the spinal cord area

Wheelbarrow test hopping is done while

holding the hindlimbs so forelimbs support
the animals weight

C7 T13 L7 S3 Cd 20-23 dog

C7 T18 L6 S5 Cd 15 horse

C7 T13 L6 S5 Cd 18 Ox

C7 T13 L6 S4 Cd 16 Sheep

C7 T14-15 L6-7 S4 Cd 20 pig

C14 L7 LS 14 Cd6 Chicken

Includes checking of muscle tone

Lower motor nerve (LMN), usually in the

organs supplied

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It innervate the latissiumus dorsi m.

Spinal Cord Segment Nerve

C6
C7

C6

{Subscapular
{Suprascapular
{Musculocutaneous
{Cranial Pectoral
Thoracodorsal
Caudal Pectoral

C8
T1
T2

Spinal reflex
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Biceps Reflex
Triceps Reflex
Withdrawal Reflex
Patellar Reflex
Gastrocnemius Reflex
Perianal Reflex
Cutaneus Trunci Reflex

Anal sphincter/ Perineal reflex

Perineum area prick with needle
If it disappears, then death is imminent

Patellar reflex
May use hammer reflex

C7
C8
T1

Suprascapular}
Musculocutaneous}
Axillary
Radial
Median
Ulnar

Withdrawal reflex
For forelegs and hindlegs examination
Could be used in the C6-T2 segments (do some
pinching)
Spinal reflex
May also include the L4-down areas
Check other segments, do some pinching
If the animal reacts, then there is no problem in the
transmission of impulses from C1 to L3

E. Cranial nerves
1. Olfaction
2. Menace Response/ Visual Tracking
3. Pupillary Light Reflex (CN2-3)
4. Head Movement and Eye Position (CN3, 4, 6)
5. Palpebral Reflex/Vibrissae Response /Corneal
Reflex(CN5 and 7)
6. Unseen Loud Noise/ Balance and Head tilt (CN 8)
7. Gag Reflex (CN9-10)
8. Cough Reflex (CN 10)
9. Tongue Exam (CN 12)

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