Progressive syringohydromyelia and degenerative axonopathy in a bobcat (lynx rufus) following surgical correction of a chiari-like malformation

• Published in: Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 329 - 332
• Main Authors: Sadler, Ryan, Schumacher, Juergen, Ramsay, Edward, McCleery, Brynn, Baine, Katherine, Thomas, William, Nobrega-Lee, Michelle, Henry, George A, Newman, Shelley J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association of Zoo Veterinarians 01.03.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Arnold-Chiari Malformation - surgery; Arnold-Chiari Malformation - veterinary; Cerebellar Diseases - pathology; Cerebellar Diseases - surgery; Cerebellar Diseases - veterinary; Decompression, Surgical - veterinary; Lynx; Male; Syringomyelia - pathology; Syringomyelia - veterinary; Chiari-like malformation; Lynx rufus; bobcat; syringohydromyelia
• ISSN: 1042-7260; 1937-2825
• DOI: 10.1638/2014-0149.1

A 3-yr-old male captive bobcat (Lynx rufus) presented with chronic ataxia and right-sided head tilt. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed cerebellar crowding and compression consistent with Chiari-like malformation. The clinical signs did not improve after surgical occipital craniectomy, and 2 mo postoperatively a second MRI showed hydromyelia and continued cerebellar compression. The bobcat was euthanized, and necropsy showed chronic focal cerebellar herniation and chronic multifocal atlanto-occipital joint osteophyte proliferation. Histology confirmed the presence of a thick fibrous membrane along the caudal aspect of the cerebellar vermis, suggestive of postoperative adhesions, and axonal degeneration of the cervical spinal cord, even in sections without a central canal lesion. These lesions appear to have been complications associated with surgical correction of the Chiari-like malformation.