Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats

ABSTRACT Background The range of normal responses to nasal stimulation (NSR) observed in neurologically intact dogs and cats has not been reported. Hypothesis/Objectives Report the responses range while performing NSR in neurologically normal dogs and cats. Animals Twenty dogs and twenty cats, all n...

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Main Authors: Tomás Elvira, Tim Sparks, Julien Guevar, Vicente Aige, Rodrigo Gutierrez‐Quintana, Josep Brocal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.70118
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author Tomás Elvira
Tim Sparks
Julien Guevar
Vicente Aige
Rodrigo Gutierrez‐Quintana
Josep Brocal
author_facet Tomás Elvira
Tim Sparks
Julien Guevar
Vicente Aige
Rodrigo Gutierrez‐Quintana
Josep Brocal
author_sort Tomás Elvira
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background The range of normal responses to nasal stimulation (NSR) observed in neurologically intact dogs and cats has not been reported. Hypothesis/Objectives Report the responses range while performing NSR in neurologically normal dogs and cats. Animals Twenty dogs and twenty cats, all neurologically normal. Methods Prospective descriptive study. Nasal stimulation response testing was performed four times in each animal. Responses to NSR were recorded and described. Neuroanatomical cadaveric evaluation was then performed to attempt to correlate the responses with anatomy. Results Withdrawal of the head was the most common response observed in both dogs and cats; it was present in all animals and during 150/160 stimulations. Other observed responses included lip lick response (39/40 animals and in 121/160 stimulations) and startle response (17/40 animals and in 34/160 stimulations). The latter was present in cats significantly (p = 0.026) more often (8/80 of stimulations in dogs and in 26/80 of stimulations in cats). The location of the examination (home vs veterinary hospital), stress, or covering the eyes did not significantly affect the responses. Conclusion and Clinical Importance Relevance Withdrawal of the head is a consistent response, but in its absence, looking for lip lick or a startle response could support the normal function of the pathway.
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spelling doaj-art-4fd41bdf7e524af0bfcf6fc3d87c472b2025-08-20T01:53:49ZengWileyJournal of Veterinary Internal Medicine0891-66401939-16762025-05-01393n/an/a10.1111/jvim.70118Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and CatsTomás Elvira0Tim Sparks1Julien Guevar2Vicente Aige3Rodrigo Gutierrez‐Quintana4Josep Brocal5Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists Part of Linnaeus Veterinary Limited Hursley UKWaltham Petcare Science Institute Leicestershire UKAnicura Tierklinik Thun Thun SwitzerlandDepartamento de Sanidad y Anatomía Animales, Facultad de Veterinaria Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona Barcelona SpainDivision of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences University of Glasgow Glasgow UKVeterinary Specialty Hospital of Hong Kong Wan Chai Hong KongABSTRACT Background The range of normal responses to nasal stimulation (NSR) observed in neurologically intact dogs and cats has not been reported. Hypothesis/Objectives Report the responses range while performing NSR in neurologically normal dogs and cats. Animals Twenty dogs and twenty cats, all neurologically normal. Methods Prospective descriptive study. Nasal stimulation response testing was performed four times in each animal. Responses to NSR were recorded and described. Neuroanatomical cadaveric evaluation was then performed to attempt to correlate the responses with anatomy. Results Withdrawal of the head was the most common response observed in both dogs and cats; it was present in all animals and during 150/160 stimulations. Other observed responses included lip lick response (39/40 animals and in 121/160 stimulations) and startle response (17/40 animals and in 34/160 stimulations). The latter was present in cats significantly (p = 0.026) more often (8/80 of stimulations in dogs and in 26/80 of stimulations in cats). The location of the examination (home vs veterinary hospital), stress, or covering the eyes did not significantly affect the responses. Conclusion and Clinical Importance Relevance Withdrawal of the head is a consistent response, but in its absence, looking for lip lick or a startle response could support the normal function of the pathway.https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.70118conscious responseneurolocalisationneurological examinationtrigeminal nerve
spellingShingle Tomás Elvira
Tim Sparks
Julien Guevar
Vicente Aige
Rodrigo Gutierrez‐Quintana
Josep Brocal
Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
conscious response
neurolocalisation
neurological examination
trigeminal nerve
title Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats
title_full Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats
title_fullStr Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats
title_full_unstemmed Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats
title_short Nasal Stimulation Response in Neurologically Normal Dogs and Cats
title_sort nasal stimulation response in neurologically normal dogs and cats
topic conscious response
neurolocalisation
neurological examination
trigeminal nerve
url https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.70118
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AT vicenteaige nasalstimulationresponseinneurologicallynormaldogsandcats
AT rodrigogutierrezquintana nasalstimulationresponseinneurologicallynormaldogsandcats
AT josepbrocal nasalstimulationresponseinneurologicallynormaldogsandcats