Postanesthetic cerebellar dysfunction in cats

J Vet Intern Med. 2004 May-Jun;18(3):368-9. doi: 10.1892/0891-6640(2004)18<368:pcdic>2.0.co;2.

Abstract

Eleven cats with signs of cerebellar dysfunction, developed on recovery from a brief and uneventful general anesthesia, were examined at the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital (KSVMTH) between 1998 and 2002. Neurological signs included mild to severe ataxia of all 4 limbs, intentional tremor, lack of menace response, and delayed hopping. The cats were of different ages when anesthetized and none had shown any prior signs of neural disease. They were examined 1 day to 4 years after onset of clinical signs, and the neurological deficits remained unchanged in a follow-up period of 6 months to 8 years. Medical and anesthetic records showed that all were Persian cross cats, 7 of them originating in the same city in Israel. Ketamine was the only anesthetic drug that had been used with all cats. It might be that a genetic component predisposes Persian cross cats to nonreversible cerebellar damage after exposure to an anesthetic dose of ketamine.

MeSH terms

  • Anesthesia, General / adverse effects
  • Anesthesia, General / veterinary*
  • Anesthetics, Dissociative / adverse effects
  • Animals
  • Cat Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Cat Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Cats / surgery*
  • Cerebellar Diseases / chemically induced
  • Cerebellar Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cerebellar Diseases / veterinary*
  • Female
  • Ketamine / adverse effects
  • Korea / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
  • Postoperative Complications / veterinary
  • Records / veterinary
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Dissociative
  • Ketamine