Diagnosis and surgical removal of brain abscesses in a juvenile alpaca

Catherine E. Talbot Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Rd, CB3 0ES, Cambridge, England.

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 MA, Vet MB
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Karin Mueller Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Rd, CB3 0ES, Cambridge, England.

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 MVSc
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Nicolas Granger Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Rd, CB3 0ES, Cambridge, England.

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Nick D. Jeffery Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Rd, CB3 0ES, Cambridge, England.

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 BVSc, PhD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.231.10.1558
Volume/Issue:
Volume 231: Issue 10
Online Publication Date:
15 Nov 2007
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Abstract

Case Description—A 1-month-old female alpaca was examined because of progressive clinical signs consistent with an intracranial lesion.

Clinical Findings—Clinical signs included signs of depression, lethargy, tetraparesis, and neck weakness. Two large isointense intracranial masses could be seen on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. On T2-weighted images, the masses contained concentric rings of hypointense and hyperintense material.

Treatment and Outcome—2 abscesses were removed via a craniotomy that incorporated removal of the sagittal crest and surrounding skull and transection of the sagittal sinus. The bony deficit was replaced with polypropylene mesh. The alpaca recovered within 2 weeks and was fully integrated into the herd within 1 month after surgery.

Clinical Relevance—Findings indicated that surgical removal is a feasible means of successfully treating intracranial abscesses in juvenile alpacas.

Abstract

Case Description—A 1-month-old female alpaca was examined because of progressive clinical signs consistent with an intracranial lesion.

Clinical Findings—Clinical signs included signs of depression, lethargy, tetraparesis, and neck weakness. Two large isointense intracranial masses could be seen on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. On T2-weighted images, the masses contained concentric rings of hypointense and hyperintense material.

Treatment and Outcome—2 abscesses were removed via a craniotomy that incorporated removal of the sagittal crest and surrounding skull and transection of the sagittal sinus. The bony deficit was replaced with polypropylene mesh. The alpaca recovered within 2 weeks and was fully integrated into the herd within 1 month after surgery.

Clinical Relevance—Findings indicated that surgical removal is a feasible means of successfully treating intracranial abscesses in juvenile alpacas.

Contributor Notes

Dr. Talbot was supported by the RCVS Trust and the Animal Medical Centre, Manchester, England.

The authors thank Michael E. Herrtage for assistance in interpretation of the magnetic resonance images and Vicky Mallows for microbiologic investigations.

Address correspondence to Dr. Jeffery.
Cover Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Publication Date:
15 Nov 2007
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