CCAT Neurological Condition Rehabilitation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When assessing a dog for deep pain perception (DPP) after spinal cord injury, which stimulus is appropriate?
- Touching the plantar surface of the paw with a finger
- Pinching the digit bone firmly with hemostatic forceps (Correct answer)
- Applying a vibration fork to the tarsus
- Tapping the patellar tendon with a reflex hammer
Correct answer: Pinching the digit bone firmly with hemostatic forceps
DPP is tested by applying noxious stimulus to the periosteum of a digit with hemostatic forceps; the patient must show conscious awareness (not just reflex withdrawal).
Question 2: Which rehabilitation technique is used to facilitate stepping reflexes in a non-ambulatory paraplegic dog?
- Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) body-weight-supported treadmill training (Correct answer)
- Cold laser therapy to the dorsal spine
- Passive joint mobilization of the hip
- Therapeutic ultrasound to the caudal thigh
Correct answer: Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) body-weight-supported treadmill training
Body-weight-supported treadmill training activates spinal central pattern generators and promotes stepping reflexes in patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries.
Question 3: A dog recovering from atlantoaxial instability surgery is being fitted for a cervical orthosis. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this device in the rehabilitation period?
- To provide hyperthermia to the surgical site
- To restrict cervical flexion and protect the surgical repair (Correct answer)
- To stimulate proprioception of the cervical musculature
- To promote lymphatic drainage from the neck
Correct answer: To restrict cervical flexion and protect the surgical repair
A cervical orthosis limits motion at the atlantoaxial joint to protect the surgical repair while tissue healing occurs.
Question 4: Which neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) parameter setting is most appropriate for maintaining muscle mass in a denervated pelvic limb?
- High-frequency burst mode (80-120 Hz)
- Russian current protocol at 2,500 Hz
- Low-frequency monophasic waveform targeting slow motor units (Correct answer)
- Interferential current at 4,000 Hz carrier frequency
Correct answer: Low-frequency monophasic waveform targeting slow motor units
Denervated muscle requires long-duration, low-frequency monophasic pulses because the normal neuromuscular junction is absent and muscle must be stimulated directly.
Question 5: In a cat with vestibular syndrome, which rehabilitation intervention helps reduce compensatory head tilt most effectively?
- Vestibular habituation exercises with controlled head movement challenges (Correct answer)
- Strict cage rest with no visual stimulation
- Oral vestibular suppressants combined with exercise avoidance
- Cervical traction to decompress the inner ear
Correct answer: Vestibular habituation exercises with controlled head movement challenges
Vestibular habituation exercises promote central compensation by repeatedly challenging the asymmetric vestibular input, facilitating CNS adaptation.
Question 6: A dog presents with medial strabismus and an absent menace response in the right eye following head trauma. Which neurological lesion location best explains these findings?
- Right abducens nucleus (CN VI) and right optic nerve
- Left oculomotor nucleus (CN III) and left optic tract
- Right abducens nerve (CN VI) and right optic tract (Correct answer)
- Left trochlear nerve (CN IV) and right optic radiation
Correct answer: Right abducens nerve (CN VI) and right optic tract
Medial strabismus indicates CN VI (abducens) dysfunction causing lateral rectus paresis, and absent menace in the ipsilateral eye suggests ipsilateral optic nerve involvement.
Question 7: Which outcome measure is MOST useful for objectively tracking ambulatory progress in a dog recovering from thoracolumbar disc disease?
- Reflex hammer assessment of the patellar reflex
- Canine rehabilitation outcome tool (OrthoFILM kinematic gait analysis)
- Modified Frankel/Texas Spinal Cord Injury Scale (Correct answer)
- Visual analog scale for owner-reported pain
Correct answer: Modified Frankel/Texas Spinal Cord Injury Scale
The Modified Frankel or Texas Spinal Cord Injury Scale provides a standardized, clinician-applied grading of voluntary motor function and ambulatory status.
CCAT Neurological Condition Rehabilitation 3
When assessing a dog for deep pain perception (DPP) after spinal cord injury, which stimulus is appropriate?