Department of Veterinary Medicine

Research in Veterinary Medicine

Research description

The Clinical Neurology Group runs clinical trials on neurological diseases affecting companion animals and is able to provide in-depth investigation of spontaneously occurring neurological diseases, ranging from brain tumours, spinal cord injuries (see webpage for Nick Jeffery) to peripheral neuropathies and muscle diseases.

The main current trials are:

1. electrophysiological studies in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel affected by syringomyelia
2. a multi-centre randomised blinded trial assessing the efficay of treatments for granulo-encephalo-myelitis in dogs

Main collaborators

• Pete Smith, Liverpool University
• Jacques Penderis, Glasgow University
• Clare Rusbridge, Stone Lion Veterinary Center
• Kate Chandler, RVC London
• Richard Piercy, RVC London

Key publications since 2001

• Granger N., De Fornel P., Devauchelle P., Segond S., Delisle F., Rosenberg D. Plasma pro-opiomelanocortin, pro-adrenocorticotropin hormone, and pituitary adenoma size in dogs with Cushing's disease. J Vet Int Med, 2005: 19(1): 23-28.
• Sampaolesi M. and Blot S. (co-authors), D'Antona G., Granger N., Tonlorenzi R., Innocenzi A., Mognol P., Thibaud J.L., Galvez B., Barthélémy I., Perani L., Mantero S., Guttinger M., Pansarasa O., Rinaldi C., Cusella De Angelis M.C., Torrente Y., Bordignon C., Bottinelli R., Cossu G. Full rescue of Duchenne muscular dystrophy pathology by mesoangioblast stem cells in Golden Retriever Dogs lead to restoration of dynamic movements. Nature, 2006: 30;444(7119):574-9.
• Granger N., Moissonnier P., Fanchon L., Hidalgo A., Gnirs K., Blot S. Successful cutaneous saphenous nerve graft for the treatment of sciatic neurotmesis in a dog. JAVMA, 2006: 229(1): 82-86.
• Granger N., Hidalgo A., Leperlier D., Gnirs K., Thibaud J.L., Delisle F., Blot S. Successful treatment of cervical spinal epidural empyema secondary to grass awn migration in a cat. J Fel Med Surg, 2007: Aug;9(4):340-5.
• Stalin CE, Rushbridge C, Granger N, Jeffery ND. Radiographic morphology of the cranial portion of the cervical vertebral column in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and its relationship to syringomyelia. Am J Vet Res. 2008: 69(1): 89-93.
• Stalin CE, Granger N, Jeffery ND. Cerebellar vascular hamartoma in a British Shorthair cat. J Feline Med Surg. 2008: 10(2): 206-11
• Granger N, Stalin CE, Harcourt Brown TR, Jeffery ND. Idiopathic polyradiculoneuropathy in a Bengal cat: electrophysiological finfings and one year follow up. J Feline Med Surg. 2008: 10(3): 603-7
• Vanhaesebrouck, AE, Couturier J, Cauzinille L, Mizisin AP, Shelton GD,Granger N. Demyelinating polyneuropathy with focally folded myelin sheaths in a family of Miiniature Schnauzer dogs. J Neurol Sci. 2008: Sep 20 [Epub ahead of print].
• Cashmore R, Harcourt Brown, T, Freeman P, Jeffery ND, Granger N. Clinical diagnosis and treatment of suspected neuropathic pain in three dogs. Aust Vet J. 2009: 87(1-2): 45-50.
• Freeman PM, Harcourt Brown TR, Jeffery ND, Granger N. Electrophysiological evidence of polyneuropathy in a cat with signs of bilateral brachial plexus neuropathy. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2009: 234(2) 240-4.