Aventriculi associated with holoprosencephaly in a dog

Abstract

Case description: A 10-month-old neutered male mixed breed dog was presented for assessment of poorly controlled seizures.

Clinical findings: Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain disclosed complete absence of the lateral and third ventricles and mesencephalic aqueduct. Postmortem computed tomographic (CT) imaging and positive contrast cisterno-ventriculography confirmed the lack of a contiguous ventricular system. However, histopathology identified the presence of vestigial lateral and third ventricles with hypoplastic choroid plexus, atresia of the third ventricle, and fused thalami, consistent with a diagnosis of lobar holoprosencephaly (HPE).

Clinical relevance: To our knowledge, this report is the first case of radiographically confirmed aventriculi associated with HPE, a rare congenital malformation previously reported in people, to be described in veterinary medicine.

Keywords: congenital; malformation; neuropathology; ventricles; ventriculogram.