Table 2.
Clinical signs in dogs with no syrinx, small syrinx, and large syrinx
| Clinical sign | Answers | CM and no SM (n = 13) |
Syrinx 2.00-3.99 mm (n = 26) |
Syrinx ≥ 4 mm (n = 50) |
P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unprovoked scratching Q2 | Sometimes | 15.4% (2) | 23.1% (6) | 20.0% (10) | < 0.001 |
| Often | 23.1% (3) | 23.1% (6) | 54.0% (27) | ||
| Always | 7.7% (1)a | 0.0% (0)a | 12.0% (6)b | ||
| Scratching neck or shoulder Q3 | Yes | 23.1% (3)a | 42.3% (11)a | 78.0% (39)b | < 0.001 |
| Unilateral scratching Q4 | Unilateral* | 0.0% (0) | 0.0% (0) | 4.1% (2) | 0.015 |
| Right side | 27.3% (3) | 17.4% (4) | 30.6% (15) | ||
| Left side | 9.1% (1) | 13.0% (3) | 18.4% (9) | ||
| Bilateral | 0.0% (0)a | 13.0% (3)a | 26.5% (13)b | ||
| n = 11 | n = 23 | n = 46 | |||
| Phantom scratching Q5 | Yes | 30.8% (4)a | 23.1% (6)a |
57.1% (28)b n = 49 |
0.011 |
| Aggravation of scratching during emotional arousal Q6 | Yes | 23.1% (3)a | 26.9% (7)a |
59.2% (29)b n = 49 |
0.007 |
| Aversion to touch on head, neck or shoulder Q7 | Yes | 38.5% (5)a | 19.2% (5)a | 58.0% (29)b | 0.005 |
| Signs of neck pain Q8 | Yes | 38.5% (5) | 15.4% (4) | 38.0% (19) | 0.11 |
| Aversion to wearing collar/harness Q9 | Yes | 30.8% (4)b | 3.8% (1)a | 38.0% (19)b | 0.006 |
| Reduced activity Q10 | Sometimes | 7.7% (1) | 8.0% (2) | 12.0% (6) | |
| Often | 7.7% (1) | 20.0% (5) | 10.0% (5) | 0.67 | |
| Always | 7.7% (1) | 4.0% (1) | 10.0% (5) | ||
| n = 25 | |||||
| Spontaneous vocalization Q11 | Sometimes | 30.8% (4) | 50.0% (13) | 34.0% (17) | |
| Often | 7.7% (1) | 7.7% (2) | 22.0% (11) | 0.35 | |
| Always | 7.7% (1) | 3.8% (1) | 4.0% (2) | ||
| Signs of headache Q12 | Yes | 7.7% (1) | 26.9% (7) | 30.0% (15) | 0.26 |
| A preferred head posture during sleep Q13 | Yes | 0.0% (0)a | 15.4% (4)a | 36.0% (18)b | 0.011 |
| Disrupted sleep Q14 | Yes | 30.8% (4) | 26.9% (7) | 30.0% (15) | 0.95 |
| More nervous/ aggressive Q15 | Yes | 38.5% (5) | 30.8% (8) | 30.0% (15) | 0.84 |
| Withdrawing from humans Q16 | Sometimes | 7.7% (1) | 7.7% (2) | 12.0% (6) | |
| Often | 15.4% (2) | 7.7% (2) | 22.0% (11) | 0.10 | |
| Always | 0.0% (0) | 3.8% (1) | 4.0% (2) | ||
| Withdrawing from other dogs Q17 | Sometimes | 30.8% (4) | 26.9% (7) | 22.0% (11) | |
| Often | 0.0% (0) | 3.8% (1) | 26.0% (13) | 0.36 | |
| Always | 23.1% (3) | 19.2% (5) | 14.0% (7) |
Data are presented as percentages with total numbers within each group. For questions where the owner could not provide an answer, the dog was excluded from the question. For such questions, the total number of dogs is registered in the table below the specific answer
Within a row, different superscript letters indicate a statistically significant difference between groups based on the post hoc analysis. All the groups denoted with the letter a, are significantly different from the groups denoted with the letter b
* Unilateral was recorded when the owner was sure that the dog had unilateral scratching but did not remember to which side. If the owners were certain that their dog had unilateral scratching of a specific side, this side was registered as right side or left side
CM: Chiari-like malformation; n: total number, Q: question number referring to the questionnaire; SM: syringomyelia