Somatosensory evoked potentials produced by stimulation of the dorsomedial nerves innervating the tail in dogs.

To record the somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) produced by stimulation of tail nerves and determine the effects of acute compression of the cauda equina on SEPs. The subjects were 10 adult Beagles. SEPs were recorded after stimulating the dorsomedial nerves (DMN) innervating the tail. The cauda equina was compressed using a balloon catheter inserted into the vertebral arch. In SEPs, two negative and one positive peak were often observed. The compression of the cauda equina caused significant depression of the positive component. The SEPs produced by stimulation of the DMN reflect the activities of ascending neuronal pathways above the coccygeal spinal segments and may be a useful tool for examining cauda equina syndrome.