AIR-CONDUCTION AND BONE-CONDUCTION BRAIN-STEM AUDITORY-EVOKED POTENTIALS AND FLASH VISUAL-EVOKED POTENTIALS IN CATS

Objective-To document normal values for air-and bone-conducted brainst em auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and for flash visual evoked poten tials (VEP) in cats. Animals-10 mixed-breed cats (5 males) with normal physical, neurologic, otoscopic, and funduscopic examination results. Procedure-BAEP in response to air-and bone-conducted click stimuli an d VEP in response to flash stimuli were recorded to document species n ormative data. Mean and SD values were calculated for amplitudes and l atencies of 4 peaks in the BAEP in response to air-and bone-conducted stimuli, and for latencies to 5 peaks and the 4 associated peak-to-pea k amplitudes in the VEP. Results-BAEP peak latencies increased and pea k amplitudes decreased with decreasing stimulus intensity. Latencies w ere shorter for bone-conducted stimuli owing to the shorter transit ti me to the cochlea through bone, compared with air, but there were no d ifferences for interpeak latencies. The BAEP and VEP recordings were s imilar to those reported for cats in other reports and were similar to those seen in other species. Clinical Relevance-Normative data will p ermit performance of noninvasive electrodiagnostic evaluation of felin e auditory and visual systems.