Patterns of cutaneous anesthesia associated with brachial plexus avulsions in the dog.

Patterns of cutaneous anesthesia were determined in 4 dogs referred for evaluation of brachial plexus trauma. Using these patterns in conjunction with other clinical and electrophysiologic data, avulsion of spinal nerve roots contributing to the brachial plexus (brachial plexus avulsion) was diagnosed in each case. Two of the 4 dogs had avulsions of the C7-T1 nerve roots and the T2 branch to T1. One dog had C7 and C8 nerve root avulsion, and one had avulsion of the C8 and T1 nerve roots and the T2 communicating branch to T1. Each dog had a distinct pattern of cutaneous anesthesia.