Motor nerve conduction velocity and latency in the dog.

Supramaximal percutaneous nerve stimulation was used in motor nerve conduction velocity studies conducted in ten middle-aged, clinically normal dogs. Dogs were separated into two groups; dogs in one group weighted less than or equal to 7.5 kg and dogs in the other group weighted greater than or equal to 15.9 kg. Mean values and SEM were recorded for radial (72.1 +/- 1.9 m/s), median 65.6 +/- 2.1 m/s), ulnar (58.9 +/- 1.0 m/s), tibial (68.2 +/- 1.4 m/s), and peroneal (79.8 +/- 1.8 m/s) nerves. Values for latency, amplitude, and duration for proximal and distal evoked potentials were recorded. Analysis of mean nerve conduction velocity values for all nerves between the two groups indicated no statistical difference (P greater than 0.05). However, the two groups were statistically different (P less than 0.05) when values for distal latency and measurements of nerve length were compared. These data suggest that if latency is substituted for velocity measurements, various populations of dogs must be considered to clarify interpretation.