Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis in dogs explained
By Tipold, A & Schatzberg, S J·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2010·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: An update on steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A young dog with neck pain and fever was diagnosed with steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA), an immune disorder affecting the nervous system. The dog showed signs of stiffness and discomfort, prompting the veterinarian to start treatment with anti-inflammatory medications. Fortunately, with early and aggressive therapy, the dog responded well and showed improvement in symptoms. However, for dogs with more chronic or relapsing cases, treatment may require long-term immunosuppressive therapy and the outlook can be less certain.
People also search for: dog neck pain treatment · SRMA in dogs · steroid treatment for dog meningitis
Abstract
Steroid responsive meningitis-arteriitis (SRMA) is an immunemediated disorder commonly recognised in dogs in small animal practice. Two different forms of SRMA may occur. The typical, acute form of SRMA is characterised by cervical rigidity, pain, pyrexia and a polymorphonuclear pleocytosis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In a less common, chronic form of SRMA, additional neurological deficits consistent with a spinal cord or a multi-focal neurological disorder may be present, often accompanied by a mononuclear CSF pleocytosis. The prognosis for young dogs in the acute stage of SRMA is relatively good with early and aggressive anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive therapy. In more protracted, relapsing cases of SRMA the prognosis is guarded, and therapy requires more aggressive, long term immunosuppression. The complete etiopathogenesis of SRMA is unknown; however, an aberrant immune response directed against the central nervous system (CNS) is most likely. Neutrophilic pleocytosis in SRMA seems to be facilitated by chemotactic factors in the CSF and upregulation of integrins and metalloproteinases that disrupt the blood brain barrier. Upregulation of IgA, induced by a Th2 immune response, also plays a central role in the pathogenesis of SRMA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20070497/