Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gastrointestinal signs linked to steroid-responsive
By Oliveira, Ana M et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association between steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis and gastrointestinal signs in dogs: a case-control study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) often showed gastrointestinal signs like vomiting and diarrhea. In fact, these symptoms were significantly more common in dogs with SRMA compared to healthy dogs. The study found that many of these dogs had gastrointestinal issues before starting corticosteroid treatment, which is commonly used for SRMA. This suggests that if your dog has SRMA, you might notice these digestive problems alongside their neurological symptoms.
People also search for: dog vomiting and diarrhea · steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis treatment · SRMA symptoms in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether gastrointestinal signs are more frequently observed in dogs with steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) compared to a control population. We hypothesized that dogs with SRMA would have higher odds of exhibiting gastrointestinal signs than controls. METHODS: In a single-center, retrospective case-control study, dogs diagnosed with SRMA between December 2018 and December 2023 were identified through the institutional database medical records of the Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh. Data collected included signalment, cerebrospinal fluid analysis results, serum C-reactive protein levels, presenting clinical signs, and the presence of gastrointestinal signs before and during the initial phase of corticosteroid treatment. The control group consisted of age-matched dogs hospitalized during the same time period and for a similar duration that had not been referred for gastrointestinal signs and had full medical records available. RESULTS: 50 dogs were included in each group. Gastrointestinal signs were more frequently reported in the SRMA group, with significantly increased odds of vomiting (adjusted OR [ORa] = 7.37; 95% CI, 1.99 to 27.32) and diarrhea (ORa = 6.47; 95% CI, 2.00 to 20.91). No significant difference in regurgitation was observed (ORa = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.04 to 5.58). Among SRMA cases, gastrointestinal signs were more likely to be present prior to corticosteroid medication (ORa = 5.76; 95% CI, 2.07 to 15.97). CONCLUSIONS: Gastrointestinal signs (specifically vomiting and diarrhea) were more common in dogs with SRMA compared to controls. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Further research is needed to investigate concurrent gastrointestinal inflammatory disease in dogs with SRMA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40398465/