Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with neck pain and brain inflammation diagnosed with necrotising
By Fearnside, S M et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2004·University Veterinary Centre, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cervical hyperaesthesia in a Maltese Terrier with necrotising meningoencephalitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 15-month-old female Maltese Terrier was brought to the vet after showing signs of low head carriage, reluctance to move, and yelping when picked up for about 12 hours. Despite a normal physical exam, her condition worsened within a day, leading to severe neck stiffness and neurological issues. Tests on her spinal fluid showed significant inflammation, indicating a serious brain condition. Sadly, the decision was made to euthanize her, and a post-mortem examination revealed severe brain swelling and damage consistent with necrotizing meningoencephalitis, a serious inflammatory brain disease.
People also search for: Maltese Terrier yelping when picked up · dog neck pain symptoms · necrotizing meningoencephalitis in dogs
Abstract
A 15-month-old female neutered Maltese Terrier was presented with a 12 hour history of low head carriage, reluctance to move and yelping when picked up. Physical examination was unremarkable apart from cervical hyperaesthesia. Twenty four hours after initial assessment there was significant clinical deterioration, with the dog exhibiting lateral cervical flexion and neurological abnormalities consistent with diffuse multifocal cerebral dysfunction. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed a marked pleocytosis. Euthanasia was elected and gross necropsy findings included swelling of the right frontal cortex and a focal area of necrosis in the ventrolateral grey matter of the frontal cortex. Histological examination of the brain tissue revealed focal areas of necrosis and generalised non-suppurative inflammation consistent with a morphological diagnosis of necrotising encephalomyelitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15478726/