Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and outcomes of spinal meningoencephalomyelitis in dogs
By Cornelis, I et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2017·The Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical presentation, diagnostic findings and outcome in dogs diagnosed withpresumptive spinal-only meningoen-cephalomyelitis of unknown origin.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with a rare spinal condition called meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin showed signs of neurological issues, such as weakness in their back legs. Most of these dogs had either sudden or gradual onset of symptoms, and many had visible spinal cord lesions on MRI scans. They were treated with strong anti-inflammatory medications, but nearly half of the dogs either died or were euthanized due to the severity of their condition. The average survival time for these dogs was about 22 months, indicating that while treatment can help, the prognosis is often poor.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To summarise clinical presentation, diagnostic findings and long-term outcome for dogs clinically diagnosed with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin affecting the spinal cord alone. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for dogs diagnosed with presumptive spinal-only meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin between 2006 and 2015. RESULTS: 21 dogs were included; the majority presented with an acute (43%) or chronic (52%) onset of neurological signs. Ambulatory paresis was the most common neurological presentation (67%). Neurological examination most commonly revealed a T3-L3 myelopathy, and spinal hyperaesthesia was a common finding (71%). A spinal cord lesion was visible in 90% of cases on magnetic resonance imaging. Eighteen lesions (86%) showed parenchymal contrast enhancement and 17 lesions (81%) showed contrast enhancement of overlying meninges. All dogs were treated with immunosuppressive doses of glucocorticosteroids, sometimes combined with cytosine arabinoside. At time of data capture, 10/21 dogs (48%) had died or been euthanased because of the condition. Overall median survival time was 669 days. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin should be considered in the differential diagnosis of dogs presenting with a progressive myelopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging features can possibly help to distinguish presumptive meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin from other more common spinal diseases. Overall, long-term survival is guarded, approximately 50% of dogs will die or be euthanased despite appropriate therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28267222/