Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dogs with acute polyradiculoneuritis improve after plasma exchange
By Dazio, Valentina E R et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2026·Department of Small Animals·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical response of acute idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis treated with therapeutic plasma exchange in four dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Four dogs with acute idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis (AIP), a serious nerve condition that affects movement, were treated with a procedure called therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). After just one session, all dogs showed improvement in their ability to move, and by the time they were discharged, they were nearly back to normal. Over the next few months, three of the dogs stayed healthy, while one had a brief return of symptoms that went away again. This suggests that TPE could be a helpful emergency treatment for dogs with severe nerve issues.
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Abstract
Acute idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis (AIP) is an immune-mediated peripheral neuropathy in dogs for which no specific treatment has been established in veterinary medicine. In human medicine, therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is a standard treatment for Guillain-Barré syndrome, a clinically analogous condition. In this case series, we describe 4 dogs diagnosed with AIP and treated with TPE. All dogs received 3 consecutive TPE sessions, processing between 4.2 and 4.8 total dog plasma volumes. Motor function improvement was observed after the first session in all cases, with near-complete neurological recovery at discharge. No adverse effects were reported. During follow-up (2-12 months), 3 dogs remained disease-free, and 1 dog experienced a recurrence that subsequently resolved. These cases suggest that TPE might promote rapid clinical improvement in dogs with AIP, representing a promising emergency treatment option for dogs with severe and rapidly progressive neurological deficits.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42149679/