Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival and relapse in dogs with unknown brain inflammation
By Brady, S L et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2020·Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Survival time and relapse in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin treated with prednisolone and ciclosporin: a retrospective study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO) were treated with a combination of prednisolone and ciclosporin. These dogs showed a median survival time of over three and a half years after starting treatment, indicating that this medication combination can help manage the condition effectively. Interestingly, factors like MRI findings or suspected increased pressure in the brain did not seem to impact their long-term survival. Overall, the treatment provided a good outcome for these dogs, allowing them to live longer, healthier lives.
People also search for: dog meningoencephalomyelitis treatment · prednisolone for dogs · ciclosporin for dogs with brain issues
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyse outcome in dogs with a presumptive diagnosis of meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO) treated with prednisolone and ciclosporin and to assess the effect of a number of patient variables on survival time and rate of relapse. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: Medical records of 40 client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of MUO treated with prednisolone and ciclosporin at one institution between June 2010 and January 2018 were reviewed retrospectively to assess survival times and prognostic indicators for death and/or relapse. The minimum follow-up time was 11 months post-diagnosis. RESULTS: Median survival was 1345 days (95% confidence interval: 487-∞). No associations with hazard of death or relapse were detected for the presence of multifocal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities, caudal fossa location of MRI abnormalities, value of cerebrospinal fluid total nucleated cell count or total protein at time of diagnosis, or suspected elevation in intracranial pressure at time of diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Protracted survival time may be achieved with a treatment combination of prednisolone and ciclosporin. Suspected elevation in intracranial pressure at the time of diagnosis did not affect long-term outcome in this cohort.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32794230/