Clinical features, treatment, and outcome of juvenile dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology

Galer, J; Forward, AK; Hughes, J; Crawford, AH; Behr, S; Cherubini, GB; Cornelis, I; Royaux, E

Abstract

Background: The information relating to the outcome specifically for juvenile dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology (MUE) is lacking. Objectives: To describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, treatment, and outcome in a cohort of dogs with MUE <52 weeks old. Animals: Thirty-four client-owned dogs. Methods: Multicenter retrospective case series. Records from 5 referral centers were searched. Data was extracted from the medical records and referring veterinarians were contacted for survival data if this was not available from the record. Results: The mean age was 31 weeks; the youngest dog was 11 weeks and 3 dogs were <16 weeks old. Altered mentation (71%), ataxia (44%), seizures (29%), and circling (26%) were the most common presenting complaints. Neuroanatomical localization was to the forebrain (38%), multifocal (35%), brainstem (18%), and cerebellum (12%). Corticosteroid monotherapy (n = 15) and corticosteroid plus cytosine arabinoside (n = 15) were used in equal proportions. Outcome data was available for 26 dogs, 8 (31%) were alive at the time of data collection with a follow-up range of 135 to 2944 days. Death or euthanasia was related to MUE in 17/18 dogs that died during the study period. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a median survival time for all-cause death of 84 days. Conclusion: The prognosis for MUE in this subset of dogs was considered poor.

Citation

Galer, J., Forward, A., Hughes, J., Crawford, A., Behr, S., Cherubini, G., Cornelis, I., & Royaux, E. (2024). Clinical features, treatment, and outcome of juvenile dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17126

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 16, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jun 26, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 19, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 19, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Print ISSN: 0891-6640
• Electronic ISSN: 1939-1676
• Publisher: Wiley Open Access
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17126
• Keywords: canine; encephalitis; immune-mediated diseases; immunology; MUO; prognosis; young; PROGNOSTIC-FACTORS; SURVIVAL; CYCLOSPORINE; DISTEMPER