Meningitis of large breed dogs

70 Meningitis of large breed dogs




INITIAL PRESENTATION


Acute onset of neck pain, fever, lethargy, reluctance to walk, and a stiff gait.



SIGNALMENT


A 1-year, 3-month-old male golden retriever dog.



CASE PRESENTING SIGNS


Pain, fever, inappetance and a shuffling gait.



CASE HISTORY


The dog became quiet, anorexic and appeared to be stiff 3 days prior to referral. The dog struggled to squat to defecate, looked like it was ‘walking on egg shells’ and was unable to turn in tight circles. The dog shifted its weight from limb to limb and was panting. There was a fever of 40.8°C. Meloxicam and buprenorphine were given.


The dog had been lame, depressed and febrile for a few days, 5 months earlier. This had resolved with meloxicam. Six weeks prior to referral, the dog was lethargic, inappetant and febrile for 1 week. Thoracolumbar pain was detected at this time. Meloxicam was given.



CLINICAL EXAMINATION


Clinical examinations showed a quiet, mentally responsive dog which could walk unaided but which had an arched back, shuffling hindlimb gait with small steps taken but no ataxia. There was a lowered head position, normal proprioception and normal CNN tests. Spinal reflexes were normal. No joint swelling was found. The temperature was 39.3°C.



NEUROANATOMICAL LOCALIZATION


Pain leading to altered posture and gait.





Sources of pain in neurological disease



• Nerve: nerve root entrapment/compression, transection, inflammation or infiltration

• Meninges: meningitis, vasculitis or stretch/tension

• Destruction of central spinal cord: syrinx formation

• IV disc: rupture of annulus fibrosis or discospondylitis

• Periosteum: vertebral tumours or osteomyelitis

• Spinal ligaments: dorsal longitudinal ligament or joint capsules/synovium of the articular facets

• Muscle: sublumbar muscle/retroperitoneal space disease, migrating plant awns or muscle spasm

• Skin: infected dermoid cyst

• Thalamus syndrome (rare).


DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS



• Meningitis and/or polyarthropathy

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Sep 3, 2016 | Posted by in SMALL ANIMAL | Comments Off on Meningitis of large breed dogs
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