Bacterial Meningoencephalomyelitis in Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 23 Cases (1990‐1999)

Abstract

The clinical records of 23 dogs (1990–1999) with histopathologically confirmed bacterial meningoencephalomyelitis were evaluated retrospectively. No breed, age, sex, or weight predisposition was found. All the dogs presented with clinical signs of a brain lesion, whereas 5 of 23 had neck pain. Pyrexia was detected in 11 of 23 dogs on admission. CBCs revealed neutrophilic leucocytosis in 7 of 21 dogs and thrombocytopenia in 3 of 21 dogs. The serum chemistry profiles were abnormal in 15 of 21 dogs. The results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis were abnormal in 13 of 14 dogs and aerobic CSF culture was positive for bacteria in 1 of 8 samples. At postmortem examination, the lesions were localized to the central nervous system.Escherichia coli, Streptococcus, andKlebsiellaspp were the most frequently isolated bacteria from cultures collected at postmortem examination. Twelve papers reporting 51 total clinical cases of canine bacterial meningoencephalomyelitis were reviewed. The clinical signs and results of the CBC, serum chemistry, blood culture, and CSF analysis were collated and compared with those of this study. The results of the CSF analysis in this study were similar to those in the literature. CSF cultures documented in the literature were positive forStaphylococcus, Pasteurella, Actinomyces, Nocardiaspp, and various anaerobic species includingPeptostreptococcus, Eubacterium, andBacteroidesspp.