Once meningitis reaches the central nervous system, the prognosis of recovery is not good.
Some infections to be aware of that can lead to the development of meningitis in dogs include any kind of infection, rabies, Lyme disease, distemper, or bone infections
.
What are the signs of meningitis in dogs?
The usual signs of meningitis are
fever, neck pain and rigidity, and painful muscle spasms
. Dogs may have these signs without any sign of brain or spinal cord dysfunction.
Can dogs get meningitis from ticks?
Causes of Meningitis in Dogs
Tick-borne diseases: Tick bites can transmit diseases like as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia rickettsia), Ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis), and Lyme disease/Borreliosis (Borrelia burgdoferi), and these infections can in return cause meningitis in some dogs.
How long does dog meningitis last?
The prognosis for SRMA is generally very good, with most patients improving after 2-3 days of treatment and entering clinical remission within 2 weeks. Treatment with steroids is normally required for
5-7 months
, after which treatment can be stopped and a normal length and quality of life can be expected.
Is meningitis in dogs curable?
Treatment. While
there is no cure for this group of conditions
, management of the symptoms is possible in the case of beagle pain syndrome and aseptic meningitis. Palliative treatment for these patients is achieved through high doses of corticosteroids that can sometimes be tapered for long-term side-effect management.
What causes steroid responsive meningitis in dogs?
It is most likely to be caused by
a mix of genetic and environmental factors
. The condition most often occurs in young puppies when their immune system produces antibodies and an inflammatory response against a harmless protein found in the walls of the blood vessels in the meninges.
How do you prevent meningitis in dogs?
Because the causes of meningitis can be so varied,
there is no one way to prevent it
. However, regular trips to the veterinarian can allow your veterinarian to identify a potential cause — such as an infection — before it spreads to your dog's central nervous system and causes meningitis.
Is meningitis in dogs contagious to humans?
No, meningitis in dogs is not contagious in itself
. However, in cases where meningitis has been caused by an infection from a disease or parasites, the cause of the infection could be contagious.
How do they test for meningitis?
The most reliable way to diagnose meningitis is with
a lumbar puncture
. During a lumbar puncture, a doctor inserts a long, thin needle in between two vertebrae in the lower back. This allows them to withdraw some cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is the fluid that cushions the brain and spinal cord.
What is aseptic meningitis in dogs?
Aseptic meningitis (AM) is
a disease that causes grave clinical signs such as intensive neck pain, fever, and lethargy
. The severity of this disease is reflected in the fact that affected animals require long-term, and in chronic cases, lifelong therapy with corticosteroids.
What can mimic meningitis in dogs?
Once meningitis reaches the central nervous system, the prognosis of recovery is not good. Some infections to be aware of that can lead to the development of meningitis in dogs include
any kind of infection, rabies, Lyme disease, distemper, or bone infections
.
