Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Case Report: Bordetella bronchiseptica Meningoencephalomyelitis in a Dog
- Journal:
- Frontiers in Veterinary Science
- Year:
- 2022
- Authors:
- Rylander, Helena et al.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 15-month-old male neutered Wirehaired Pointer mixed-breed dog was brought to the vet with a fever and neck pain. Tests of his spinal fluid showed signs of inflammation and the presence of a bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica, which is known to cause respiratory issues. Unfortunately, three days later, the dog could no longer walk. He was treated with a low dose of prednisone for about three and a half months and doxycycline for a year. After several months of treatment, he showed significant improvement and was able to walk again fully after seven months. Overall, the treatment was effective in helping the dog recover.
Abstract
A 15-month-old male neutered Wirehaired Pointer mixed-breed dog presented with fever and cervical pain. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed neutrophilic pleocytosis with intracellular bacteria, and culture of CSF grew Bordetella bronchiseptica. The patient became non-ambulatory 3 days after CSF collection. He was treated with low-dose prednisone for 3.5 months and doxycycline for 1 year. Recheck CSF analysis 1 month after diagnosis showed reduction of inflammation and 3 months after diagnosis revealed only increased protein. The patient improved neurologically over several months and was weakly ambulatory 5 months and fully ambulatory 7 months after diagnosis. Whole genome sequencing of the bacterial isolate and a live modified intranasal vaccine similar to the one the dog had been vaccinated with 7 weeks before diagnosis was similar but not an exact match. Bacterial meningitis should be considered, and culture of CSF is recommended, in cases of neutrophilic pleocytosis of CSF.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.852982