Treatment Options for Dogs with Meningitis, Causes of Seizures in Puppies and More! | Facebook Q & A

Veterinary neurologist, Dr. Wong, and neurology resident, Dr. DiVita connect with pet owners to answer questions on meningitis, seizures, and IVDD.
Introduction: (00:00)
Symptoms, causes, treatment, and prognosis for patients with meningitis: (07:50)
Is an MRI necessary for a puppy with seizures?: (27:35)
Heartworm and flea preventatives safe for dogs with seizures?: (50:43)
Can type one IVDD turn into type two IVDD over time?
Is myelomalacia is always fatal?: (01:02:30)
Is there another med that can bed added to Keppra to control the seizures?: 1:13:12
What are the causes of vestibular disease?: (01:15:45)
Is it safe to put my dog with vestibular disease under anesthesia?: (01:19:16)
What causes clusters of seizures in dogs?: (1:20:58)

[@Drpaw-gd7nu]

Have been binge watching all your videos

[@trainingdogsshorts1261]

*Southeast Veterinary Neurology* I like your video

[@bearinmind7298]

Hello guys. Live in Australia. Have a Maltese/ shitzu, 9 years old. 7.5 kg. Seeing VSS vet specialist clinic. Bio bloods were unremarkable. Vet has identified possible slipped disc. Possible meningitis. He is taking metacam. 7.5 ml daily. Gabapentin 100mg twice a day. As well as fentanyl patch 25mcg last for 3 days We have been hit very hard financially so imaging is difficult atm. He presents in the morning after waking with stiff slightly swollen neck. Hunched back. Looking down and slight shivering or shaking. Temp is normal. Returns to normal after about 10 to 20 mins after administration of metacam. What does this point more towards. If it was a disc would we not see continued stiff movement through the day? Or is this a waxing and waining effect. Wat could be our nxt step

[@helenarowley5663]

My dog is 6.5 years old bison/shitzu / Maltese mix Started having seizures 8 weeks ago . She foams at the mouth, goes stiff , jaw clamping . The doctor say meningitis but it looks like epilepsy to me ?

[@MnM-xm5gv]

How does a dog act with Myelomalacia?

[@danielmor6774]

Hi, our 5 years old cotton de tulear dog was diagnosed with meningitis (MUE). In spite of being treated for a month already, she is still suffering from spasms in the neck and severe pain in the spine, several times a day for about 1-2 hours each time. It seems that there are ups and downs, but mostly she still shows signs of severe pain😢 A few days ago we had to repeat the spinal tap examination, which showed that the treatment was affective, but not enough (according to our Neurologists). In accordence to the neurologist suggestions, we switched from using CellCept to caytosar, but still we don't see as big an improvement as we would like to see. We would appreciate your medical opinion. Thank you so much in advance!

[@mikewong2171]

Thanks for your question and sorry that you and your pup are going through this. MUE can be challenging to treat. Roughly 40% of the time, treatment goes really well and we achieve a 'remission'. These dogs still typically require some degree of medications lifelong, but return to normal with no symptoms. The second 40% of dogs respond but not fully or respond but have relapses of signs. 20% of dogs don't respond at all. We typically treat with immunosuppressive (high) doses of prednisone and typically add in a second immunosuppressant drug. So it sounds like, that's what your neurologist has been doing. It's really challenging for us to answer specific treatment questions for "what should I do for my specific dog" without meeting the pet and family in person, examining the pet, reviewing the record, etc. The best thing you can be doing is seeing a neurologist in person, as you have. Feel free to ask your neurologist about medication doses and frequency, other medications that might be tried, and/or what the plan should be if this round of treatments doesn't make a huge difference.

[@danielmor6774]

@@mikewong2171 thank you for responding. we really appreciate your help.

[@Paulscole3]

I have a teacup-sized Shih Tzu (Myra) that's 1.5 lbs at 4-months-old and is suspected to have GME. She's taking her prednisone, acting normal since she's been on it, and we see a neurologist once a month. My question is, what do I do with my other 2 teacup-sized Shih Tzus (male & female), and the 2 puppies mom just had? Myra was not nearly as bad as what was described by the mother and daughter at the beginning, no puking, no seizures, etc., but she will, on occasion, show signs of GME. I was told to keep her away from my other two (now 4 including the 2 puppies), but that's impossible unless I get rid of her, or lock her in a closet, crate, whatever all day, every day, and I just can't do that. What do I HAVE TO DO, what should I try to do, and what can I get away with and hopefully still be ok?

[@SEVNeurology]

Typically GME, or encephalitis, is not infectious or contagious, so separating isn't necessary. I don't know everything about your pet's case/MRI/test results, etc. It's probably best to talk to your neurologist about this question. They're going to know more about your dog's specific situation.

[@Paulscole3]

@@SEVNeurology Thank you for you reply. Myra hasn't had her MRI yet but that is her next step. My vet started her on Prednisone and then scheduled us a visit with the neurologist. She kept Myra on the Pred for several days and now Myra is weaning off. She'll be evaluated at that time to see if she's better, needs an MRI, whatever. My concern was being told if she has meningitis then I need to keep her away from the other dogs, which I very much appreciate you answering. I realize meningitis has different things that cause it, but do any of the causes require her to be isolated from other dogs?

[@TheJsntowers]

Recently was given a dog who suffered from a heat stroke and breeder was unwilling to spend money on him. Last night he started having what looks like a possible seizure. Hind end kind of locks up, disoriented and heavy drooling. Vets in my area booked up about a month in advance due to covid restrictions. He jumps up out of a dead sleep. Don't expect a Remote diagnosis just please point me in the right direction. I've had dogs all my life but I've never seen anything like this. He jumps up like he's in another world and takes a minute to register where he is.

[@MnM-xm5gv]

How is your dog now? What happened?

[@maryfazzino7936]

Hello my name is Mary my daughter's Maltese dog his name is Braxton He has meningitis and he had chemo on Tuesday last week and today had a seizure for quite a long time I want to talk to somebody please help me with my daughter and her dog I feel helpless

[@SEVNeurology]

Is there a neurologist in your area? We are limited in what we can do to help through the internet. An in person examination is always best.

[@bearinmind7298]

Hello guys. Live in Australia. Have a Maltese/ shitzu, 9 years old. 7.5 kg. Seeing VSS vet specialist clinic. Bio bloods were unremarkable. Vet has identified possible slipped disc. Possible meningitis. He is taking metacam. 7.5 ml daily. Gabapentin 100mg twice a day. As well as fentanyl patch 25mcg last for 3 days We have been hit very hard financially so imaging is difficult atm. He presents in the morning after waking with stiff slightly swollen neck. Hunched back. Looking down and slight shivering or shaking. Temp is normal. Returns to normal after about 10 to 20 mins after administration of metacam. What does this point more towards. If it was a disc would we not see continued stiff movement through the day? Or is this a waxing and waining effect. Wat could be our nxt step

[@SEVNeurology]

Agree that disk vs meningitis are two most common causes, but others (tumor, infection, etc) are possible. Best recommendation would be MRI and spinal tap but I understand the current financial situation. Radiographs (x-rays) might help raise or lower the suspicion for ivdd, and can screen for obvious infection of bone or obvious tumor of bone. The response or lack of response of metacam doesn’t tell me the cause. A spinal tap (without MRI) might help say if it’s meningitis or not, but it isn’t a 100% test by itself and is typically best when combined with MRI. If the tap were completely normal I’d lean towards IVDD (but not be certain), and if it were dramatically abnormal I’d lean towards meningitis. That said, there is lots of overlap between different diseases of what the spinal tap results can be. That’s why we typically combine with MRI.