About The Webinar
Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the nervous system are significant conditions that affect the spinal cord and surrounding structures in small animals.
Discospondylitis is an infectious inflammatory disease that primarily affects the intervertebral disc, spreading to the adjacent endplates and vertebral bodies. Bacterial and fungal infections are common causes. Diagnosis is made through imaging, such as radiographs, CT, and MRI. Treatment can be medical or surgical, with commonly long-term antibiotic administration being the primary medical approach.
Bacterial meningitis can occur in dogs due to hematogenous spread from various sources. Diagnosis involves imaging, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and ideally sampling of the infectious focus/foci and culture of the samples. Medical therapy with appropriate antibiotics is the standard treatment.
Steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) is an immune-mediated disorder affecting young-adult dogs, with specific breed predispositions. Diagnosis includes CSF analysis and MRI. Glucocorticoids are the mainstay of treatment. Prognosis is generally good, but relapses may occur.
Meningomyelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord parenchyma and surrounding meninges. Diagnosis involves advanced imaging and CSF analysis. In cases of immune-mediated meningomyelitis, medical therapy with glucocorticoids is the primary treatment, sometimes supplemented with other immune-suppressive medications.
