Granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME), often written granulomatous meningoencephalitis, is an idiopathic, probably immune-mediated inflammation of the brain, spinal cord and meninges of dogs, typically small-breed dogs in young adulthood or middle age. It is one of the histological subtypes of meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO), the working diagnosis used when a biopsy is not available. Left untreated it is usually fatal (Adamo 2007; Cornelis 2019), but many dogs live for months to years on immunosuppressive treatment once infection has been ruled out.
Key facts
Granulomatous meningoencephalitis at a glance- Species and system: dog; central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, meninges, optic nerves).
- Cause: unknown; suspected T-cell-mediated, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction. No infectious agent has been consistently found.
- Classic dog: small, toy or terrier breed (for example a Toy Poodle), young adult to middle-aged, more often female.
- Classic presentation: acute to subacute, progressive focal or multifocal signs: seizures, vestibular signs, ataxia, cervical pain, blindness.
- Diagnosis: presumptive MUO from MRI, CSF (mononuclear pleocytosis) and negative infectious disease tests; GME specifically needs histopathology.
- Treatment: immunosuppressive glucocorticoids, often with cytarabine or cyclosporine; radiation therapy for some focal lesions.
- Not zoonotic and not reportable.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Signalment
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
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