Question submitted by the audience in our recent webinar: Understanding Steroid Responsive Meningitis-Arteritis and Other Inflammatory Neurological Disorders of Dogs:
What infectious diseases should be looked for in a dog and cat, and what should be tested (csf / blood)?
Answer by: Karen R. Muñana, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology):
Infectious causes that should be considered for any dogs with inflammatory neurological disease include bacterial, protozoal (such as toxoplasmosis and neosporosis), fungal, vector borne (such as Ehrlichia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever), viral, and parasitic. The relative prevalence of these infections will vary by geographic location. Cerebrospinal fluid should be cultured if bacterial meningitis is a consideration, and can be used to test for other infectious agents. Blood samples can also be analyzed to evaluate for many of the infectious agents.
