Sole prednisolone therapy in canine meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology

Meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology (MUE) is a frequently diagnosed and often fatal disease in veterinary neurology. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of three different sole prednisolone treatment schedules in dogs diagnosed with MUE. The dogs were diagnosed clinically with MUE based on previously described inclusion criteria, and treated with a three-, eight- or eighteen-week-tapering prednisolone schedule. Thirty eight dogs were included in the study. Seventeen, fifteen and six dogs received the three-, eight- and eighteen-week tapering schedule, respectively. Overall, 37% of the dogs died or were euthanized because of MUE, and a significant difference in survival time was seen between the three treatment schedules. Surprisingly, the highest number of dogs that died because of MUE was seen in the eight week treatment schedule (56%), followed by the three-week (26%) and eighteen-week (0%) treatment schedule. Based on the results of this study, no definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding the ideal prednisolone dosing protocol for dogs diagnosed with MUE. However, a more aggressive and immunosuppressive treatment protocol might lead to a better outcome