A dog̵7;s central nervous system (CNS) can become inflamed, and disease can be more specifically diagnosed depending on what part of the system is inflamed. Encephalitis describes inflammation of the brain.
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Causes
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Inflammation occurs for a number of reasons. Less common are infections due to viruses, bacteria, protozoa or fungi. More typical occurrences of inflammation are breed-specific disorders or an immune-mediated disorder called granulomatous meningo-encephalitis (GME)
Granulomatous Meningo-encephalitis
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GME happens when the immune system gets over excited and inflames itself. There is no solid answer for why this happens.
Symptoms
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Confusion, bumping into things, imbalance, stumbling and acting oddly are all signs of encephalitis.
Diagnosis
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Veterinarians diagnose encephalitis by using an MRI to look at the brain. An MRI shows if a dog has GME, meaning its white blood cells attack the dog̵7;s brain rather than other infections.
Treatment
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Treatment for an over-excited immune system consists of immune-suppressing drugs, typically corticosteroids. Other medications include azathioprine, cytarabine, mycophenolate, cyclosporine and cyclophosphamide to be used in combination with corticosteroids.
Prognosis
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Most dogs must remain on medication for months or years to live normal lives. Some may not be able to improve if the inflammation is too severe.
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