What Are the Treatments for Meningitis in Dogs?

Meningitis is an infection of the meninges or lining around the brain and spinal cord, which affects both animals and humans. In dogs, the treatments for meningitis vary based upon the type of infection.

  1. Causes of Meningitis

    • The underlying cause of meningitis infections determines the type of infection--such as bacterial or viral meningitis. Veterinarians do not fully understand what causes the third type, aseptic meningitis, but believe the condition occurs when a dog's immune system begins to attack the meninges.

    Medications

    • For bacterial meningitis in dogs, doctors typically prescribe antibiotics like ampicillin, metronidazole, tetracyclines, trimethoprim or fluoroquinolones, while aseptic meningitis requires treatment with corticosteroids like prednisone. Medications like itraconazole or fluconazole are most common for fungal meningitis infections, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual.

    Function

    • The medications used for the treatment of fungal and bacterial meningitis function by weakening the cells of the organism causing the infection, allowing a dog's immune system to destroy it. Corticosteroids suppress a dog's immune system, lessening the severity of aseptic meningitis.

    Time Frame

    • For aseptic meningitis, dogs normally begin responding to medication within 24 to 48 hours though treatment with corticosteroids continues for several months, according to PetPlace.com. With bacterial and fungal meningitis, dogs do not always respond to treatment and may die, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual.

    Considerations

    • All types of meningitis in dogs have the potential to reoccur even if the initial treatment is successful. In such cases, veterinarians repeat treatment or may use a different type of medication.