USO CONTÍNUO DE GLICOCORTICOIDE NO TRATAMENTO DE MENINGOENCEFALOMIELITE GRANULOMATOSA EM UM CÃO E SUAS CONSEQUÊNCIAS:  RELATO DE CASO

Granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME) is an idiopathic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, whose etiology may be related to infectious, neoplastic, immune-mediated diseases and associated with environmental and genetic factors. It usually has a rapid and progressive evolution, affecting dogs of any breed or age, mainly small breeds and young adults. Clinical signs vary according to the affected area and extent of the lesion. Diagnosis is presumptive, through anamnesis, clinical examination, exclusion of infectious diseases, analysis of cerebrospinal fluid and imaging tests. Treatment is based on immunosuppression through long-term glucocorticoids, which can lead to endocrinopathies such as hypercortisolism and diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to report a case of granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis in an eight-year-old male Maltese dog, which developed secondary diseases due to prolonged use of glucocorticoids, treated at a veterinary hospital in Maringá, Paraná.