Breed-Specific Clinical Features, Diagnostic Findings, and Outcome of Presumptive Meningoencephalomyelitis of Unknown Origin in 27 French Bulldogs

Meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO) is an inflammatory central nervous system disease affecting the meninges, brain, and spinal cord. Interest in this condition has been growing rapidly over the last decade, but information on the pathophysiology and evolution of the disease is still lacking. This study aimed to assess and evaluate the clinical findings, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, and survival time in affected French Bulldogs (FBs). A total of 27 client-owned FBs met the inclusion criteria. The highest percentage of animals were affected by acute blindness and cervical pain, representing 25.9% (n = 7) each. Via MRI, 44.4% of FBs showed signs of perilesional parenchymal brain edema. Midline shift was observed in 11.1% of dogs, and 7.4% displayed foramen magnum cerebellar herniation. The cerebrospinal fluid examination was considered normal in 34.8% of dogs. Five (18.5%) dogs died during the treatment. Close to two-thirds (63.0%) were still alive during the study data collection (median survival time, 775 days), displaying an overall good survival time. The presence of epileptic seizures, midline shift, and relapse of clinical signs were factors associated with higher mortality rate (p < 0.05) and might be prognostic factors for worse survival in French Bulldogs with MUO.