GME Disease

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Harley
Puppy
Posts: 10
Joined: 06 Nov 2020, 00:31
First Name: Gary

GME Disease

Post by Harley »

My 5 month old puppy Harley just got diagnosed with GME (granulomatous meningioencephalomyelitis) disease. Doctor has him on prednisone and depending on how that goes might try adding other immune suppressive medications. My question is has anyone here had experience with this, what might have caused it, and is it hereditary?
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zeta1454
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Posts: 5136
Joined: 19 May 2011, 16:58
First Name: Leigh
Dog #1: Magic
is a: P/S Mini Bitch
Born: 20 Apr 2010
Dog #2: Trilby
is a: P/S Mini Bitch
Born: 15 Mar 2012
Dog #3: Pip
Born: 21 Feb 2014
is a: P/S Mini Bitch
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: GME Disease

Post by zeta1454 »

Hi Gary - I am so sorry to read about little Harley. That must be a terrible shock to you and the family. I have no personal experience of a dog being diagnosed with this so hope that someone else on the Forum may be able to give you more specific advice if they have been through this.

From my reading about this condition online, I would say that there does not seem to be any suggestion that it is hereditary although there is always the possibility with any disease that a genetic factor is involved in some way and is simply triggered by other factors in the environment or through some trauma or infection. It is an autoimmune disease affecting the brain which seems to be currently regarded as of ‘unknown origin’ although there have been various studies offering possible causes from an inflammatory response to a virus or bacteria that a dog may have been exposed to in the environment to an adverse reaction to the Canine Distemper vaccine.* Whatever the cause it would not appear that it could have been predicted or prevented in any way and treatment of the symptoms and supportive care will be tailored to the individual dog.

* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3113901/

It does seem as though it is a condition that may be misdiagnosed so a specialist diagnosis is important and also that it can affect a dog in several different ways, some of which are more serious than others in terms of how well they respond to treatment. I have put a few links below which may add to the information and advice from your vet:

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ ... own-origin

https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/ ... ology-mua/

https://www.thesprucepets.com/granuloma ... gs-3384920

Sending hugs to you and Harley and hope that the medication / treatment is successful in helping your little pup.
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Magic - Silversocks Sharade at Darksprite
Trilby - Darksprite Rosa Bud


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Oscar 12345
Member
Posts: 1592
Joined: 02 May 2017, 11:28
First Name: Julie
Dog #1: Oscar RIP Sweety
is a: P/S Mini Dog
Born: 21 Dec 2002
Dog #2: Otto
is a: B/S Mini Dog
Born: 04 Jul 2017

Re: GME Disease

Post by Oscar 12345 »

Gary, I am so sorry that your pup has this condition, I don't know anything about it but there is a Facebook group for owners of dogs with the condition. So if you have not joined already here it is. https://www.facebook.com/FightGME

Good luck and hope it is a condition that can be managed satisfactorily.
Man cannot survive with wine alone...
we also need a schnauzer.
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Harley
Puppy
Posts: 10
Joined: 06 Nov 2020, 00:31
First Name: Gary

Re: GME Disease

Post by Harley »

Harley's 10.5 month update...
Hi everyone... I'm back to being a rambunctious schnauzer puppy! I've been off the vet prescribed prednisone for a couple months now and acting like nothing ever happened... go figure. I'm hoping and praying that maybe it was something else that caused my lethargy and fever. Anyway, just wanted to share the good news, Harley
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zeta1454
Moderator
Posts: 5136
Joined: 19 May 2011, 16:58
First Name: Leigh
Dog #1: Magic
is a: P/S Mini Bitch
Born: 20 Apr 2010
Dog #2: Trilby
is a: P/S Mini Bitch
Born: 15 Mar 2012
Dog #3: Pip
Born: 21 Feb 2014
is a: P/S Mini Bitch
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: GME Disease

Post by zeta1454 »

Lovely photo and so glad to hear you are much better, Harley, and that maybe it was some other reason that you were unwell before. Great that you are no longer on the medication too.
Enjoy life to the full, sweet boy :) :o3
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Magic - Silversocks Sharade at Darksprite
Trilby - Darksprite Rosa Bud


https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/C ... 916994967/
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