Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 1/10/2012

Question
Hello

I have an 11 years old American Pit bull Terrier that I adopted 10 years ago.  Very healthy and loving and I love him a lot  as well.  4 months ago I left him at the kennel for 1 week.   A day after I got him he developed very unpleasant signs of weakness.  I took him to the vet and he was on IV for 12 hours and in 2 days was back to normal.  Blood tests fro valley fever etc. could not find anything.
2 weeks ago he started developing mild signs of the same - weakness,his backbones sticks out, etc.  The vet said it is 95% disc rapture.  Minimum movement for 3 weeks and gave some med.

I put him again in the kennel as I had to leave town,  and he got the same but much worse only after 4 days being there.  Again  IV etc. Now the vet said it is probably meningitis.  However, we still not sure as the exam is too expensive for me.   He is on antibiotics and anti inflammatory as if he got it.

My question - could being in the kennel activate any of this?

He was at the same kennel many times before and people are very nice there. But the fact that it happened just after that is scary.

Would you please give me some input?

Also, any general advice to handle him if it is indeed meningitis?

Thank you very much,   Gabe

Answer
Meningitis is very rare in the dog.  A spinal fluid tap would give you the answer to that one.  If there is a disk problem, then high doses of a steroid called dexamethasone over 2-3 weeks and strict cage rest are required.  If the dog cannot walk or feel pain at all, surgery may be needed.