Characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid associated with canine granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis: a retrospective study.

Cerebrospinal fluid of 22 dogs with histologically confirmed granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis was analyzed, retrospectively. Seventeen dogs had cisternal CSF analysis, 4 dogs had lumbar CSF analysis, and 1 dog had both. For cisternal CSF, the mean +/- SEM total WBC count was 800.8 +/- 300.9 cells/microliter. The WBC differential count was predominantly lymphoplasmacytic cells, but 13 of the 18 cisternal CSF had polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells, and the mean +/- SEM PMN cell percentage was 18.6 +/- 5.3%. The mean +/- SEM total protein content of cisternal CSF was 255.8 +/- 98 mg/dl. Of 5 cisternal CSF pressures measured, 4 were within the normal range. The mean +/- SEM total WBC count and total protein content of lumbar CSF were 533.4 +/- 256.5 cells/mu/microliter and 163.2 +/- 25 mg of protein/dl, respectively. As with cisternal CSF, the WBC differential count of lumbar CSF was predominantly lymphoplasmacytic cells. Of 5 lumbar CSF, 4 contained PMN cells, but the percentage was less than the PMN cell percentage of cisternal CSF. Although variable, the general pattern of CSF abnormality associated with granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis was different from the CSF abnormalities commonly seen with viral, bacterial, or mycotic encephalitides.