Screening diagnostics to identify triggers in 21 cases of steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether screening tests used to identify infectious and neoplastic triggers for immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia, in particular a complete blood count and differential, serum biochemistry profile, urine analysis (including culture), abdominal ultrasound and thoracic radiographs, can identify triggers for steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive review. RESULTS: Twenty‐one steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis cases were identified in which all screening tests had been performed. All cases had changes in complete blood count (including neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphocytosis, eosinopenia or anaemia); 19 had changes in biochemistry (including hypoalbuminaemia, hyperglobulinaemia, increased alkaline phosphatase activity, hyperphosphataemia, increased total calcium concentration, hypercholesterolaemia, hyperkalaemia, increased urea concentration and increased alanine aminotransferase activity); two cases had an elevated urine protein to creatinine ratio but none had positive urine culture results; no cases had abnormalities on orthogonal radiographs of the thorax; four cases had abnormalities identified on abdominal ultrasound, which following cytological examination suggested inflammation in the absence of pathological organisms. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Screening tests used to identify infectious and neoplastic triggers in immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia did not isolate triggers for steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis in the population of dogs under investigation.