Untersuchungen zum Krankheitsverlauf der Akuten Caninen Polyradikuloneuritis unter Intravenöser Immunglobulintherapie

Treatment of dogs with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis (ACP) is
restricted to physical rehabilitation and supportive care. In
humans with Guillain-Barré syndrome, the counterpart of ACP,
randomized trials show that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg)
speeds recovery. We hypothesized that dogs would tolerate IVIg well
and recover faster from ACP than dogs with supportive treatment
only. Sixteen client-owned dogs with ACP were treated with IVIg.
Five dogs were identified by a medical record search, 11 dogs were
enrolled prospectively. Fourteen client-owned dogs served as a
retrospective control group. Diagnosis was confirmed using clinical
features, electrodiagnostic, cerebrospinal fluid analyses and
muscle/nerve biopsies. The duration of the initial progressive
phase, the time from IVIg administration until dogs were ambulatory
without assistance and the duration of the complete episode were
evaluated and compared with the control group. Adverse reactions
(anaphylaxis, mild hematuria) were observed in two dogs. Dogs
treated with IVIg were ambulatory without assistance after a median
of 27.5 days (range 15-127 days) from onset of clinical signs. The
control group was ambulatory without assistance at a median of 75.5
days (range 5-220 days). Even though this result is not
statistically significant, there is a clear trend toward faster
recovery in dogs treated with IVIg.