Spinal tap for meningitis, anyone have any experience?

Griffin is having another flare up of his 'recurring unidentifiable fever' as the vets call it and now think it's likely to be a form of meningitis that didn't show up in the battery of tests that they've done on the previous two occasions so now they want to do an MRI and and a cerebral spinal fluid tap . They couldn't yesterday when we initially went to the vets but he's not responded to the antibiotics like he has before so we went to the out of hours vet today and his temperature has gone up rather than down so he's now got some metacam which should help combat the fever and since he still seems to be in the middle of an episode the invasive tests are still possible over the next couple of days. We're lucky enough to have several places within easy distance of us with an MRI machine but after the vet explaining what's involved with the spinal tap just wondered if anyone has had to make the decision to have it done previously, he's going to be knocked out for the scan so it's not an additional GA but I'm still concerned about the possible risks from it. The benefits of finally finding out the root of the problem outweighs the risks I think but can't help but play devils advocate with myself about the inherent dangers!
Thanks for any info.

Ollie had a spinal tap. They are sore for quite a few days afterwards but he was hospitilised when is was done so we didn't really get to see the extent of it. If it did upset him or whether he managed to deal with it

I do kow the area was sore even after 10 days when he came home if touched there.


Can't give you anymore information sorry. Hope all goes well for Griffin.

Yes spinal and joint tap for Willow when he was about 4/5 months old he had steroid responsive meningitis how old is Griffin? I can't comment on the risks, it as after a week of tests our vets were getting knowhere and we were told get him to Cambridge to see a specialist or they didn't think he would last much longer so it was a no brainer. They kept him for a few days and we then went to get the results if Griffin has got the same they tend to respond very quickly once the steroids are given . Fingers crossed they get to the bottom of this and he's back to normal soon.xxxx Pm me if you want to chat there is also a website for dog owners who have had this problem with their dogs.

Our Bernese also had a lumbar puncture when he was younger.
I was only 15 at the time so cant remember too many details. He did have meningitis and was very unwell. He has since made a full recovery, although continued on steroids for quite a few years after... He is still on medication 8 years later but I'm not sure if these are related. He is now 9, and the vet predicted he wouldnt live past 5.
We were also living in France at the time so had very little understanding of what was going on.

ETA - Hope all is ok with Griffin, wishing him all the best. Its a horrible time to go through.

So sorry to hear that. If it was me, and he was a young enough dog who had a good chance of survival, I would go ahead with the GA to have the tests done if it will save his life.

My friend's Whippet has been going through this, sadly. I've directed her to this thread. Hopefully she can be of some help to you.

this ties in with what the specialist said the 2 breeds suffering from this the most were beagles and bernese mountain dogs. Now I think it's becomming a lot more common accross other breeds as well The website is GME dogs lots of other people experiences on this

As Nicola says, my whippet is affected by this. She had her initial bout aged 16 months. She is now 2 years and 4 months and had her 2nd relapse last Friday. She has had all the tests and all the treatment and we are once more in the thick of it!

If you would like the full story please pm me and I will give you all the help I possibly can.

On a more positive note, this disease, once diagnosed, is "easily" treatable with steroids - hence its name Steroid Responsive Meningio Artertitis.

Oh thats a bummer so soon after Willow had a relapse last year but he was nearly 6 by then so bigger gap he responded well again to the steroids although we have been told they can stop working and thats when you go down the chemo route..... am hoping we never need to try that one . Thinking of you both x

Thank you. We were advised that she would grow out of it after her 2nd bout. She finished the steroids in early June this year and all went well. She had a full moult and got all her shaved bits regrown, then, aged just over 2 years, she had her first season. Her stamina, which we felt had been compromised, was returning too and all was great. 2 weeks ago we had her spayed, on the recommendation of her consultant, the vet school Prof of small medicine and our own vet. All went well until 8 days later this horrid disease kicked in again - worse than ever by the level of the CRP. Perhaps the trauma of the surgery, but we'll never know. She's a poor wee soul at the moment.

Hi - my girl had a csf tap plus joint taps at the same time as her MRI - she was really poorly before the tests but she did not seem significantly worse afterwards . She is now completely recovered and has been off the steroids for 8 months . I hope you get the answers you need to treat your boy .