2005: Suppurative, nonseptic polyarthropathy in dogs.

1: J Vet Intern Med. 2005 Sep-Oct;19(5):654-62. Links


Suppurative, nonseptic polyarthropathy in dogs.

Rondeau MP, Walton RM, Bissett S, Drobatz KJ, Washabau RJ.

Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania School of
Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. rondeau@vet.upenn.edu

The goals of this study were to determine the historical, physical
examination, and clinicopathologic findings in dogs with suppurative,
nonseptic polyarthropathy and to identify concurrent disorders
associated with this syndrome. Medical records of 52 dogs with
cytologic evidence of suppurative inflammation in two or more joints
were examined retrospectively. Age of dogs was 4.8 years (median,
range: 0.5-12 years). There was no clear breed or sex predilection, but
most were large-breed dogs (body weight > or = 20 kg [44.4 lbs] in
40/52). Body temperature was 103.0 degrees F (39.4 degrees C) (median,
range: 100.0-105.9 degrees F), with 29 of 52 dogs having a body
temperature > or = 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C). Lameness was
identified in 42 of 52 dogs. Erosive changes were found in only 1 of 37
dogs that had radiography performed. A clear underlying disease process
was not identified in 34 of 52 dogs. Seven dogs had evidence of
infectious or inflammatory processes at extra-articular sites; 4 dogs
were diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); 2 dogs had
gastrointestinal disease; 2 dogs had been vaccinated within 1 month
before onset of polyarthritis; 1 dog had cancer; 1 dog had
polyarthritis and meningitis; and 1 dog had erosive polyarthritis. Of
the 44 dogs tested, 25 had antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, detected
by an ELISA assay, which was significantly greater than the general
hospital population (P = .007). Antibodies against Rickettsia
rickettsiae and Ehrlichia canis were not definitively identified in the
sera of any dog tested in this study (45 and 44 dogs, respectively). We
conclude that an underlying disease process is not identified in most
cases of suppurative polyarthropathy in dogs and that intestinal
disease, neoplasia, and SLE are uncommon causes of polyarthritis. While
seropositivity against the causative agent of Lyme disease was common
and possibly a cause of polyarthritis in some dogs of our study,
evidence of other vector-borne infection was not identified.

PMID: 16231709 [PubMed - in process]

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I am sure the dog's who read this group will find this article helpful.

Speaking from your personal experience I am sure*)

Is this the real Californialyme?

Seropositivity for lyme is possibly the cause? Not jumping to any
conclusions are they? Far as I know, there aren't any sanctions
against vets who treat lyme.