Print

Treatment

Your dog will need to be hospitalized initially to treat the fever and for fluid therapy. Ice packs or cool water baths are the standard treatment for lowering body temperature, but your veterinarian will base which treatment to use on your dog's overall condition. The dog's physical activity level should not be reduced, as muscle atrophy can result from lack of movement. If your dog is in pain or suffering from paralysis of any kind, you will need to plan a physical routine that will work around those problems, while still keeping your dog in motion to prevent muscle atrophy. Your doctor will prescribe pain medication and steroids for your pet, and can help you to make a plan for keeping your dog physically active without placing too much pressure on the dog and causing more pain or stress.

Treatment must be continued for six months or the patient will relapse.

Living and Management

Your veterinarian will schedule a follow up appointment for your dog every four to six weeks after the initial treatment to check the bloodwork and to test the CSF. Treatment lasts about six months.