This study aimed to identify prognostic factors and describe the treatment outcomes of multidrug therapy in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology (MUE). A total of 23 dogs diagnosed with MUE were treated with prednisolone in combination with cyclosporine, cytosine arabinoside (CA), leflunomide, and mycophenolate mofetil. Based on the survival time, these dogs were divided into two groups: group A (n = 10), surviving for < 100 days, and group B (n = 13), surviving for > 100 days. Signalment, seizure activity, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis results, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings were reviewed. Survival studies were conducted to investigate the association of each prognostic factor and treatment with the clinical outcome. There were no significant differences in age, sex, body weight, occurrence of seizures, cell number and protein concentration in the CSF, or location of lesions between groups A and B. Abnormal MR features were more frequently observed in group A than in group B. It was identified that the longest median survival time was administration of multi-drug therapy including CA. In conclusion, abnormal MR features were associated with poor prognosis in dogs with MUE and CA-based multi-drug therapy could be considered the most effective treatment of MUE.

Abstract
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
    Case selection
    Group assignment according to survival time
    Prognostic factor analysis
    Treatment
    Statistical analysis
RESULTS
    Study population
    Group analysis according to successful long-term outcome
    Group analysis according to treatment
    Analysis according to survival time
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

• Jun-Hee Kim(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Yoonhoi Koo(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Taesik Yun(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Yeon Chae(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Dohee Lee(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Sijin Cha(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Jeeyun Kim(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Hakhyun Kim(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Mhan-Pyo Yang(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University)
• Byeong-Teck Kang(Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University) Corresponding author